The prophets were sent to Ancient Israel to relay a message from God, to bring the people back, and to reconcile them to the Lord. The people of Ancient Israel may think that God had forsaken them for their sins and transgressions, but the prophet Isaiah reaffirms the message of the covenant that God made with his people, of God’s steadfastness in maintaining that relationship. The psalmist echoes this same message, telling us that the Lord is gracious and merciful.
We celebrate St Leander of Seville on his feast day today. Born in the 6th century, Leander was the influential Bishop of Seville. His brother Isidore, who succeeded him as Bishop, was an influential theologian and is one of the Doctors of the Church. Leander is remembered as having introduced the practice professing the Nicene Creed at Mass in the sixth century. He saw the reciting of the Nicene Creed as a way to help reinforce the faith of his people and as a way of combating the Arian the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. He convinced the Visigothic kings to abandon Arianism. By the end of his life, Leander had helped Christianity regain strength in Spain in the midst of political and societal struggles.
As we continue our journey during Lent, may we hear the Lord calling us to continued conversion and renewal, to faithfulness to the Gospel message.
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