Linked in life and feast...

Let the peoples recount the wisdom of the Saints, and let the Church

proclaim their praise.  Their names will live on and on.  - Cf. Sir 44:15, 14

(Entrance Antiphon, Today's Liturgy)

 

    

"Eternal Son of the living God, whom I acknowledge here as truly present, I adore You with all the powers of my soul!  Prostrate with the angels in the most profound reverence, I love You, O my Savior; whom I now behold on Your throne of love.  O dread Majesty, O infinite Mercy, save me!  Forgive me!  Grant that I may never more be separated from You!"

St Basil the Great

Doctor of the Church

Father of Eastern Monasticism

His single greatest contribution was his insistence

on the divinity and consubstantiality

of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son

329-379 AD

FEAST DAY - January 2

 

 "We should not accept in silence the benefactions of God,

but return thanks for them." - St Basil the Great

Click here: The Life of St. Basil the Great - YouTube (3 mins) excellent!

"Why was St. Basil given the name "Great"? Only a few people in the world were ever given the magnificent title, "Great"! Alexander the Great was so-called because he conquered the world, but St. Basil was called "Great" because he conquered the hearts and souls of men for Jesus Christ. His whole life was dedicated to Jesus and the message of Christianity. He had the humility of Moses, the zeal of Elijah, the piety of Peter, the eloquence of John the Theologian, and the dedication of Paul." ~ Fr. George Poulos

“Let us remain in adoration: and to Him, who, in order to save us, humbled Himself to such a degree of poverty as to receive our body, let us offer not only incense, gold and myrrh, the first as God, the second as king, and the third as one who sought death for our sake, but also spiritual gifts more sublime than those which can be seen with the eyes” (Oratorio).

St Gregory Nazienzen

Doctor of the Church

Father of Eastern Monasticism

Esteemed writer and orator

especially on theme of Trinity

aka "the Theologian"

328 -389 AD

FEAST DAY - January 2

 

“God accepts our desires as though they were a great value. He longs ardently for us to desire and love Him. He accepts our petitions for benefits as though we were doing Him a favor. His joy in giving is greater than ours in receiving. So let us not be apathetic in our asking, nor set too narrow bounds to our requests; nor ask for frivolous things unworthy of God’s greatness.” - St Gregory of Nazienzen

Click here: "The Theologian":Gregory of Nazianzus - YouTube (9 mins)

      A sweet tidbit of interest: St. Gregory marveled at the depth of his mother, Nonna’s, faith in God on the altar. While in Our Lord's presence, she would never turn her back.

Sts Basil and Gregory, pray for us!

Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen are linked in this feast day, as they were in life; they were schoolmates, co-defenders of the orthodox teaching on the Trinity, and dear friends.  Both served as Bishops and suffered hostility from the politically powerful Arians.  In 379 Gregory preached at Basil's funeral:   "Do you, Basil, there also welcome me in your dwelling, when I have departed this life that we may live together and gaze more directly and perfectly at the Holy and Blessed Trinity.  Thus we shall attain the fruition of our desire, and receive the reward of the battles we have fought and the attacks  we have resisted."  ~ Magnificat - Vol 15, No 11, January 2014