Today November 10

Today is the feast of Pope St. Leo the Great (400 - 461). Of him it was said, "Peter has spoken by Leo!", the assembled bishops spontaneously showing their appreciation of "The Tome of Leo." This work adequately explained the dual nature of Christ, called into question by Dioscorus at a synod in Ephesus (dubbed "the robber synod" by Leo himself, who wasn't there but heard about it from St. Flavian and from his own legates). This Dioscorus and his followers were Monophysites, who denied two natures in Jesus. Their heresy was in opposition to Nestorianism. All of which goes to prove G. K. Chesterton's statement: "There are many angles at which a man may fall, but only one at which he stands upright."

And Leo, whose reign was marked not only by schisms and heresies from within, but violent attacks by barbarians from without (and being "the one strong man" in Rome -- Butler's Lives, he himself met Attila the Hun on the plain outside the city [at Peschiera] and convinced him NOT to sack Rome), wrote these peaceful words:
"Christian, remember your dignity, and now that you share in God's own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition. Bear in mind who is your Head and of whose Body you are a member." - First Sermon on Christmas.

He had a lot of balls to juggle, did Leo. For his defense of the faith (especially the doctrine of the incarnation), his defense of the primacy of the papacy, and his brave physical defense of the capital (not once, but twice -- also negotiating with the cruel Vandal Genseric, who DID invade, but didn't rape or burn down, thanks to Leo), he is called the Great. And for his lucid statements of doctrine, he was made a doctor of the Church, a mere 1293 years after his death! The Church moves slowly sometimes. St. Leo the Great, pray for us.