A star of the Office of Readings

Carmel has influenced my life in so many ways, conscious and unconscious, Carmel has given me so many and varied gifts.  For example, it was only when I became a Carmelite that I started to follow the daily Office of Readings, and to me one of the stars of this Office is St Leo the Great (400-461), whose feast day is today.  He has a gift for clarity and vividness of expression, and to me he is one of the greatest of the Church Fathers (and not just for his writings, for his service of the Church was stellar).  This is him writing about the greatest moment in human history, that moment when God the Son took on our human nature: ‘Thus the Son of God enters this lowly world, He comes down from the throne of heaven, yet does not separate himself from the Father’s glory. He is born in a new condition, by a new birth. Beyond our grasp, He chose to come within our grasp.  Existing before time began, He began to exist at a moment in time. Lord of the Universe, He hid his infinite glory and took the nature of a servant. Incapable of suffering as God, He did not refuse to be a man, capable of suffering. He who is true God is also true man. With Magi and shepherds, with Mary and Joseph, we can but only adore.’ 

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Theresa K, Fr Jon B, Catherine

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS – housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – in hospital

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Lucia – Overwhelmed by weariness

Mark – brain infection

Joy Smith – in hospital

 Defence of the unborn and the elderly

 RIP Martin Gilham, Sue Burton, little Matthew (six years old, died of cancer)