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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readidngs,01-02-12, Mem Sts. Basil-Great, Gregory Nazianzen, Doctors/Chu
USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 01-02-12 | Revised New American Bible

Posted on 01/01/2012 9:40:46 PM PST by Salvation

January 2, 2012

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

 

Reading 1 1 Jn 2:22-28

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.

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.

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.


TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; christmas; prayer; saints
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To: Salvation

Jan 02, Evening Prayer – Memorial for Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bb & Dd

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 667
Psalter: Monday, Week II, 829
Common of Doctors of the Church: 1467 (reading)
Common of Pastors: 1453 (intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1288 (canticle antiphon, concluding prayer)

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Psalter: Monday, Week II, 798
Common of Doctors of the Church: 102 (reading)
Common of Pastors: 977 (intercessions)
Proper of Saints: (canticle antiphon, concluding prayer)

Evening Prayer for the Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors

God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O heavenly Word, eternal Light,
begotten of the Father’s might,
who in these latter days wast born
for blessing to a world forlorn;

pour light upon us from above,
and fire our hearts with ardent love,
that, as we hear thy truth today,
all wrong may burn away;

and when, as judge, thou drawest nigh
the secrets of our hearts to try,
to recompense each hidden sin
and bid the saints their reign begin;

O let us not, for evil past,
be driven from thy face at last,
but with thy saints for evermore
behold thee, love thee, and adore.

To God the Father, God the Son
and God the Spirit ever one,
Praise, honor, might and glory be
from age to age eternally.

“O Heavenly Word, Eternal Light” performed by The Schola Cantorum of St. Peter’s in the Loop Words: Verbum supernum prodiens, Attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), ca. 1263

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Yours is more than mortal beauty; every word you speak is full of grace.

Psalm 45
The marriage of the king

The Bridegroom is here; go out and welcome him (Matthew 25:6).

I

My heart overflows with noble words.
To the king I must speak the song I have made;
my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.

You are the fairest of the children of men
and graciousness is poured upon your lips:
because God has blessed you for evermore.

O mighty one, gird your sword upon your thigh;
in splendor and state, ride on in triumph
for the cause of truth and goodness and right.

Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand.
Your arrows are sharp: peoples fall beneath you.
The foes of the king fall down and lose heart.

Your throne, O God, shall endure for ever.
A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
Your love is for justice; your hatred for evil.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above other kings:
your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh.

From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.
On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Yours is more than mortal beauty; every word you speak is full of grace.

Ant. 2 The Bridegroom is here; go out and welcome him.

II

Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:
forget your own people and your father’s house.
So will the king desire your beauty:
he is your lord, pay homage to him.

And the people of Tyre shall come with gifts,
the richest of the people shall seek your favor.
The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor,
her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.

She is led to the king with her maiden companions.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy;
they pass within the palace of the king.

Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers:
you will make them princes over all the earth.
May this song make your name for ever remembered.
May the peoples praise you from age to age.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

When you took on flesh, Lord Jesus, you made a marriage of mankind with God. Help us to be faithful to your word and endure our exile bravely, until we are called to the heavenly marriage feast, to which the Virgin Mary, exemplar of your Church, has preceded us.

Ant. The Bridegroom is here; go out and welcome him.

Ant. 3 God planned in the fullness of time to restore all things in Christ.

Canticle — Ephesians 1:3-10
God our Savior

Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in his sight.

He predestined us
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased
to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. God planned in the fullness of time to restore all things in Christ.

READING James 3:17-18

Wisdom from above is first of all innocent. It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere. The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.
In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.

The Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
He spoke with eloquence.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. The man who not only teaches but does what is right will be counted great in the kingdom of God.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The man who not only teaches but does what is right will be counted great in the kingdom of God.

INTERCESSIONS

Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray:
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women,
let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion,
through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit,
fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors,
let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life,
save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

O God,
who were pleased to give light to your Church
by the example and teaching of
the Bishops Saints Basil and Gregory,
grant, we pray,
that in humility we may learn your truth
and practice it faithfully in charity.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

21 posted on 01/02/2012 4:15:36 AM PST by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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To: Salvation

Jan 02, Night Prayer for Monday of the 2nd week of Christmas

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours:
Vol I, page 1175
Vol II, Page 1632
Vol III, Page 1275
Vol IV, Page 1239

Christian Prayer:
Page 1041

General instruction:
Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight.

Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.

Night Prayer for Monday

God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:
We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus,
you came to reconcile us to one another and to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you heal the wounds of sin and division:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you intercede for us with your Father:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

HYMN

The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As o’er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ’neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away:
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.

“The Day Thou Gavest” by The Choir of St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral; Words: John Ellerton, 1870; Music: Clement Scholefield, 1874
“The Day Thou Gavest” by The Choir of St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral is available from Amazon.com

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.

Psalm 86
Poor man’s prayer in trouble

Blessed be God who comforts us in all our trials (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4).

Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am faithful;
save the servant who trusts in you.

You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord,
for I cry to you all day long.
Give joy to your servant, O Lord,
for to you I lift up my soul.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call.
Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my voice.

In the day of distress I will call
and surely you will reply.
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
nor work to compare with yours.

All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord:
for you are great and do marvelous deeds,
you who alone are God.

Show me, Lord, your way
so that I may walk in your truth.
Guide my heart to fear your name.

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart
and glorify your name for ever;
for your love to me has been great:
you have saved me from the depths of the grave.

The proud have risen against me;
ruthless men seek my life;
to you they pay no heed.

But you, God of mercy and compassion,
slow to anger, O Lord,
abounding in love and truth,
turn and take pity on me.

O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid’s son.
Show me the sign of your favor
that my foes may see to their shame
that you console me and give me your help.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.

READING 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

God has destined us for acquiring salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, that all of us, whether awake or asleep, together might live with him.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

CANTICLE OF SIMEON

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
give our bodies restful sleep
and let the work we have done today
bear fruit in eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

BLESSING

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To you do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to you do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us; and
after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

22 posted on 01/02/2012 4:15:44 AM PST by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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To: All
Saints Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops & Doctors of the Church

Saints Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen,
Bishops & Doctors of the Church
Memorial
January 2nd

Unknown Artist
Basil and Gregory of Nazianzus,
Byzantine fresco

St. Basil (329-379) was a brilliant student born of a Christian family in Caesarea, Cappadocia (Turkey). For some years, he followed the monastic way of life. He vigorously fought the arian heresy. He become Archbishop of Caesarea in 370. Monks of the Eastern Church today still follow the monastic rules which he se down.

St. Gregory (329-389) was also from Cappadocia. A friend of St. Basil, he too followed the monastic way of life for some years. In 381 he became Archbishop of Constantinople. It was during this period the Arian heresy was at it height. He was called "The Theologian" because of his great learning and talent for oratory.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

 

Collect:
O God, who were pleased to give light to your Church
by the example and teaching
of the Bishops Saints Basil and Gregory,
grant, we pray,
that in humility we may learn your truth
and practice it faithfully in charity.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 23:8-12
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.


Related links on the Vatican Website: Benedict XVI, General Audience, Paul VI Audience Hall, Wednesday, July 4, 2007, Saint Basil (part 1) | Benedict XVI, General Audience, Paul VI Audience Hall, Wednesday, August 1, 2007, Saint Basil (part 2) | Benedict XVI, General Audience, Paul VI Audience Hall, Wednesday, August 8, 2007, Saint Gregory Nazianzen (part 1) | Benedict XVI, General Audience, Paul VI Audience Hall, Wednesday, August 22, 2007, Gregory Nazianzen (part 2)

Related links on the New Advent Website:

St. Basil's Writings:

- De Spiritu Sancto
- Nine Homilies of Hexaemeron
- Letters

St. Gregory Nazianzen's Writings
- Orations
- Letters


23 posted on 01/02/2012 9:13:28 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
St. Basil the Great on "Ad Orientem"
ST BASIL THE GREAT, CONFESSOR, ARCHBISHOP OF CAESAREA—329-379 A.D.
St. Basil

On St. Basil
Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom, Jan.30
THE EARLY CHURCH AND ABORTION: THE WITNESS OF BASIL OF CAESAREA
St Basil The Great (329-379)
Saint Basil the Great "Orator of Orthodoxy"

24 posted on 01/02/2012 9:19:47 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
One God, Three Equal Persons: St. Gregory of Nazianzus {Ecumenical Thread}
ST GREGORY NAZIANZEN, B. C., DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH 328- 389 A D.
ST GREGORY NAZIANZEN, B. C., DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH—328-389 A D.
Doctors of the Church - St. Gregory of Nazianzen
St. Gregory Nazianzen, [Nazianzus] 330-390. Doctor of Theologians
St. Gregory Nazianzen on the Incarnation
25 posted on 01/02/2012 9:20:38 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All


Information:
St. Basil the Great
Feast Day: January 2
Born:

329 at Caesarea, Asia Minor (modern Turkey)

Died: 14 June 379
Patron of: Cappadocia, Hospital administrators, Reformers, Monks, Education, Exorcism, Liturgists



26 posted on 01/02/2012 9:29:31 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All


Information:
St. Gregory Nazianzen
Feast Day: January 2
Born:

325, Arianzum, Cappadocia

Died: January 25, 389, Arianzum, Cappadocia
Major Shrine: Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in the Fanar


27 posted on 01/02/2012 9:30:46 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianen

St. Basil and St. Gregorian Nazianen
Feast Day: January 02
Born:330 :: Died: 379 & 390

Basil was born at Caesarea and Gregory was born at Cappadocia in Asia Minor which is now called Turkey.

Basil came from a rich and noble family. His grandmother St. Macrina the Elder, his father, mother, two brothers and St. Macrina his sister are all saints.

Gregory also came from a saintly family. His parents are St. Nonna and St. Gregory the Elder and his brothers are St. Caesar Nazianzen and St. Gorgonius.

Basil and Gregory met and became great friends at school in Athens, Greece. They became everything to each other, lived together, ate together and shared the same goal of growing together in truth, wisdom and knowledge. And their love for each other grew warmer and deeper each day.

Even as a teenager Basil used to help organise famine relief and used to work in the kitches himself. This was very unusual for a young nobleman. After he completed his education in Athens, he ran a school of public speaking and law in Caesarea and became a well-known teacher. He was so successful that he was often tempted by pride.

Fearing that his pride would overtake his holiness, his sister, St. Macrina, suggested that he become a monk. He took her advice, sold everything he had, gave away all his money and moved to the wilderness where he started his first monastery. The rules he created for monks living in the dessert were very wise and are followed by monasteries in the East even today.

Both Basil and Gregory became priests and then bishops. They preached bravely against the Arian heresy (untruth) that was confusing people which denied that Jesus is God.

As bishop of Constantinople, Gregory converted many people with his wonderful preaching especially about the Holy Trinity. This nearly cost him his life. A young man planned to murder him. He repented at the last moment and begged Gregory's forgiveness. Gregory did forgive him and won him with his gentle goodness.

But he was always in conflict with the Arian emperor, Valens. When Valens died, Gregory worked hard to bring the Arians back to the Christian faith. For his trouble, he was abused, insulted and beaten up.

Forty-four of Gregory's speeches, 243 letters and many poems were published. His writings are still important today. Many writers have modeled their works on his writings.

Gregory's friend Basil had a very kind and generous heart. He always found time to help the poor. He even invited people who were poor themselves to help those worse off. "Give your last loaf to the beggar at your door," he urged, "and trust in God's goodness." He opened a soup kitchen where he could often be seen wearing an apron and feeding the hungry.

Basil died in 379 at the age of forty-nine. Gregory died in 390 at the age of sixty. He is buried in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

We will never be sorry for using our education, time and talents to help the people around us come closer to God


28 posted on 01/02/2012 9:35:12 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
John
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  John 1
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou? Et hoc est testimonium Joannis, quando miserunt Judæi ab Jerosolymis sacerdotes et Levitas ad eum ut interrogarent eum : Tu quis es ? και αυτη εστιν η μαρτυρια του ιωαννου οτε απεστειλαν οι ιουδαιοι εξ ιεροσολυμων ιερεις και λευιτας ινα ερωτησωσιν αυτον συ τις ει
20 And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ. Et confessus est, et non negavit, et confessus est : Quia non sum ego Christus. και ωμολογησεν και ουκ ηρνησατο και ωμολογησεν οτι ουκ ειμι εγω ο χριστος
21 And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No. Et interrogaverunt eum : Quid ergo ? Elias es tu ? Et dixit : Non sum. Propheta es tu ? Et respondit : Non. και ηρωτησαν αυτον τι ουν ηλιας ει συ και λεγει ουκ ειμι ο προφητης ει συ και απεκριθη ου
22 They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? Dixerunt ergo ei : Quis es ut responsum demus his qui miserunt nos ? quid dicis de teipso ? ειπον ουν αυτω τις ει ινα αποκρισιν δωμεν τοις πεμψασιν ημας τι λεγεις περι σεαυτου
23 He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias. Ait : Ego vox clamantis in deserto : Dirigite viam Domini, sicut dixit Isaias propheta. εφη εγω φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ευθυνατε την οδον κυριου καθως ειπεν ησαιας ο προφητης
24 And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees. Et qui missi fuerant, erant ex pharisæis. και οι απεσταλμενοι ησαν εκ των φαρισαιων
25 And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? Et interrogaverunt eum, et dixerunt ei : Quid ergo baptizas, si tu non es Christus, neque Elias, neque propheta ? και ηρωτησαν αυτον και ειπον αυτω τι ουν βαπτιζεις ει συ ουκ ει ο χριστος ουτε ηλιας ουτε ο προφητης
26 John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. Respondit eis Joannes, dicens : Ego baptizo in aqua : medius autem vestrum stetit, quem vos nescitis. απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιωαννης λεγων εγω βαπτιζω εν υδατι μεσος δε υμων εστηκεν ον υμεις ουκ οιδατε
27 The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. Ipse est qui post me venturus est, qui ante me factus est : cujus ego non sum dignus ut solvam ejus corrigiam calceamenti. αυτος εστιν ο οπισω μου ερχομενος ος εμπροσθεν μου γεγονεν ου εγω ουκ ειμι αξιος ινα λυσω αυτου τον ιμαντα του υποδηματος
28 These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. Hæc in Bethania facta sunt trans Jordanem, ubi erat Joannes baptizans. ταυτα εν βηθανια εγενετο περαν του ιορδανου οπου ην ιωαννης βαπτιζων

29 posted on 01/02/2012 10:28:17 AM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex
19. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?
20. And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21. And they asked him, What then? Are you Elias? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No.
22. Then said they to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What say you of yourself?
23. He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

ORIGEN; This is the second testimony of John the Baptist to Christ, the first began with, This is He of Whom I spoke; and ended with, He has declared Him.

THEOPHYL. Or, after the introduction above of John's testimony to Christ, is preferred before me, the Evangelist now adds when the above testimony was given, And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem.

ORIGEN; The Jews of Jerusalem, as being of kin to the Baptist, who was of the priestly stock, send Priests and Levites to ask him who he is; that is, men considered to hold a superior rank to the rest of their order, by God's election, and coming from that favored above all cities, Jerusalem. Such is the reverential way in which they interrogate John. We read of no such proceeding towards Christ: but what the Jews did to John, John in turn does to Christ, when he asks Him, through His disciples, Are you He that should come, or look we for another?

CHRYS. Such confidence had they in John, that they were ready to believe him on his own words: witness how it is said, To ask him, Who are you?

AUG. They would not have sent, unless they had been impressed by his lofty exercise of authority, in daring to baptize.

ORIGEN; John, as it appears, saw from the question, that the Priests and Levites had doubts whether it might not be the Christ, who was baptizing; which doubts however they were afraid to profess openly, for fear of incurring the charge of credulity. He wisely determines therefore first to correct their mistake, and then to proclaim the truth.

Accordingly, he first of all shows that he is not the Christ: And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. We may add here, that at this time the people had already begun to be impressed with the idea that Christ's advent was at hand, in consequence of the interpretations which the lawyers had collected out of the sacred writings to that effect. Thus Theudas had been enabled to collect together a considerable body, on the strength of his pretending to be the Christ; and after him Judas, in the days of the taxation, had done the same. Such being the strong expectation of Christ's advent then prevalent, the Jews send to John, intending by the question, Who are you? to extract from him whether he were the Christ.

GREG. He denied directly being what he was not, but he did not deny what he was: thus, by his speaking truth, becoming a true member of Him Whose name he had not dishonestly usurped.

CHRYS. Or take this explanation: The Jews were influenced by a kind of human sympathy for John, whom they were reluctant to see made subordinate to Christ, on account of the many marks of greatness about him; his illustrious descent in the first place, he being the son of a chief priest; in the next, his hard training, and his contempt of the world. Whereas in Christ the contrary were apparent; a humble birth, for which they reproach Him; Is not this the carpenter's son? an ordinary way of living; a dress such as every one else wore.

As John then was constantly sending to Christ, they send to him, with the view of having him for their master, and thinking to induce him, by blandishments, to confess himself Christ. They do not therefore send inferior persons to him, ministers and Herodians, as they did to Christ, but Priests and Levites; and not of these an indiscriminate party, but those of Jerusalem, i.e. the more honorable ones; but they send them with this question, to ask, Who are you? not from a wish to be informed, but in order to induce him to do what I have said. John replies then to their intention, not to their interrogation: And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And observe the wisdom of the Evangelist: he repeats the same thing three times, to show John's virtue, and the malice and madness of the Jews. For it is the character of a devoted servant, not only to forbear taking to himself his lord's glory, but even, when numbers offer it to him, to reject it. The multitude indeed believed from ignorance that John was the Christ, but in these it was malice; and in this spirit they put the question to him, thinking, by their blandishments to bring him over to their wishes.

For unless this had been their design, when he replied, I am not the Christ, they would have said, We did not suspect this; we did not come to ask this. When caught, however, and discovered in their purpose, they proceed to another question: And they asked him, What then? Are you Elias?

AUG. For they knew that Elias was to preach Christ; the name of Christ not being unknown to any among the Jews; but they did not think that our Lord was the Christ: and yet did not altogether imagine that there was no Christ about to come. In this way, while looking forward to the future, they mistook at the present.

And he said, I am not.

GREG. These words gave rise to a very different question. In another place, our Lord, when asked by His disciples concerning the coming of Elias, replied, If you will receive it, this is Elias. But John says, I am not Elias. How is he then a preacher of the truth, if he agrees not with what that very Truth declares?

ORIGEN; Some one will say that John was ignorant that he was Elias; as those say, who maintain, from this passage the doctrine of a second incorporation, as though the soul took up a new body, after leaving its old one. For the Jews, it is said, asking John by the Levites and priests, whether he is Elias, suppose the doctrine of a second body to be already certain; as though it rested upon tradition, and were part of their secret system. To which question, however, John replies, I am not Elias: not being acquainted with his own prior existence. But how is it reasonable to imagine, if John were a prophet enlightened by the Spirit, and had revealed so much concerning the Father, and the Only-Begotten, that he could be so in the dark as to himself, as not to know that his own soul had once belonged to Elias?

GREG. But if we examine the truth accurately, that which sounds inconsistent, will be found not really so. The Angel told Zacharias concerning John, He shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias. As Elias then will preach the second advent of our Lord, so John preached His first; as the former will come as the precursor of the Judge, so the latter was made the precursor of the Redeemer. John was Elias in spirit, not in person: and what our Lord affirms of the spirit, John denies of the Person: there being a kind of propriety in this; viz. that our Lord to His disciples should speak spiritually of John, and that John, in answering the carnal multitude, should speak of his body, not of his spirit.

ORIGEN; He answers then the Levites and Priests, I am not, conjecturing what their question meant: for the purport of their examination was to discover, not whether the spirit in both was the same, but whether John was that very Elias, who was taken up, now appearing again, as the Jews expected, without another birth. But he whom we mentioned above as holding this doctrine of a reincorporation, will say that it is not consistent that the Priests and Levites should be ignorant of the birth of the son of so dignified a priest as Zacharias, who was born too in his father's old age, and contrary to all human probabilities: especially when Luke declares, that fear came on all that dwelt round about them.

But perhaps, since Elias was expected to appear before the coming of Christ near the end, they may seem to put the question figuratively, Are you he who announces the coming of Christ at the end of the world? to which he answers, I am not. But there is in fact nothing strange in supposing that John's birth might not have been known to all. For as in the case of our Savior many knew Him to be born of Mary, and yet some wrongly imagined that He was John the Baptist, or Elias, or one of the Prophets; so in the case of John, some were not unacquainted with the fact of his being son of Zacharias, and yet some may have been in doubt whether he were not the Elias who was expected.

Again, inasmuch as many prophets had arisen in Israel, but one was especially looked forward to, of whom Moses had prophesied The Lord your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, like to me; to Him shall you hearken: they ask him in the third place, not simply whether he is a prophet, but with the article prefixed, Are you that Prophet? For every one of the prophets in succession had signified to the people of Israel that he was not the one whom Moses had prophesied of; who, like Moses, was to stand in the midst between God and man, and deliver a testament, sent from God to His disciples. They did not however apply this name to Christ, but thought that He was to be a different person; whereas John knew that Christ was that Prophet, and therefore to this question, he answered, No.

AUG. Or because John was more than a prophet: for that the prophets announced Him afar off, but John pointed Him out actually present.

Then said they to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What say you of yourself?

CHRYS. You see them here pressing him still more strongly with their questions, while he on the other hand quietly puts down their suspicions, where they are untrue, and establishes the truth in their place: saying, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.

AUG. So spoke Esaias: the prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist.

GREG. You know that the only-begotten Son is called the Word of the Father. Now we know, in the case of our own utterance, the voice first sounds, and then the word is heard. Thus John declares himself to be the voice, i.e. because he precedes the Word, and, through his ministry, the Word of the Father is heard by man.

ORIGEN; Heracleon, in his discussion on John and the Prophets, infers that because the Savior was the Word, and John the voice, therefore the whole of the prophetic order was only sound. To which we reply, that, if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for the battle? If the voice of prophecy is nothing but sound, why does the Savior send us to it, saying, Search the Scriptures? But John calls himself the voice, not that cries, but of one that cries in the wilderness; viz. of Him Who stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He cries, in order that those at a distance may hear him, and understand from the loudness of the sound, the vastness of the thing spoken of.

THEOPHYL. Or because he declared the truth plainly, while all who were under the law spoke obscurely.

GREG. John cries in the wilderness, because it is to forsaken and destitute Judea that he bears the consolatory tidings of a Redeemer.

ORIGEN; There is need of the voice crying in the wilderness, that the soul, forsaken by God, may be recalled to making straight the way of the Lord, following no more the crooked paths of the serpent. This has reference both to the contemplative life, as enlightened by truth, without mixture of falsehood, and to the practical, as following up the correct perception by the suitable action. Wherefore he adds, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

GREG. The way of the Lord is made straight to the heart, when the word of truth is heard with humility; the way of the Lord is made straight to the heart, when the life is formed upon the precept.

24. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25. And they asked him, and said to him, Why baptize you then, if you be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there stands one among you, whom you know not;
27. He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

ORIGEN; The questions of the priests and Levites being answered, another mission comes from the Pharisees: And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. So far as it is allowable to form a conjecture from the discourse itself here, I should say that it was the third occasion of John's giving his witness. Observe the mildness of the former question, so befitting the priestly and levitical character, Who are you? There is nothing arrogant or disrespectful, but only what becomes true ministers of God.

The Pharisees however, being a sectarian body, as their name implies, address the Baptist in an importunate and contumelious way. And they said, Why baptize you then, if you be not that Christ, neither Elias, neither that Prophet? not caring about information, but only wishing to prevent him baptizing. Yet the very next thing they did, was to come to John's baptism. The solution of this is, that they came not in faith, but hypocritically, because they feared the people.

CHRYS. Or, those very same priests and Levies were of the Pharisees, and, because they could not undermine him by blandishments, began accusing, after they had compelled him to say what he was not. And they asked him, saying, Why baptize you then, if you are not the Christ, neither Elias, neither that Prophet? As if it were an act of audacity in him to baptize, when he was neither the Christ, nor His precursor, nor His proclaimer, i.e. that Prophet.

GREG. A saint, even when perversely questioned, is never diverted from the pursuit of goodness. Thus John to the words of envy opposes the words of life: John answered them, saying, I indeed baptize with water.

ORIGEN; For how would the question, Why then baptize you, be replied to in any other way, than by setting forth the carnal nature of his own baptism?

GREG. John baptizes not with the Spirit, but with water; not being able to remit sins, he washes the bodies of the baptized with water, but not their souls with pardon. Why then cloth he baptize, when he cloth not remit sins by' baptism? To maintain his character of forerunner. As his birth preceded our Lord's, so cloth his baptism precede our Lord's baptism. And he who was the forerunner of Christ in His preaching, is forerunner also in His baptism, which was the imitation of that Sacrament. And withal he announces the mystery of our redemption, saying that He, the Redeemer, is standing in the midst of men, and they know it not: There stands one among you, whom you know not: for our Lord, when He appeared in the flesh, was visible in body, but in majesty invisible.

CHRYS. One among you. It was fitting that Christ should mix with the people, and be one of the many, showing every where His humility. Whom you know not; i.e. not, in the most absolute and certain sense; not, who He is, and whence He is.

AUG. In His low estate He was not seen; and therefore the candle was; lighted.

THEOPHYL. Or it was, that our Lord was in the midst of the Pharisees; and they not knowing Him. For they thought that they knew the Scriptures, and therefore, inasmuch as our Lord was pointed out there, He was in the midst of them, i.e. in their hearts. But they knew Him not, inasmuch as they understood not the Scriptures. Or take another interpretation. He was in the midst of them, as mediator between God and man, wishing to bring them, the Pharisees, to God. But they knew Him not.

ORIGEN; Or thus; Having said, I indeed baptize with water,. in answer to the question, Why baptize you then? - to the next, If you be not Christ? he replies by declaring the preexistent substance of Christ; that it was of such virtue, that though His Godhead was invisible, He was present to every one, and pervaded the whole world; as is conveyed in the words; There stands one among you.

For He it is, Who has diffused Himself through the whole system of nature, insomuch that every thing which is created, is created by Him; All things were made by Him. Whence it is evident that even those who inquired of John, Why baptize you then? had Him among them. Or, the words, There stands one among you, are to be understood of mankind generally. For, from our character as rational beings, it follows that the word g exists in the center of us, because the heart, which is the spring of motion within us, is situated in the center of the body. Those then who carry the word within them, but are ignorant of its nature, and the source and beginning and the way in which it resides in them; these, hearing the word within them, know it not.

But John recognized Him, and reproached the Pharisees, saying, Whom you know now not. For, though expecting Christ's coming, the Pharisees had formed no lofty conception of Him, but supposed that He would only be a holy man: wherefore he briefly refutes their ignorance, and the false ideas that they had of His excellence. He said, stand; for as the Father stands, i.e. exists without variation or change, so stands the Word ever in the work of salvation, though It assume flesh, though It be in the midst of men, though It stand invisible.

Lest any one however should think that the invisible One Who comes to all men, and to the universal world, is different from Him Who was made man, and appeared on the earth, he adds, He that comes after me, i.e. Who will appear after me. The after however here has not the same meaning that it has, when Christ calls us after Him; for there we are told to follow after Him, that by treading in His steps, we may attain to the Father; but here the word is used to intimate what should follow upon John's teaching; for he came that all may believe, having by his ministry been fitted gradually by lesser things, for the reception of the perfect Word. Therefore he said, He it is Who comes after me.

CHRYS. As if he said, Do not think that every thing is contained in my baptism; for if my baptism were perfect, another would not come after me with another baptism. This baptism of mine is but an introduction to the other, and will soon pass away, like a shadow, or an image. There is One coming after me to establish the truth: and therefore this is not a perfect baptism; for, if it were, there would be no room for a second: and therefore he adds, Who is made before me: i.e. is more honorable, more lofty.

GREG. Made before me, i.e. preferred before me. He comes after me, that is, He is born after me; He is made before me, that is, He is preferred to me.

CHRYS. But lest you should think this to be the result of comparison, he immediately shows it to be a superiority beyond all comparison; Whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose: as if He said, He is so much before me, that I am unworthy to be numbered among the lowest of His attendants: the unloosing of the sandal being the very lowest kind of service.

AUG. To have pronounced himself worthy even of unloosing His shoe's latchet, he would have been thinking too much of himself.

GREG. Or thus: It was a law of the old dispensation, that, if a man refused to take the woman, who of right came to him, to wife, he who by right of relationship came next to be the husband, should unloose his shoe. Now in what character did Christ appear in the world, but as Spouse of the Holy Church? John then very properly pronounced himself unworthy to unloose this shoe's latchet: as if he said, I cannot uncover the feet of the Redeemer, for I claim not the title of spouse, which I have no right to. Or the passage may be explained in another way. We know that shoes are made out of dead animals. Our Lord then, when He came in the flesh, put on, as it were, shoes; because in His Divinity He took the flesh of our corruption, wherein we had of ourselves perished. And the latchet of the shoe, is the seal upon the mystery. John is not able to unloose the shoe's latchet; i.e. even he cannot penetrate into the mystery of the Incarnation. So he seems to say: What wonder that He is preferred before me, Whom, being born after me, I contemplate, yet the mystery of Whose birth I comprehend not.

ORIG. The place has been understood not amiss thus by a certain person; I am not of such importance, as that for my sake He should descend from this high abode, and take flesh upon Him, as it were a shoe.

CHRYS. John having preached the thing concerning Christ publicly and With becoming liberty, the Evangelist mentions the place of His preaching: These things were done in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. For it was in no house or corner that John preached Christ, but beyond Jordan, in the midst of a multitude, and in the presence of all whom He had baptized. Some copies read more correctly Bethabara: for Bethany was not beyond Jordan, or in the desert, but near Jerusalem.

GLOSS; Or we must suppose two Bethanies; one over Jordan, the other on this side, not far from Jerusalem, the Bethany where Lazarus was raised from the dead.

CHRYS. He mentions this too for another reason, viz. that as He was relating events which had only recently happened, He might, by a reference to the place, appeal to the testimony of those who were present and saw them.

ALCUIN. The meaning of Bethany is, house of obedience; by which it is intimated to us, that all must approach to baptism, through the obedience of faith.

ORIG. Bethabara means house of preparation; which agrees with the baptism of Him, who was making ready a people prepared for the Lord. Jordan, again, means, "their crescent." Now what is this river but our Savior, through Whom coming into this earth all must be cleansed, in that He came down not for His own sake, but for theirs. This river it is which separates the lots given by Moses, from those given by Jesus; its streams make glad the city of God. As the serpent lies hid in the Egyptian river, so does God in this; for the Father is in the Son. Wherefore whosoever go thither to wash themselves, lay aside the reproach of Egypt, are made meet to receive the inheritance, are cleansed form leprosy, are made capable of a double portion of grace, and ready to receive the Holy Spirit; nor does the spiritual dove light upon any other river. John again baptizes beyond Jordan, as the precursor of Him Who came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Catena Aurea John 1
30 posted on 01/02/2012 10:29:33 AM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex


31 posted on 01/02/2012 10:30:38 AM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: All
Catholic
Almanac:
Monday, January 2
Liturgical Color: White

St. Therese of Lisieux was born on this day in 1873. Known as the Little Flower, she had total love and devotion to the Child Jesus and demonstrated how small acts of everyday life could be offered to Him.

32 posted on 01/02/2012 3:18:55 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: January 02, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who were pleased to give light to your Church by the example and teaching of the Bishops Saints Basil and Gregory, grant, we pray, that in humility we may learn your truth and practice it faithfully in charity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Christmas: January 2nd

  Memorials of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors Old Calendar: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors. This is the ninth day in the octave of Christmas.

St. Basil was a brilliant student born of a Christian family in Caesarea, Cappadocia (Turkey). For some years, he followed the monastic way of life. He vigorously fought the Arian heresy. He became Bishop of Caesarea in 370. The monks of the Eastern Church today still follow the monastic rules which he set down.

St. Gregory was also from Cappadocia. A friend of Basil, he too followed the monastic way of life for some years. He was ordained priest and in 381 became Bishop of Constantinople. It was during this period when the Arian heresy was at its height. He was called "The Theologian" because of his great learning and talent for oratory.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite St. Basil is celebrated on June 14 and St. Gregory on May 9. Today is the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus which is celebrated on January 3 in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

The Ninth Day of Christmas

St. Basil
St. Basil was born about 330, the oldest of four sons; three of his brothers became bishops, one of whom was St. Gregory of Nyssa. His pious grandmother Macrina exercised a great influence upon his religious education: "Never shall I forget the deep impression that the words and example of this venerable woman made upon my soul." Between St. Basil and St. Gregory of Nazianzen an intimate friendship existed from youth to old age. Of Western monasticism St. Benedict was the father and founder, of Eastern monasticism, St. Basil.

As bishop, Basil was a courageous and heroic champion of the Catholic faith against the Arian heresy. In 372 Emperor Valens sent Modestus, the prefect, to Cappadocia to introduce Arianism as the state religion. Modestus approached the holy bishop, upbraided him for his teaching, and threatened despoliation, exile, martyrdom, and death. To these words of the Byzantine despot, Basil replied with the peace of divine faith: "Is that all? Nothing of what you mentioned touches me. We possess nothing, we can be robbed of nothing. Exile will be impossible, since everywhere on God's earth I am at home. Torments cannot afflict me, for I have no body. And death is welcome, for it will bring me more quickly to God. To a great extent I am already dead; for a long time I have been hastening to the grave." Astonished, the prefect remarked: "Till today no one has ever spoken to me so courageously." "Perhaps," rejoined Basil, "you have never before met a bishop." Modestus hastened back to Valens. "Emperor," he said, "we are bested by this leader of the Church. He is too strong for threats, too firm for words, too clever for persuasion."

Basil was a strong character, a burning lamp during his time. But as the fire from this lamp illumined and warmed the world, it consumed itself; as the saint's spiritual stature grew, his body wasted away, and at the early age of forty-nine his appearance was that of an old man. In every phase of ecclesiastical activity he showed superior talent and zeal. He was a great theologian, a powerful preacher, a gifted writer, the author of two rules for monastic life, a reformer of the Oriental liturgy. He died in 379, hardly forty-nine years old, yet so emaciated that only skin and bones remained, as though he had stayed alive in soul alone.

Patron: Cappadocia; hospital administrators; reformers; Russia.

Symbols: Supernatural fire, often with a dove present.

St. Gregory Nazianzen
Gregory, surnamed the "Theologian" by the Greeks, was born at Nazianz in Cappadocia in 339. He was one of the "Three Lights of the Church from Cappadocia." To his mother, St. Nonna, is due the foundation for his saintly life as an adult. He was educated at the most famous schools of his time - Caesarea, Alexandria, Athens. At Athens he formed that storied bond of friendship with St. Basil which was still flaming with all the fervor of youthful enthusiasm when he delivered the funeral oration at the grave of his friend in 381.

Gregory was baptized in 360, and for a while lived the quiet life of a hermit. In 372 he was consecrated bishop by St. Basil. At the urgent wish of Gregory, his father and bishop of Nazianz, he assisted him in the care of souls. In 381 he accepted the see of Constantinople, but grieved by the constant controversies retired again to the quiet life he cherished so highly and dedicated himself entirely to contemplation.

During his life span the pendulum was continually swinging back and forth between contemplation and the active ministry. He longed for solitude, but the exigencies of the times called him repeatedly to do pastoral work and to participate in the ecclesiastical movements of the day. He was unquestionably one of the greatest orators of Christian antiquity; his many and great accomplishments were due in great measure to his exceptional eloquence. His writings have merited for him the title of "Doctor of the Church."

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.


33 posted on 01/02/2012 3:50:05 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Doctors of the Catholic Church






Saint Basil is the Father of Eastern Monasticism and the Doctor of Monasticism. He left his monastery to defend religious freedom. This Eastern bishop would advise us that all are called to holiness through commitment, prayer, and action with faith.

Perhaps the most important lesson we can learn from Basil is that we endeavor to be attuned to the Spirit. We need to be docile to the movements, motions and touches of the Holy Spirit. God is always encouraging us to listen to divine promptings. In fact, Basil was on his way to becoming a famous teacher when he decided to begin a religious life of gospel poverty.

God called Basil again to be an archbishop after he became a monk and moved him about according to the holy will of God and Basil's full cooperation.

From Fr Rengers' book: The 33 Doctors of the Church found in the doctoral sources: It has been said that the later years of St. Basil's life were just one long sickness. Cardinal Newman says of St. Basil that "from his multiplied trials he may be called the Jeremiah or Job of the fourth century... He had a very sickly constitution, to which he added the rigor of an ascetic life. He was surrounded by jealousies and dissensions at home; he was accused of heterodoxy in the world; he was insulted and roughly treated by great men; and he labored, apparently without fruit, in the endeavor to restore unity and stability to the Catholic Church." Cardinal Newman does not explicitly say so here, but even Pope St. Damasus suspected St. Basil of heresy. Basil's efforts to have St Damasus come to the East met with no success, and while Basil's ensuing bitterness indicated his intense dedication to Church unity, it showed too the personal pain of being misunderstood.


St Basil, 330-379. Doctor of Monasticism. Feast Jan 2nd.


34 posted on 01/02/2012 4:14:53 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Doctors of the Catholic Church




Saint Gregory Nazianzus is the Doctor of Theologians. His profound words are: God accepts our desires as though they were a great value. God longs ardently for us to desire and love the Supreme Being who is always our Father, Brother and Lover.

Gregory's message is for everyone, especially for justices in all courts of law: social, civil, criminal, corporate, canon. etc. He wrote about God's justice and explained it. No one can adequately explain God or divine attributes without expressing and discovering justice.

In Constantinople, St Gregory was the leader of a group that was pitifully small and poor. Moreover, persecution from the Arians was intense, putting Gregory in mortal danger. But his holiness of life, his burning eloquence and brilliant explanation of doctrine especially regarding the divinity of Christ gradually won followers and great numbers of converts. Jerome, scholarly, eloquent and renowned, came to admire and to listen to him. St. Gregory’s clear-cut exposition of truth dealt a crippling blow to Arianism. He was the stylist who could sum up the writings of St. Athanasius, St. Hilary and St. Basil. He was the accomplished orator who could make true doctrine live in the minds of his audience. For this reason he has received the title, “The Christian Demosthenes,” after the famous Greek orator – Taken from the book: The 33 Doctors of the Church by Fr. Christopher Rengers, O.F.M.Cap.

Like many other doctors, Gregory suffered slander, insults and even personal violence. He is famous for his writings and sermons on the Trinity. "The Theologian" is buried in St Peter's Cathedral where fittingly all sacred Theology should proceed and from sacred scripture, the Word of God. However, in a magnanimous gesture of goodwill, his relics were returned to the Eastern church in 2004-2005 by the late Pope John Paul II before he died in 2005.


St Gregory Nazianzus, 330-390. Doctor of Theologians. Feast Jan 2nd.


35 posted on 01/02/2012 4:16:46 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 John 2:22-28

“Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.” (1 John 2:24)

Sometimes it’s only when some­thing is taken away from us that we begin to see how precious it was. What, for instance, do you think would happen if every copy of the Bible were to disappear overnight? How would we teach our children about God’s love? How would we be able to understand God’s purposes in this world? Where would we turn for guidance and clarity in our lives?

Consider what St. John tells us in today’s first reading: “If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father” (1 John 2:24). John is saying that when we let the word of God—what we “heard from the beginning”—soak into us, we “remain” in the Son and the Father. We actually find our life in the very life of the Trinity! Our minds, our hearts, and our actions change to reflect Jesus and his ways.

Shortly after he became pope, Blessed John Paul II visited Poland, which was still under Communist rule. On the last day of his visit, dur­ing an outdoor Mass attended by approximately two million people, the pope extended his hands over everyone there and quoted Scripture: ”Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). He went on: “I speak, too, from St. Paul: Do not quench the Spirit. I speak again from St. Paul: Do not grieve the Spirit. You must be strong, my brothers and sisters! You must be strong with the strength that faith gives you (1 Corinthians 16:13)… . Do not be defeated. Do not be discouraged (Joshua 1:9). Never detach yourselves from him (Romans 8:35).”

These words—all taken from Scripture—imparted a measure of hope and strength to the Polish people that far surpassed anyone’s expectations. As a result, a move­ment was born that ultimately led to the defeat of Communism, not just in Poland but throughout the Soviet Union.

There is no telling what can hap­pen when we immerse ourselves in the word of God. All it takes is a few minutes a day of reading and medi­tating on a passage in Scripture. The Holy Spirit will bring these words to life, and our hearts will be changed!

“Father, teach me to remain in your word so that I can bear great fruit for your kingdom.”

Psalm 98:1-4; John 1:19-28


36 posted on 01/02/2012 4:32:48 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Marriage = One Man and One Woman
Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for January 2, 2012:

“On the 9th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me – 9 ladies dancing.” Dancing is not only for ladies and true love not only for newlyweds. Try it. If you have children, include them. It needn’t be ballroom to be fun. Think Hokey Pokey? Learn a dance from your kids.


37 posted on 01/02/2012 4:46:24 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Regnum Christi

Aspiring to Humility
U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY
Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church (January 2, 2012).

January 2, 2012
Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church

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.


38 posted on 01/02/2012 4:58:19 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 


<< Monday, January 2, 2012 >> St. Basil the Great
St. Gregory Nazianzen

Saint of the Day
 
1 John 2:22-28
View Readings
Psalm 98:1-4 John 1:19-28
 

QUESTION BOX

 
"Who, then?" —John 1:21
 

We begin this new year with the question: "Who are you?" (Jn 1:19). This is a good question. How can we be what the Lord wants us to be this year unless we know who we are? However, the question of our identity is most difficult. One voice says we are God's children (see Mt 3:17; Jn 1:12; 1 Jn 3:2). We are called "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people He claims for His own" (1 Pt 2:9). But we don't feel like God's children or look very royal, priestly, or holy. Another voice says we are merely human, in fact, just sophisticated animals. If we accept this, we can "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die" (see Wis 2:6ff; 1 Cor 15:32). Although this second voice puts us down and degrades us, we feel like believing it and leading a self-indulgent, sexually immoral life.

To answer the question, "Who are you?", we must answer the questions: "Who are the voices in my life?" and "Who is the liar?" (1 Jn 2:22). The first voice is the united voice of God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The second voice is the voice of the world, the flesh, and the devil. The second voice is the liar. The first voice is the Truth (Jn 14:6). Know yourself. Know God.

 
Prayer: Father, may I realize that eternal life is to know You, Jesus, the Spirit, and myself (see Jn 17:3).
Promise: "He Himself made us a promise and the promise is no less than this: eternal life." —1 Jn 2:25
Praise: St. Basil and St. Gregory lived in solitude together as monks before becoming bishops.

39 posted on 01/02/2012 5:14:27 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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January 2, St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen

In celebrating the feasts of St. Basil of Caesarea and St. Gregory Nazianzen on the same day, the Church extols a virtue which she has always esteemed, friendship. The friendship between Basil and Gregory was admirable. Born in Cappadocia around 330, they studied together in Athens and then returned to their homeland where they led a monastic life for several years. Their temperaments were very different. While Basil had the qualities of a leader and a gift for organization that made him a legislator for monks in the East, Gregory was a contemplative and a poet.

The Orthodox Church has placed Basil and Gregory with John Chrysostom in the first rank of ecumenical doctors. They are "the three Hierarchs." — Excerpted from Magnificat, PO Box 91, Spencerville, MD © 2001

 
 
A blessed Ninth Day of Christmas to all of you!

40 posted on 01/02/2012 5:27:12 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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