1/2/2018 - Tuesday of the Christmas weekday – St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen – 1 John 2:22-28

     We hear some very harsh words in the first letter of John today, with charges of “liar” and “anti-Christ,” about those who intentionally deceive us about our faith.  Why would we hear such a harsh message in the middle of the joyful Christmas season?  Perhaps it helps us to know that this letter was written when the Johannine community was splitting apart, probably over differences in their belief about Jesus' divinity.  The author of this letter is writing in order to warn his community of some members who have broken away, who deny that God was fully present in Jesus, his begotten Son. Today, too, we unfortunately see a lot of factionalism in our Church.  Some in our Church today think that their interpretations and views of the faith are the only true ones; they think that anyone with a different outlook is not loyal to the Church, not true to the faith.

     Divisiveness and factionalism are not modern developments, as we hear in the reading from the first letter of John this evening, but that does not mean we should passively accept this reality.  Our reading today should encourage us to work toward unity and dialogue in our community of faith.  I can attest that I have been edified and challenged as a priest by those who I have interacted with in my parishes who perhaps have a different theological perspective than my own. Being open to the diversity in unity that exists in our Church is so important.

         We have 2 great saints & doctors of the Church to celebrate today in the context of unity & defending the faith.  St. Basil was an influential founder of monasticism in the East, a bishop and great defender of the faith against the Arian heresies in the fourth century. Basil's friend, Gregory of Nazianzen, became the Archbishop of the great city of Constantinople in this same era after it had been under the control of Arian bishops for over 3 decades.  Gregory helped restore the true faith in that holy city; his teachings remain a great example for us to this day. 
         With Gregory of Nazianzen and Basil the Great as examples for us, may we be called to work together for our faith.  May we be true to the faith that has been passed down to us by the early Church Fathers, a faith that is taught to us through Tradition, the Scriptures, and the Magisterium of the Church.  Let us pray that one day we may all be one in the faith, that our work for Church unity will never cease and will bear fruit.