Subj : January 2nd - Saint Gregory Nazianzen To : All From : rich Date : Tue Jan 01 2019 08:13:05 From: rich 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. --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .