January 2 2024 - Sts. Basil & Gregory - Building up the Body of Christ

Today is the only day of the entire year on which we celebrate two doctors of the Church together. Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen were both bishops of the 4th century and dear friends. Both the Church of the East and the Church of the West look upon them with great love Their holiness of life, the excellence of their teaching and the harmonious synthesis of their gifts in service of the Gospel were exemplary. 

For their memorial today, we read a passage from the letter to the Ephesians where Paul is writing about the mission of the Church and Church unity.

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers of the Church are to work together to equip Christian believers with the tools and competencies for serving God—for carrying out the mission of the Church. And what’s our mission? St. Paul tells us that our common mission is building up the Body of Christ. 

A parish, like ours, isn’t just a building for Catholics to fulfill their obligation to attend Mass on the Lord’s Day. It’s a place where believers themselves are to be built up—to grow in Christian maturity. It’s a training ground for believers to receive the training they need to do the work of God in the world to make new disciples. My efforts as pastor, in conjunction with the Bishop, and those in church leadership is to help train the members of this parish to build up the body of Christ.

Saints Basil and Gregory, who we honor today, through their teaching and preaching confronted a terrible heresy that was drawing souls away from the one true faith. The Church was being ravaged and divided by the Arian heresy—instead of being built up, it was being torn down by the heretics. And so Bishops Basil and Gregory devoted themselves to teaching the Apostolic Faith received from Christ from the beginning to help heal the wounds caused by error. Church unity was preserved and strengthened through their efforts.

The saints take seriously St. Paul’s admonition to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received”—the call to rid ourselves of sin and selfishness, error and folly, and to spend ourselves without reserve in the service of God. 

Let us pray through the intercession of Saints Basil and Gregory, that the Church and that our parish may be opened to being equipped, being trained for the work God desires of us, for building up the Body of Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

In this time when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior have appeared, let us, dear brethren, humbly pour forth to him our prayers, trusting not in our own good works, but in his mercy.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus, and that our Bishops and Priests might have the courage to proclaim the truth amidst the errors of the world.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the healing of families divided by sin and selfishness, for a strengthening of all marriages, and that young people may be formed to have deep and authentic faith. 

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness, addiction, or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.