Thoughts for the Day

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Gregory and Basil were two friends bound together by their desire to promote and defend the divinity of Christ as proclaimed in the Nicene Creed. This was against the seemingly overwhelming pressure from inside and outside the Church at this time because of the heresy of Arianism, which denied Christ's divinity and thus the whole Christine doctrine of the Trinity. As we saw recently with the Gnostics, Arians could not accept that Jesus, as a human, could possibly be divine.

Basil was renowned for being headstrong and forceful, in comparison to his friend Gregory, who would rather spend his days in prayer living the simple ascetic life. But Gregory's brilliance in oratory and theological debate meant that a hidden life was virtually impossible and Basil drew him into the forefront of the controversy. Their joint persuasive eloquence convinced the first Council of Constantinople, meeting in 381 CE, that their teaching was the truly orthodox one. The Council subsequently agreed, among other things, that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Only Son of God, who was begotten not made and that through him all things were made. This form of the Nicene Creed is used in the East to this day, though subsequent Councils amended it slightly for the Western church.

As we have seen recently in these 'Thoughts' we Christians should be grateful to those who fought such heresies in the past and who helped us to learn about God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Today, therefore, we thank God for Basil who was Bishop of Caesarea and Gregory who was Bishop of Constantinople. Even though they lived and died over seventeen centuries ago, their courage and faithfulness still affects our belief in Christ, and in the Trinity..

Collect for Saints Basil and Gregory:

Lord God,
whose servants Basil and Gregory
proclaimed the mystery of your Word made flesh,
to build up your Church in wisdom and strength:
grant that we may rejoice in his presence among us,
and so be brought with them to know
the power of your unending love;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.