Here’s a sermon from, St. Leo the Great about prayer, fasting and almsgiving, the three usual recommendations for our lenten season.. Leo guided the Roman church early in the 5th century in troubled times, maybe like ours.

Barbarian tribes poured through Rome’s defenses along the Rhine River on its northern frontier, threatening the Italian peninsula. Many of Rome’s elite left for the safety of Constantinople, the empire’s new center. Rome was left with an army incapable of defending the city. The Romans barricaded themselves in their homes with everything they had, convinced the world was ending.

Leo’s sermon focuses on the most important lenten recommendation for his time – almsgiving.  As governments today give up a role of support for the needy and turn to builiding their armies and their economy, Leo”s word might well be directed to us today. He puts it in more elegant language than mine, but he tells his people “Stick together.”    

“There is no more profitable practice as a companion to holy and spiritual fasting than that of almsgiving. The works of mercy are innumerable. Their very variety brings this advantage to those who are true Christians. In the matter of almsgiving not only the rich and affluent but also those of average means and the poor are able to play their part. Those who are unequal in their capacity to give can be equal in the love within their hearts.”

“The works of mercy are innumerable.” Rich or poor can show mercy, according to what you can do. . Forget yourself and think of someone  else and do something, Leo says. “The works of mercy are innumerable.” Love makes them all equal. 

Pope Francis talks like that too.  What can we do for others?