READ: WHY SAINT PETER CHRYSOLOGUS TEACHES US THE NEED FOR PRAYER, FASTING, AND ALMSGIVING by WILL BLOOMFIELD: Saint Peter gained the title “Chrysologus”, which means “golden-worded” due to his reputation as a preacher. So explains Will Bloomfield, General Counsel for the Diocese of Lansing, July 31, the Feast of Saint Peter Chrysologus (c. 380 – 450), the great Italian bishop renowned for his concise yet profound preaching. Will continues:
When I think of St. Peter Chrysologus, I particularly think of his great homily which arises in the Office of Readings each Lent. In this homily, Saint Peter teaches us the integral connection between prayer, fasting, and mercy (i.e., almsgiving or works of charity). Here’s an excerpt:
“There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.”
“Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others you open God’s ear to yourself.”
Prayer. Fasting. Mercy. Sadly, modern Christians often neglect one or more of these three essentials of Christian life. Yet as Saint Peter explains, if you don’t have all three, “you have nothing.”
So let’s prayerfully reflect on our prayer, fasting, and mercy. Do we truly have all three? Maybe we need to start a daily prayer time. Maybe we need to start fasting every Friday. (Christians traditionally do penance on Friday because Christ died on Friday.) Or maybe we need to regularly practice the corporal works of mercy.
Saint Peter Chrysologus, pray for us!
