Daily Gospel for Thursday, 2 January 2014
“Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words
of real life, eternal life.”(John 6:68, The Message).
Thursday before Epiphany
Saint of the Day:
SAINT BASIL THE GREAT
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(† 379)
St. Basil was born in Asia Minor. Two of his brothers became
bishops, and, together with his mother and sister, are honored as Saints.
He studied with great success at Athens, where he formed with St.
Gregory Nazianzen the most tender friendship. He then taught oratory; but
dreading the honors of the world, he gave up all, and became the father of the
monastic life in the East.
The Arian heretics, supported by the court, were then persecuting
the Church; and Basil was summoned from his retirement by his bishop to give
aid against them. His energy and zeal soon mitigated the disorders of the
Church, and his solid and eloquent words silenced the heretics.
On the death of Eusebius, he was chosen Bishop of Cæsarea. His
commanding character, his firmness and energy, his learning and eloquence, and
not less his humility and the exceeding austerity of his life, made him a model
for bishops.
When St. Basil was required to admit the Arians to Communion,
the prefect, finding that soft words had no effect, said to him, "Are you
mad, that you resist the will before which the whole world bows? Do you not
dread the wrath of the emperor, nor exile, nor death?" "No," said
Basil calmly; "he who has nothing to lose need not dread loss of goods;
you cannot exile me, for the whole earth is my home; as for death, it would be
the greatest kindness you could bestow upon me; torments cannot harm me: one
blow would end my frail life and my sufferings together."
"Never," said the prefect, "has any one dared to address me
thus." "Perhaps," suggested Basil, "you never before
measured your strength with a Christian bishop." The emperor desisted from
his commands.
St. Basil's whole life was one of suffering. He lived amid
jealousies and misunderstandings and seeming disappointments. But he sowed the
seed which bore goodly fruit in the next generation, and was God's instrument
in beating back the Arian and other heretics in the East, and restoring the
spirit of discipline and fervor in the Church.
He died in 379, and is venerated as a Doctor of the Church.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Saint Gregory Nazianzen
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(c. 303 - c. 390)
St. Gregory was born near Nazianzus, in Cappadocia, and about
330 AD. He followed the monastic way of life for some years. Saint Gregory and Saint Basil were life-long
friends.
He was ordained priest, and became Bishop of Constantinople in
379, when the Arian controversy was at its height. He was forced to retire to
Nazianzus, where he died on 25 January 389, or 390.
His learning and his powers of oratory were remarkable, and he
was called The Theologian.
The Weekday Missal
God our Father, you inspired the Church with the example and
teaching of your saints Basil and Gregory.
In humility may we come to know your truth and put it into
action with faith and love.
SAINT MACARIUS OF ALEXANDRIA
Anchorite
(† 394)
Macarius when a youth left his fruit-stall at Alexandria to join
the great St. Antony. The patriarch, warned by a miracle of his disciple's
sanctity, named him the heir of his virtues.
His life was one long conflict with self. "I am tormenting
my tormentor," replied he to one who met him bent double with a basket of
sand in the heat of the day. "Whenever I am slothful and idle, I am
pestered by desires for distant travel."
When he was quite worn out he returned to his cell. Since sleep
at times overpowered him, he kept watch for twenty days and nights; being about
to faint, he entered his cell and slept, but henceforth slept only at will. A
gnat stung him; he killed it. In revenge for this softness he remained naked in
a marsh till his body was covered with noxious bites and he was recognized only
by his voice. Once when thirsty he received a present of grapes, but passed
them untouched to a hermit who was toiling in the heat. This one gave them to a
third, who handed them to a fourth; thus the grapes went the round of the
desert and returned to Macarius, who thanked God for his brethren's abstinence.
Macarius saw demons assailing the hermits at prayer. They put
their fingers into the mouths of some, and made them yawn. They closed the eyes
of others, and walked upon them when asleep. They placed vain and sensual
images before many of the brethren, and then mocked those who were captivated
by them. None vanquished the devils effectually save those who by constant
vigilance repelled them at once. Macarius visited one hermit daily for four
months, but never could speak to him, as he was always in prayer; so he called
him an " angel on earth."
After being many years Superior, Macarius fled in disguise to
St. Pachomius, to begin again as his novice; but St. Pachomius, instructed by a
vision, bad, rim return to his brethren, who loved him as their father. In his
old age, thinking nature tamed, he determined to spend five days alone in
prayer. On the third day the cell seemed on fire, and Macarius came forth. God
permitted this delusion, he said, lest he be ensnared by pride.
At the age of seventy-three he was driven into exile and
brutally outraged by the Arian heretics. He died A. D. 394.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Thursday before Epiphany
First Letter of John 2: 22 Who is the liar but the one who
denies that Jesus is the Christ?[a] This is the antichrist, the one who denies
the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone
who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the
beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you,
then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he has
promised us,[b] eternal life.
26 I write these things to you concerning those who would
deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in
you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches
you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught
you, abide in him.[c]
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is
revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his
coming.
Footnotes:
a. 1 John 2:22 Or the Messiah
b. 1 John 2:25 Other ancient authorities read you
c. 1 John 2:27 Or it
Psalm 98: Praise the Judge of the World
A Psalm.
1 O sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done
marvelous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
have gotten him
victory.
2 The Lord has made known his victory;
he has revealed his
vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of
Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our
God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into
joyous song and sing praises.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 1: The Testimony
of John the Baptist
19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent
priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed
and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”[a] 21 And they
asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the
prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us
have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He
said,
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as the prophet Isaiah said.
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him,
“Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah,[b] nor Elijah, nor
the prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands
one whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to
untie the thong of his sandal.” 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan
where John was baptizing.
Footnotes:
a. John 1:20 Or the Christ
b. John 1:25 Or the Christ
Thursday before Epiphany
Commentary of the Day:
Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot
5th sermon of Advent ; SC 166 (©Cistercian Fathers series)
"I am 'the voice of one crying out in the desert,
"Make straight the way of the Lord,"'
“Prepare a way for the Lord.” Brethren, however far you journey
along it... from the very nature of goodness there is no limit to the way along
which you travel. And so... the wise and indefatigable traveler... can say to
himself each day: “Now I begin”... And how many “go astray in the
wilderness”... None of them can yet say: “Now I begin.”
For “the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.” If the
beginning of wisdom, then surely it is also the beginning of the way of
goodness... It is this that encourages praise...; it also moves the proud to
penance, so that they hear the voice of him crying in the wilderness,ordering
the preparation of the way and thus showing how to begin it: “Do penance for
the kingdom of heaven is close at hand”...
If you are on the way then fear only one thing: lest you leave
it, lest you offend the Lord who leads you along it so that he would abandon
you to “wander in the way of your own heart”... If you feel that the way is too
narrow look forward to the end to which it leads you. If you were to see how
everything is to be attained, then you would say without hesitation: "Broad
indeed is your command!" If you cannot see so far, believe Isaiah who
could...: "Behold," he says, "the redeemed shall walk by this
way and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain also joy and
gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Those who dwell
sufficiently on this end I think will not only make the way easier for himself
but also grow wings so that he no longer walks but flies... May he who is the track
of the runners and the reward of the winners lead and guide you along it: he,
Christ Jesus
(Biblical references : Ps 77[76],11 Vg; 107[106],4; Pr 1,7; Ps
110[109],10; Mt 3,2; 4,17; Is 57,17; Mt 7,14; Ps 119[118],96; Is 35,10)
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