1801021. Wednesday, 2nd JANUARY. Saints Basil and Gregory, bishops and Doctors of the Church

Wednesday, 2nd JANUARY

Saints Basil and Gregory, bishops and Doctors of the Church

John 1:19-28

The Pharisees asked John, "Then why are you baptising, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor thkhe prophet?" John answered them, "I baptise with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan.

The baptism of St John was a penitential rite that prepared the Jews to change their way of life. The Gospel says in another place that they were 'confessing' their sins to St John as well (Mk 1:5). These rites were not sacraments yet. They were a preparation for the real Sacraments that Jesus inaugurated with His Death and Resurrection. The Sacrament of Baptism does not 'prepare' us, as John's Baptism did. It 'transforms' us, makes us Christians.

Today we celebrate Saints Basil and Gregory. Theirs is one of the most beautiful stories of friendship. Both born in the year 330, they were good friends and they both had an excellent education. They weren't saints to begin with, though. St Basil writes about wasting time on frivolities and vanities. "One day," he wrote, "like a man roused from deep sleep, I turned my eyes to the marvellous light of the truth of the Gospel, and I wept many tears over my miserable life." They encouraged each other and were both baptised at the age of 28. Years later Basil was ordained bishop and fought against the Arian heresy. But when he needed help and support in that exhausting doctrinal battle, he called his friend Gregory who became a bishop as well and fought heresy at his side.

One of the most beautiful texts about friendship was written by St Gregory years later: "We seemed to be two bodies with a single spirit. We became everything to each other: we shared the same lodging, the same table, the same desires, the same goal. Our love for each other grew daily warmer and deeper. The same hope inspired us. Our rivalry consisted, not in seeking the first place for oneself but in yielding it to the other. Our single object and ambition was virtue, and a life of hope in Heaven...In order to make a name for ourselves, the great name we wanted, was to be Christians: to be called Christians." Mary, my Mother, may I be that kind of friend to my friends so we can all go to Heaven together!