Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops
and Doctors of the Church
Lectionary: 205
Lectionary: 205
Beloved:
Who is the liar?
Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.
Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father,
but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.
Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.
If what you heard from the beginning remains in you,
then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.
And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.
I write you these things about those who would deceive you.
As for you,
the anointing that you received from him remains in you,
so that you do not need anyone to teach you.
But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false;
just as it taught you, remain in him.
And now, children, remain in him,
so that when he appears we may have confidence
and not be put to shame by him at his coming.
Who is the liar?
Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.
Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father,
but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.
Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.
If what you heard from the beginning remains in you,
then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.
And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.
I write you these things about those who would deceive you.
As for you,
the anointing that you received from him remains in you,
so that you do not need anyone to teach you.
But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false;
just as it taught you, remain in him.
And now, children, remain in him,
so that when he appears we may have confidence
and not be put to shame by him at his coming.
Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4
R. (3cd) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving
power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Gospel JN
1:19-28
This is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,
“I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,
“I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
Meditation: Christ stands among you
Do you recognize the presence of the Lord Jesus in your life?
John the Baptist did such a great job of stirring the peoples’ expectation of
the Messiah’s arrival, that many thought he might be the Messiah himself, or at
least the great prophet Elijah who was expected to reappear at the Messiah’s
coming (see Malachi 4:5, Deuteronomy 18:15). John had no mistaken identity. In
all humility and sincerity he said he was only a voice bidding people to
prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah King. John the Baptist bridges
the Old and New Testaments. He is the last of the Old Testament Prophets who
points the way to the Messiah. He is the first of the New Testament witnesses
and martyrs. He is the herald who prepares the way for Jesus and who announces
his mission to the people: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the
sins of the world! John saw from a distance what the Messiah came to
accomplish – our redemption from slavery to sin and our adoption as sons and
daughters of God, our heavenly Father. Do you recognize your identity as an
adopted child of God and a citizen of God's heavenly kingdom?
John was the greatest of the prophets, yet he lived as a humble
and faithful servant of God. He pointed others to Jesus, the Messiah and Savior
of the world. The Christian church from the earliest of times has given John
many titles which signify his prophetic mission: Witness of the Lord,
Trumpet of Heaven, Herald of Christ, Voice of the Word, Precursor of Truth,
Friend of the Bridegroom, Crown of the Prophets, Forerunner of the Redeemer,
Preparer of Salvation, Light of the Martyrs, and Servant of the Word. Do
you point others to Jesus Christ by the testimony of your witness and example?
"Lord Jesus Christ, make me a herald of your word of truth
and grace. Help me to be a faithful witness of the joy of the gospel and to
point others to you as John did through his testimony."
 Aspiring to Humility |
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Memorial of Saints
Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church
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John 1: 19-28
This is the testimony of John. When the Jews
from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, "Who are
you?" He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the
Christ." So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you
Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the
Prophet?" He answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who
are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to
say for yourself?" He said: "I am the voice of one crying out in
the desert, ´Make straight the way of the Lord,´ as Isaiah the prophet
said." Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, "Why then do
you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?" John
answered them, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom
you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am
not worthy to untie." This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where
John was baptizing.
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the
Son of God who came into this world to save us because you love us. Your
Incarnation fills me with hope. The only response I can give is to love you
with all my heart, soul, strength and mind.
Petition: Jesus, help me to learn from St. John the
Baptist how to bring others to you.
1. Making Jesus Known: The next few days have readings on
John the Baptist. These lead up to this Sunday’s feast of the Epiphany, which
celebrates the manifestation of Jesus to the world. Tradition has linked
several similar events to Epiphany. Although the first one is the coming of
the Magi to Bethlehem, Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan is also a key moment of
revelation — of epiphany — of Jesus’ mission and divinity. Thus, although the
Baptism of the Lord has its own feast day a week after Epiphany, the two
events have a common result: They make known the truth of Jesus. A first
question we need to ask ourselves is: What am I, a believer in Christ, doing
to make the truth of Jesus known to others?
2. The Power of Humility: In this reading, John the Baptist
demonstrates the attitude fundamental to making Christ known: humility. John
the Baptist had the chance to be considered the Messiah, the Christ. True,
eventually the deception would become known, but for a while he could have
had all of Israel at his feet. All too often today, people give in to
temptation and compromise their principles to get glory and power for a day —
think of businessmen who inflate their company’s profits, or scientists who
fake their results. Their inevitable downfall is tragic. St. John the Baptist
knows that the only way he can serve God and fulfill his mission in life is
to direct all glory to God and none to himself, never presuming to be more
than he is. We, too, can live as true Christians and make Jesus present to
others only if we put aside our own pride and vanity.
3. Living Love: What really makes John the Baptist’s
message effective is that he doesn’t just preach his message; he is his
message. He preaches penance, but first he lives it, going out into the
desert and living an ascetic life. He baptizes with water, but first he gets
into the water. If we want to make Jesus known to others, we first have to
know him ourselves. We cannot preach the essence of the Gospel, the message
of love, if we don’t live love in our daily lives. We can’t criticize, judge
others, and always “look out for number one” (where “one” is ourselves) and
still hope to be an effective apostle of Christ. However, if with the help of
God’s grace, we do our best to put love into action, then words will hardly
be necessary. Our example alone will change people’s lives.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, when I look at myself and my life, I
see that too often I have been selfish, focused on what I enjoy and on what I
want. Help me to love you above all things. Help me want to make you known by
living love, even at the cost of my own pride and comfort.
Resolution:I will make an extra effort today to show through
my actions what it means to love Christ and one another.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, JOHN 1:19-28(1
John 2:22‑28; Psalm 98)
KEY VERSE: "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, `Make straight the way of the Lord.'" (v.23)
KEY VERSE: "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, `Make straight the way of the Lord.'" (v.23)
READING: John the Baptist was a prophet sent by God to announce the coming of the Messiah. John declared who he was by stating who he was not. He was not the Messiah, but one who bore witness on his behalf. Neither was John the prophet Elijah who was expected to precede the Messiah. John was a "voice" preparing the way of the Lord, but he was not the "Word" of God-- Jesus. John was a "lamp" which illuminated the pathway of God's anointed one, but he was not the "true light" who was to come into the world (Jn.6:33‑35). When John was asked why he baptized with water, he said that his baptism was only a preparation for one who was already in their midst but did not recognize.
REFLECTING: In what ways do I proclaim the Lord's presence?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to recognize you in my daily life.
Memorial of Basil the Great and Gregory
Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church
Basil's mother, father, and four of his nine siblings were all canonized saints. Basil founded monasteries and drew up rules for monks living in the desert. He is considered the founder of eastern monasticism just as Benedict was to the west. Basil is a Greek Doctor of the Church, and Father of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregory Nazianzen was a monk at Basil's desert monastery. With his bishop father, Gregory the Elder, he opposed Arianism, and brought its heretical followers back to the fold. Gregory was Bishop of Caesarea in c.370, which put him in conflict with the Arian emperor Valens. The disputes led his friend Basil, then archbishop, to reassign him to a small, out of the way post at the edge of the archbishopric. Gregory became the Bishop of Constantinople (381-390) following the death of Valens. When it seemed that the faith had been restored in the city, Gregory retired to live the rest of his days as a hermit. Gregory is a Father and Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church.
NOTE: Arianism was a heresy proposed in the 4th century by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius who affirmed that Christ was not truly divine but a created being.
January 2
St. Basil the Great
(329-379)
St. Basil the Great
(329-379)
Basil was on his way to becoming a famous teacher when he decided
to begin a religious life of gospel poverty. After studying various modes of
religious life, he founded what was probably the first monastery in Asia Minor.
He is to monks of the East what St. Benedict is to the West, and Basil's
principles influence Eastern monasticism today.
He was
ordained a priest, assisted the archbishop of Caesarea (now southeastern
Turkey), and ultimately became archbishop himself, in spite of opposition from
some of the bishops under him, probably because they foresaw coming
reforms.
One of
the most damaging heresies in the history of the Church, Arianism, which denied
the divinity of Christ, was at its height. Emperor Valens persecuted orthodox
believers, and put great pressure on Basil to remain silent and admit the
heretics to communion. Basil remained firm, and Valens backed down. But trouble
remained. When the great St. Athanasius (May 2) died, the mantle of defender of
the faith against Arianism fell upon Basil. He strove mightily to unite and
rally his fellow Catholics who were crushed by tyranny and torn by internal
dissension. He was misunderstood, misrepresented, accused of heresy and
ambition. Even appeals to the pope brought no response. “For my sins I seem to
be unsuccessful in everything.”
He was
tireless in pastoral care. He preached twice a day to huge crowds, built a
hospital that was called a wonder of the world (as a youth he had organized
famine relief and worked in a soup kitchen himself) and fought the prostitution
business.
Basil was
best known as an orator. Though not recognized greatly in his lifetime, his
writings rightly place him among the great teachers of the Church. Seventy-two
years after his death, the Council of Chalcedon described him as “the great
Basil, minister of grace who has expounded the truth to the whole earth.”
Comment:
As the French say, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” Basil faced the same problems as modern Christians. Sainthood meant trying to preserve the spirit of Christ in such perplexing and painful problems as reform, organization, fighting for the poor, maintaining balance and peace in misunderstanding.
As the French say, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” Basil faced the same problems as modern Christians. Sainthood meant trying to preserve the spirit of Christ in such perplexing and painful problems as reform, organization, fighting for the poor, maintaining balance and peace in misunderstanding.
Quote:
St. Basil said: “The
bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in
your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not
wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked
away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are
so many injustices that you commit.”
Patron Saint of:
Russia
Russia
January 2
St. Gregory Nazianzen
(329-390)
St. Gregory Nazianzen
(329-390)
After his baptism at 30, Gregory gladly accepted his friend
Basil’s invitation to join him in a newly founded monastery. The solitude was
broken when Gregory’s father, a bishop, needed help in his diocese and estate.
It seems that Gregory was ordained a priest practically by force, and only
reluctantly accepted the responsibility. He skillfully avoided a schism that
threatened when his own father made compromises with Arianism. At 41, Gregory
was chosen suffragan bishop of Caesarea and at once came into conflict with
Valens, the emperor, who supported the Arians. An unfortunate by-product of the
battle was the cooling of the friendship of two saints. Basil, his archbishop,
sent him to a miserable and unhealthy town on the border of unjustly created
divisions in his diocese. Basil reproached Gregory for not going to his see.
When
protection for Arianism ended with the death of Valens, Gregory was called to
rebuild the faith in the great see of Constantinople, which had been under
Arian teachers for three decades. Retiring and sensitive, he dreaded being
drawn into the whirlpool of corruption and violence. He first stayed at a
friend’s home, which became the only orthodox church in the city. In such
surroundings, he began giving the great sermons on the Trinity for which he is
famous. In time, Gregory did rebuild the faith in the city, but at the cost of
great suffering, slander, insults and even personal violence. An interloper
even tried to take over his bishopric.
His last
days were spent in solitude and austerity. He wrote religious poetry, some of
it autobiographical, of great depth and beauty. He was acclaimed simply as “the
Theologian.”
Comment:
It may be small comfort, but post-Vatican II turmoil in the Church is a mild storm compared to the devastation caused by the Arian heresy, a trauma the Church has never forgotten. Christ did not promise the kind of peace we would love to have—no problems, no opposition, no pain. In one way or another, holiness is always the way of the cross.
It may be small comfort, but post-Vatican II turmoil in the Church is a mild storm compared to the devastation caused by the Arian heresy, a trauma the Church has never forgotten. Christ did not promise the kind of peace we would love to have—no problems, no opposition, no pain. In one way or another, holiness is always the way of the cross.
Quote:
“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.”
“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.”
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 1,19-28
Lectio:
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Christmas Time
1) Opening prayer
All-powerful Father,
you sent your Son Jesus Christ
to bring the new light of salvation to the world.
May he enlighten us with his radiance,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
1) Opening prayer
All-powerful Father,
you sent your Son Jesus Christ
to bring the new light of salvation to the world.
May he enlighten us with his radiance,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - John 1,19-28
This was the witness of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?'
He declared, he did not deny but declared, 'I am not the Christ.' So they asked, 'Then are you Elijah?' He replied, 'I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' He answered, 'No.' So they said to him, 'Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?' So he said, 'I am, as Isaiah prophesied: A voice of one that cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord. Make his paths straight!' Now those who had been sent were Pharisees, and they put this question to him, 'Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the Prophet?'
John answered them, 'I baptise with water; but standing among you - unknown to you - is the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandal.' This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel speaks about the witness of John the Baptist. The Jews sent “priests and Levites” to question him. In the same way, some years later, they sent persons to control the activity of Jesus (Mk 3, 22). There is a very great resemblance between the responses of the people regarding Jesus and the questions which the authority addresses to John. Jesus asks the Disciples: Whom do people say that I am?” They answered: “Elijah, John the Baptist, Jeremiah, one of the Prophets” (cf. Mk 8, 27-28). The authority address the same questions to Jesus: Are you the Messiah, or Elijah, the Prophet?” John responds by quoting the Prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice of one who cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord”. The other three Gospels contain the same affirmation concerning John: he is not the Messiah, but he has come to prepare the coming of the Messiah (cf. Mk 1, 3; Mt 3,3; Lk 3, 4). The four Gospels give great attention to the activity and the witness of John the Baptist. Which is the reason that they insist so much in saying that John is not the Messiah?
• John the Baptist was put to death by Herod around the year 30. But up to the end of the first century, the time when the Fourth Gospel was written, John continued to be considered a leader among the Jews. And also after his death, the souvenir of John continued to have a strong influence in the living out of the faith of the people. He was considered a prophet (Mk 11,32). He was the first great prophet who appeared after centuries of the absence of prophets. Many considered him as the Messiah. When in the year 50, Paul passed through Ephesus, in Asia Minor, he found a group of persons who had been baptized with the baptism of John (cf. Acts 19, 1-4). Because of this, it was important to spread the witness of John the Baptist himself saying that he was not the Messiah and instead to indicate Jesus as the Messiah. And thus, John himself contributed to radiate better the Good News of Jesus.
• “How is it that you baptize if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? The response of John is another affirmation with which he indicates that Jesus is the Messiah: “ I baptize with water, but standing among you, unknown to you, is one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandal”. And a bit ahead (Jn 1, 33), John refers to the prophecies which announced the effusion of the Spirit in the Messianic times: “The one on whom you will see the Spirit descend and rest upon him, is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit” (cf. Is 11, 1-9; Ez 36, 25-27; Joel 3, 1-2).
• Today’s Gospel speaks about the witness of John the Baptist. The Jews sent “priests and Levites” to question him. In the same way, some years later, they sent persons to control the activity of Jesus (Mk 3, 22). There is a very great resemblance between the responses of the people regarding Jesus and the questions which the authority addresses to John. Jesus asks the Disciples: Whom do people say that I am?” They answered: “Elijah, John the Baptist, Jeremiah, one of the Prophets” (cf. Mk 8, 27-28). The authority address the same questions to Jesus: Are you the Messiah, or Elijah, the Prophet?” John responds by quoting the Prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice of one who cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord”. The other three Gospels contain the same affirmation concerning John: he is not the Messiah, but he has come to prepare the coming of the Messiah (cf. Mk 1, 3; Mt 3,3; Lk 3, 4). The four Gospels give great attention to the activity and the witness of John the Baptist. Which is the reason that they insist so much in saying that John is not the Messiah?
• John the Baptist was put to death by Herod around the year 30. But up to the end of the first century, the time when the Fourth Gospel was written, John continued to be considered a leader among the Jews. And also after his death, the souvenir of John continued to have a strong influence in the living out of the faith of the people. He was considered a prophet (Mk 11,32). He was the first great prophet who appeared after centuries of the absence of prophets. Many considered him as the Messiah. When in the year 50, Paul passed through Ephesus, in Asia Minor, he found a group of persons who had been baptized with the baptism of John (cf. Acts 19, 1-4). Because of this, it was important to spread the witness of John the Baptist himself saying that he was not the Messiah and instead to indicate Jesus as the Messiah. And thus, John himself contributed to radiate better the Good News of Jesus.
• “How is it that you baptize if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? The response of John is another affirmation with which he indicates that Jesus is the Messiah: “ I baptize with water, but standing among you, unknown to you, is one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandal”. And a bit ahead (Jn 1, 33), John refers to the prophecies which announced the effusion of the Spirit in the Messianic times: “The one on whom you will see the Spirit descend and rest upon him, is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit” (cf. Is 11, 1-9; Ez 36, 25-27; Joel 3, 1-2).
4) Personal questions
• In your life have you had a John Baptist who has prepared the way in you to receive Jesus?
• John was humble. He did not try to make himself greater than what he was. In reality: Have you been a Baptist for someone?
• In your life have you had a John Baptist who has prepared the way in you to receive Jesus?
• John was humble. He did not try to make himself greater than what he was. In reality: Have you been a Baptist for someone?
5) Concluding prayer
The whole wide world
has seen the saving power of our God.
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98,3-4)
The whole wide world
has seen the saving power of our God.
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98,3-4)
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