FEBRUARY 22D, FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT;
Some places: Commemoration of the Chair of St. Peter at Antioch, Apostle; and St. Paul, Apostle
Month in honor of the Holy Family of JMJ.
From the Roman Breviary —
From the Sermons of Pope St. Leo the Great.
4th on Lent
Dearly beloved brethren, I am to preach to you the holiest and the greatest of Fasts; and with what words can I more fitly begin than with those words of the Apostle, in whom Christ spake, which have just been read? Behold, now is the acceptable time! Behold, now is the day of salvation! It is true that there are no times which are not rich with God's gifts; His grace doth ever give us an entry unto His mercy; nevertheless, more especially at this time doth it behove that the minds of all men be earnestly stirred up to make progress in things spiritual, and to be nerved by a trust in God stronger than ever; for now the anniversary of that day on which we were redeemed is drawing near, and thereby moving us to work all godliness, to the end that we may be able to celebrate, with clean minds and bodies, that mystery which exceedeth all others, the mystery of the Lord's sufferings. Mysteries so great demand sustained earnestness, and continuous worship, if we would ever abide in the sight of God, such as it is meet that He should find us on the Feast of the Passover. But since few have the strength to do thus, and the frailty of the body rebelleth against such hardness, while the diverse actions of this life distract us with their cares, it necessarily befalleth that the dust of earth befouleth the hearts even of the godly. To meet this befoulment therefore, and to restore the cleanness of our souls, it is provided by the healthful institution of God, that we should be purged by an exercise of forty days, wherein godly works may redeem the mis-spending of our other time, and purifying fasts rid us of the same. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, as we are now about to enter upon these mystic days, the end of whose most holy ordinance is the cleansing both of our souls and bodies, let us take heed that we be obedient unto the command of the Apostle, putting far away from us every defilement of flesh and spirit, ordering the strife which there is between the two substances whereof we are compounded; that the soul, which is ordained under the rule of God, and which it beseemeth under His rule to rule the body, may enjoy the fulness of her lordship; giving no offence to any so that we may give no cause to such as revile us. For if our ways during the Fast agree not with the purity of perfect temperance, the reproaches of the unbelievers will be just, and our sins will arm the tongues of the ungodly to the harming of our religion. The sum of our Fast standeth not only in abstaining from meats; neither is it profitable to deny food to the body, if the mind be not bridled from iniquity.