Ash Wednesday: Entering the Mystery of Lent with the Church Fathers | Ep. 62

Feb 18, 2026

A reflective Ash Wednesday reading of St. Pope Leo the Great's Sermon 48 explores Lenten practices, spiritual fasting, and cleansing the soul as God’s temple. Themes include charity as the summit of virtue, almsgiving and mercy, cooperation with grace, and training the passions through fasting. Listeners hear calls to love sinners, oppose vice, and prepare for the Paschal feast with sacrificial devotion.

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ANECDOTE

Permission To Read Rare Sermon

Joshua Charles thanks the Catholic University of America for permission to read St. Leo's sermons from their Fathers of the Church volume.
He notes these volumes are costly and that their permission makes the sermon accessible to listeners.

INSIGHT

Paschal Feast Grounds All Solemnities

St. Leo calls Easter the Paschal Feast and links all church solemnities to this central mystery.
The faithful fast 40 days to cleanse the temple of the soul and worthily celebrate the Paschal mystery.

ADVICE

Forgive, Release Debts, And Give Alms

Forgive injuries and release debts as part of Lenten preparation to receive God's mercy.
Give alms generously to the poor, trusting God will multiply what you share.

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CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

In this Ash Wednesday episode, we enter into Eternal Christendom's traditional Lenten "hiddenness" in which we do audio-only episodes, reading and reflecting on Lenten sermons by the Church Fathers each week until we attain the joy of the Lord's Resurrection.

This Lent, we will read the sermons of St. Pope Leo the Great (c. 391-461), a great Saint, Church Father, Doctor of the Church, and Pope. Our first reading will be Sermon 48, delivered on March 13, 455. It is full of insights about our Catholic Faith, as well as refutations of various heresies and errors that are popular in our day. He compares our Lenten preparation for the joy of the "Pascal Feast" (Easter) with cleansing the "temples" of our soul.

May we sacrifice greatly for love of Christ this Lent, rightly preparing the temples of our souls!

You can purchase the CUA volume we read from here.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro

12:30 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 48 (March 13, 455)

22:00 - Reflections and Commentary

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