Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress": Basil & Gregory

January 2, 2014:
SS. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors

Readings

1 Jn 2:22-28 Whoever denies Jesus as the Christ is a liar; whoever confesses the Son has the Father too. If what you heard remains in you, you'll remain in the Son and the Father. He teaches you about everything; remain in him.

Ps 98:1-4 "All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God." Sing to the Lord a new song; the Lord has made his justice known.

Jn 1:19-28 When asked, “Who are you?” John admitted, “I'm not the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet but one crying, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” Pharisees asked, “Then why do you baptize?” “I baptize with water, but one is coming whose sandal I'm not worthy to untie.”

Pope Francis

World Day of Peace message (continued): You will all be brothers: We can't ourselves respond to our God-given longing for fraternity, overcoming indifference, egoism, and hatred and accepting our differences—but God’s fatherhood, God's personal love, generates fraternity by transforming our lives and relationships, opening us to solidarity and sharing. Christ, loving the Father unto death, has made of us a new humanity, in communion with God's plan, including fulfillment of our call to fraternity.

Christ becomes the principle for us: we're brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. In him we're reconciled with God and one another as brothers and sisters. The Cross brings an end to separation between peoples. Christ is peace, for he made one people out of two, creating one new humanity.

All who live in Christ acknowledge God as Father and love him above all things. The reconciled person sees in God the Father of all and so lives a life of fraternity. In Christ, the other is loved as a child of God, brother or sister, not stranger, rival, or enemy. Where all are children of the same Father, no one is “disposable”; all are loved by God, redeemed by Christ, and enjoy equal, inviolable dignity, so no one can remain indifferent before our brothers and sisters.

[Evangelii Gaudium series will resume after this message.]

Reflections

Creighton: God's wondrous deeds are known to anyone who looks and reflects. We also see the wonders of people caring for each other. But it's easy to expect wonders because they've become part of our lives. May God give us grace to be like children discovering God's wonders every minute, and freedom to sing praise for God who loves us.

RC.net: John the Baptist knew he was only preparing the way for the Messiah. He lived as a humble servant of God. Do I point others to Christ by my witness and example?

Universalis: Basil, scholar and virtuous man, hermit turned bishop, fought against heresy, wrote notable works including his monastic rule, and was generous to the poor. Eloquent Gregory followed Basil as monk and was also made bishop.