2 Jan – Memorial for Sts. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen, bishops
St. Basil the Great (329-379) was a noble by birth. His parents and four of his nine siblings were canonized, including St. Gregory of Nyssa. He was the grandson of St. Marcina the Elder. As a youth, he was noted for organizing famine relief, and for working in the kitchens himself; quite unusual for a young noble.
He studied in Constantinople and Athens with his friend St. Gregory Nazianzen. He ran a school of oratory and law in Caesarea. He was so successful and sought after as a speaker that he was tempted by pride. Fearful that it would overtake his piety, he sold all that he had, gave away the money, and became a priest and monk.
He founded monasteries and drew up rules for monks living in the desert. He is considered as key to the founding of eastern monasticism as Benedict was to the west. He was the bishop and archbishop of Caesarea. He conducted Mass and preached to the crowds twice daily. He fought Arianism, is a Greek Doctor of the Church, and a Father of the Church.
St. Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) was the son of St. Gregory of Nazianzen the Elder and St. Nonna, brother of St. Caesar Nazianzen, and St. Gorgonius. He spent an itinerant youth in search of learning. He was a friend and fellow student with St. Basil the Great, and a monk at Basil’s desert monastery.
He was a reluctant priest, feeling himself unworthy, and fearing that the responsibility would test his faith. He assisted his bishop father to prevent an Arian schism in the diocese. He opposed Arianism and brought its heretical followers back to the fold. He became Bishop of Caesarea in 370, which put him in conflict with the Arian emperor Valens. The disputes led his friend Basil the Great, then archbishop, to reassign him to a small, out of the way posting at the edge of the archbishopric.
Following the death of Valens, he was appointed Bishop of Constantinople from 381-390. He hated the city, despised the violence and slander involved in these disputes, and feared being drawn into politics and corruption. But he worked to bring the Arians back to the faith. For his trouble, he was slandered, insulted, beaten up, and a rival ‘bishop’ tried to take over his diocese.
He was a noted preacher on the Trinity. When it seemed that the faith had been restored in the city, Gregory retired to live the rest of his days as a hermit. He wrote theological discourses and poetry, some of it religious, some of it autobiographical. He was a Father of the Church, and a Doctor of the Church.
- Patron Saint Index
1 Jn 2:22-28
Jn 1:19-28
“…a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.”
This scripture verse seems to be my theme for this season. It was found in the first reading of Isaiah 40:1-5,9-11 during the second week of Advent, then again in the gospel of John 1:19-28 in the third week of Advent.
These past months leading up to the week before Christmas, I felt lost in the wilderness and Jesus really wanted to make straight my path.
It’s been three and a half years since I had a change in my job from media to the education sector. I never saw myself as an educator because I always felt like I suck at it. I am shy, awkward and often wouldn’t know what to say to the youths. That’s how low my confidence is. But I knew right away and took the leap of faith when I made this career switch. In fact, I was very sure why the Lord has sent me to teach in a polytechnic. The role as a mentor to the students was much more important than imparting whatever knowledge I have to them.
But semester after semester, I would find myself struggling with some aspects of the job, be it the admin work that we public servants had to fulfil, the inability to handle rude students, or getting the not-so-encouraging feedback from students at the end of each semester. I would start to doubt myself, grow more and more discouraged, and I even questioned Jesus if this was really the job for me. It was really affecting my mental health, as the kids often like to say. To be so affected mentally and emotionally can be quite draining. Is this job still right for me?
You know what? God is truly amazing and good. Whenever I am down or feel troubled, He will somehow send help — whether in the form of colleagues who’d help me out, or changing certain work situations, or even offer a ray of light and hope through some students who’d surprise me with some encouraging words. Every time I feel like throwing in the towel, he will send me hope.
Most recently, I was feeling really down and stressed out with the number of things I had to do (plus the fact that I haven’t been doing them so well). I was even contemplating when to resign. Then he sent me on a two-day course on Mentoring and Coaching the Youths. I was placed amidst so many inspiring fellow lecturers and mentors who have been doing this for many more years than me, and I was immediately reminded of why I have been put here in the first place. Then, as the course progressed, I learnt that I do have a strength even though I thought I had none; and finally, I learnt that I should switch my fixed mindset to a growth mindset. It is because of my fixed way of thinking: that I am older now, so I learnt slower; I’m not good with tech, etc. that was pulling me down. If I am able to treat every challenge as a chance to grow, as an exciting adventure, then I can surely do anything and not allow myself to be so easily affected! Talk about WOW!
Jesus is so, so awesome I tell you! If we keep turning to him who is so full of compassion and love, surely he will do anything to help us get out of the ditch or valley of darkness. Praise and thank you Jesus!
(Today’s OXYGEN by Cynthia Chew)
Prayer: Dear Jesus, we are sorry for not having more faith in you – especially during the time of our trials and tribulations. Please forgive us for the lack of trust and help us grow our faith from that of a mustard seed to a tree, so that we can be witnesses to others.
Thanksgiving: Thank you, Abba Father, for being so patient with us and for loving us so much. Above all, we are thankful for the many graces you have showered upon us so that we can see your hand in our lives.
OXYGEN 
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