We hear a very strong opening in our first reading from the first letter of John today, as it is asked: “Who is the liar?” We hear the word “liar” being hurled at people a lot in politics and in social media. It strikes me as to how uncivil our public discourse has become in recent years. But, I think this question in our reading today is there to get our attention, to show what a travesty it is to deny our faith. A couple of times, it states in the reading the importance of remaining in Christ. For if we remain in him, his truth will remain in us.
Four great Fathers of the Eastern Church were recognized as Doctors of the Church by Pope Pius V in 1568: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius of Alexandria. We celebrate two of these great saints today - Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil the Great. Basil and Gregory were both from Cappadocia in present day Turkey. Basil was a monk who became the Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia in 370 AD; hr fought vigorously against the Arian heresy. The monastic rule that Basil wrote is still followed in monasteries in the East to this day. Gregory, a great friend of Basil’s, became Bishop of Constantinople. He was a great theologian and preacher. As we celebrate the Christmas season, this quote from Gregory of Nazianzus is very appropriate: “What Jesus was, he laid aside; what he was not, he assumed. He takes upon himself the poverty of my flesh so that I may receive the riches of his divinity.”
During the Christmas and Advent seasons, we have celebrated great saints who have helped us in the welcoming Christ into the world and into our lives as we celebrate his birth. As we celebrate this two great Church fathers on their feast day, let us never forget the roots of our faith.
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