Saturday, January 2, 2016

Hermit to Bishop

Feast of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen,
Bishops, Doctors

Hermit to Bishopsounds like a chess move!  But that would be oh-so wrong.  Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen Both went to the desert to live as hermits.  And it was from there that they were both grabbed and made Bishop. 

It isn’t typical ecclesiastical ladder climbing.  Maybe we remember them in part because their journey was refreshingly “un-self-conscious;” responding to the call of God discerned meticulously and void of personal agenda. 

I’m not sure what that offers me this day.  The collect for today’s Mass petitions God:  grant, we pray, that in humility we may learn your truth and practice it faithfully in charity.

In the reading from 1 John we hear the word remain six times.  That is a challenging word for me today.  I am so quick to cut the quiet short; to rush from silence or prayer, or contemplationto rush from anything that isn’t DOING! 

Remain
Remain long enough to get uncomfortable
Remain long enough to taste humility
Remain in not-doing
Remain in
Remain

Saints Basil and Gregory
Help me remain



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