The Virtue of Charity
From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope (d. 461)
Painting “Charity to the Poor” – Fra Angelico 1450
The virtue of charity
Narrated by Frank Dugan, Huntington Beach, California
In the Gospel of John the Lord says: In this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for each other. In a letter of the same apostle we read: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God; he who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
The faithful should therefore enter into themselves and make a true judgment on their attitudes of mind and heart. If they find some store of love’s fruit in their hearts, they must not doubt God’s presence within them. If they would increase their capacity to receive so great a guest, they should practice greater generosity in doing good, with persevering charity.
If God is love, charity should know no limit, for God cannot be confined.
Any time is the right time for works of charity, but these days of Lent provide a special encouragement. Those who want to be present at the Lord’s Passover in holiness of mind and body should seek above all to win this grace, for charity contains all other virtues and covers a multitude of sins.
As we prepare to celebrate that greatest of all mysteries, by which the blood of Jesus Christ did away with our sins, let us first of all make ready the sacrificial offerings of works of mercy. In this way we shall give to those who have sinned against us what God in his goodness has already given to us.
Let us now extend to the poor and those afflicted in different ways a more open-handed generosity, so that God may be thanked through many voices and the relief of the needy supported by our fasting. No act of devotion on the part of the faithful gives God more pleasure than that which is lavished on his poor. Where he finds charity with its loving concern, there he recognizes the reflection of his own fatherly care.
In these acts of giving do not fear a lack of means. A generous spirit is itself great wealth. There can be no shortage of material for generosity where it is Christ who feeds and Christ who is fed. In all this activity there is present the hand of him who multiplies the bread by breaking it, and increases it by giving it away.
The giver of alms should be free from anxiety and full of joy. His gain will be greatest when he keeps back least for himself. The holy apostle Paul tells us: He who provides seed for the sower will also provide bread for eating; he will provide you with more seed, and will increase the harvest of your goodness, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings
Pope Leo the Great meets Attila at the gates of Rome – Fresco by Rafael 1530
Saint Leo the Great (d. 461) was born in Rome of Tuscan parents and served as deacon under Popes Celestine I and Sixtus III. He served as a peacemaker between the imperial generals whose quarrels left Gaul open to attacks by the barbarians. He was elected Pope in 440, succeeding Sixtus III. He completed a series of ninety-six sermons which still exist today, on matters of theology, faith and morals, clarifying the doctrine of the Incarnation, and eloquent commentaries opposing the heresies of his time. In 452, Attila and his Huns invaded Italy and were about to attack defenseless Rome when he was met at the gates by Leo. In this face-to-face meeting with Leo, Attila was dissuaded from destroying the city.
The story is told of Attila’s servants asking him why he had so easily accommodated the Bishop of Rome. Attila answered that all the while the Pope was speaking there appeared in the sky above the Pope’s head a figure dressed as a priest holding a drawn sword and was ready to kill him unless he consented to do as Leo asked. The figure was that of Saint Peter!
Three years later, Rome was again attacked, this time by the Vandal Genseric, who indeed plundered Rome, but at Leo’s persuasion, agreed not to violate the inhabitants. Leo ministered to the stricken populace and worked to rebuild the city and its churches. He also sent missionaries to Africa to minister to the captives Genseric took back with him. Leo died in Rome on November 10, 461. His legacy advanced the influence of the papacy to unprecedented heights. In a time of great disorder, he forged an energetic central authority which affected the papacy for centuries to come.