• January 2nd - Saint Gregory Nazianzen

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Tue Jan 1 08:13:05 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    January 2nd - Saint Gregory Nazianzen
    Archbishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
    (312-390)

    Saint Gregory was born in 312 near Caesarea of Cappadocia, of parents
    who are both honored as Saints, and the infant was immediately
    consecrated to God. After learning all that he could in his native
    land, he journeyed to Caesarea in Palestine to study at the famous
    school founded by Origen, then went to Alexandria in Egypt to rejoin
    his brother there. After some time he embarked for Athens, the
    metropolis of the sciences and the humanities. During the voyage, a
    storm of twenty days' duration nearly caused the loss of the ship a=
    nd
    all passengers; their safe arrival in Athens was attributed to Saint
    Gregory's prayers, and all aboard adopted Christianity.

    In Athens he met and became the close friend of Saint Basil, and these
    noble souls turned away together from the most attractive worldly
    prospects. For some years they lived in seclusion, self-discipline,
    and studious labor, knowing only two roads, Gregory wrote, =E2=80=9Cone to church, the other to school.=E2=80=9D Only after thirty years of studies an=
    d
    good works in Athens did they leave that city and separate. They would
    meet again in the year 358, to live in solitude for a time in the
    Province of Pont.

    Saint Gregory was raised to the priesthood almost by force, preaching
    his first sermon, after a ten-weeks' retreat, on the dangers and responsibilities of the priesthood. In 372, when he was sixty years
    old, he was consecrated a bishop by his dear friend Saint Basil, who
    had become Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. All their lives they
    would correspond; many of Saint Gregory's noble and eloquent letter=
    s
    to Saint Basil can still be read among the 212 pieces of his
    correspondence which are still conserved.

    Saint Gregory's rare gifts and conciliatory disposition had become
    well known. In the year 379, when he was 67 years old, he was chosen
    to be Patriarch of Constantinople. That city was distracted and laid
    waste in those times by Arian and other heretics. After a reception
    which was at best lukewarm, the new Patriarch labored there
    successfully, from his base in a small church named the Anastasia (Resurrection), where he gave instructions and saw the number of his
    listeners increase daily.

    The Arians were so irritated at the decay of their heresy that they
    pursued the Saint with outrage, calumny and violence, and at length
    resolved to take his life. For this purpose they chose an intrepid
    youth who was willing to undertake the sacrilegious commission. But
    God did not allow him to carry it out; he was touched with remorse and
    cast himself at the Saint's feet, avowing his sinful intent. Saint
    Gregory forgave him at once, treated him with all kindness and
    received him among his friends, to the wonder and edification of the
    whole city and to the confusion of the heretics, whose crime had
    served only as a mirror to the virtue of the Saint.

    Saint Jerome states that he himself learned at the feet of this
    master, who was his catechist in Holy Scripture. But Saint Gregory'=
    s
    humility, his austerities, the humble appearance of his aging and worn
    person, and above all his very success in Constantinople, did not
    cease to draw down upon him the hatred of every enemy of the Faith. He
    was persecuted by the magistrates, stoned by the rabble, and thwarted
    and deserted even by his brother bishops. During the second General
    Council, hoping to restore peace to his tormented city, the eloquent
    bishop, whom the Church calls Saint Gregory the Theologian, resigned
    his see and retired to his native town, where he died in the year 390.

    Reflection. =E2=80=9CWe must overcome our enemies,=E2=80=9D said Saint Greg= ory, =E2=80=9Cby
    gentleness, and win them over by forbearance. Let them be punished by
    their own conscience, not by our wrath. Let us not at once fell the
    fig tree, from which a more skillful gardener may yet entice fruit.=E2=80=
    =9D

    Saint Quote:
    Now that we are reborn, as I have said, in the likeness of our Lord,
    and have indeed been adopted by God as his children, let us put on the
    complete image of our Creator so as to be wholly like him, not in the
    glory that he alone possesses, but in innocence, simplicity,
    gentleness, patience, humility, mercy, harmony, those qualities in
    which he chose to become, and to be, one with us.
    -- Saint Peter Chrysologus

    Bible Quote:
    Turn thou to me, and be gracious to me;
    =C2 =C2 for I am lonely and afflicted.
    17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
    =C2 =C2 and bring me[a] out of my distresses.=C2 [Psalm 25:16-17] =
    RSVCE


    <><><><>
    Prayer for the Propagation of Faith and Piety

    Eternal Father, by Thy infinite mercy and by the infinite merits of
    thy divine Son Jesus, make Thyself known and loved by all souls, since
    it is Thy will that all should be saved. Gloria Patri.

    Through the sacred mysteries of human redemption send, O Lord,
    laborers into thy harvest, and spare Thy people. Eternal Word
    incarnate, Redeemer of the human race, convert all souls to Thyself,
    since for them Thou wast obedient even to the death of the Cross.
    Gloria Patri.

    Through the merits and intercession of Thy most holy Mother, and of
    all the Angels and Saints, send, O Lord, labourers into thy harvest,
    and spare thy people.

    O Holy Spirit of God, by the infinite merits of the Passion and Death
    of Jesus Christ, diffuse Thy most ardent and all-powerful charity in
    all hearts, that there may be one Fold and one Shepherd throughout the
    world, and that all may come to sing thy divine mercies in Heaven for
    ever. Amen. Gloria Patri.

    Queen of Apostles, and all ye Angels and Saints, pray the Lord of the
    harvest to send laborers into his harvest and spare his people, that
    we may all rejoice with Him and the Father and the Holy Spirit forever
    and ever. Amen.

    Immaculate Mother of God, Queen of Apostles, I know that the divine
    precept, by which I am bound to love my neighbor as myself, obliges me
    to procure by every possible means not only my eternal salvation, but
    also that of my neighbor. But I confess that through my sins I am not
    worthy of the grace to labor effectually and constantly for the
    eternal salvation of my soul and of the souls of my relations and
    neighbors; much less am I worthy of the grace to promote good works
    and increase the means, both spiritual and temporal, of restoring
    Faith and rekindling charity among Catholics, and propagating the
    truth throughout the world.

    Do thou then, O Mother, obtain for me this grace through the mercy of
    God and the infinite merits of Jesus Christ; and in union with the
    heavenly court and all the just, who are or will be in the Church of
    God, from henceforth I intend to offer these same merits of Jesus as a thanksgiving in anticipation of this grace obtained by thee for us and
    for all, as thou didst obtain it for the holy Apostles.

    And so, I, N.N., trusting in thy powerful intercession, resolve from
    henceforth to use whatever I have from God of power, talents,
    learning, riches, position, health, sickness or sorrow, for the
    greater glory of God and the salvation of my soul, and that of my
    neighbor, more especially by working for the propagation of piety and
    the holy faith throughout the world. And when all other means to this
    end fail me, I will never cease to pray, that there may be one Fold
    and one Shepherd. By so doing I hope to reach paradise, there to enjoy
    the fruit of the Apostolate of Jesus Christ for all eternity. Amen.

    Ave Maria thrice, Gloria and Patri once.

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