Monday, November 10, 2008

Nov. 10... Saints Aedh and Leo the Great

Today the Church remembers St. Aedh MacBricc, who is shown below in the Icon of All Saints of Britain and Ireland. St. Aedh established a religious community in Westmeath, after having became a monk when his brother stole his inheritance. He is known as a miracle worker and for curing St Brigid from a headache.






We also remember the great doctor of the Church, St. Leo the great. He first served as a deacon, but was raised to Bishop of Rome. He fought against the Pelagian heresy, and proclaimed the necessity of grace for salvation. He was a thoughtful preacher and theologian, and his Tome was the basis for the Chalcedonian Definition which affirmed the two natures of Jesus Christ- fully divine and fully human.

The image above is by New Orleans folk artist Jan Keels. You can see more of her work at
heart and soul art

I conclude with a favorite poem in honor of St Leo's contributions to the Church's Christological musings and theology.


As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying, What I do is me: for that I came.

I say more: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is —
Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

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