It is 2nd January 2021. We celebrate the memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors. Both were life-long friends as students. They are well known as the teachers of the Eastern Church and known as both Cappodocia now known as Turkey and they are lovingly called Theologians of the Cappadocian School. Basil was not only a theologian, but also pastoral bishop deeply moved by the plight and pain of the poor. He produced a monastic rule known as Basilian rule which is followed by monks and nuns of the Eastern Church. Gregory was a late vocation. He brought harmony among the community of Constantinople who were misled by Arian heresy.
There is a believer, a saint, a sinner, and a liar in everyone of us. We become what we nurture most and begin to experience the same sentiments in others most of the time. As there are Antichrist around us, so in everyone, there is an antichrist element ready to popup.
What we struggle in understanding and accepting the other is exactly what is going on right within each one of us.
The first reading talks about the fourth way of walking in the light of Christ. To believe Jesus Christ, who is the Truth. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,” we need to be aware of the lies in us and around us. To deny the identity of Jesus is to deny the Father and to acknowledge Jesus is to acknowledge the Father. Believing in the union of the Father and the Son is the anointing of the Holy Spirit we all have received. To remain faithful to God, we need to be an ardent follower of Jesus. We are invited by John to remain faithful to the teaching which is the reliable and sufficient source. We become a new person only by our personal and intimate assimilation of Galatians 2:20 “I live. No, it is not I, but Christ lives in me.” By constantly remaining in Him, we ward of all fear, and shame of facing Christ at the last judgement.
The responsorial Psalm praises, “All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.” (Ps.98:3).
An expert was called to mediate among the monks who were fighting and hating one another. The expert spoke to them and said that there is one among them is Jesus. From that moment onwards, each one was looking at the other person as Jesus. Peace and calm returned to the community of monks. “But there is one among you whom you do not recognize.” (Jn.1:26).
To feel and respect the unknown person is the experience of God. It evokes the feelings of reverential fear and hope in the person. John the Baptist confessed who he was not, but he knew who he has to be.
John the Baptist reminds us who we are. We are the disciples of Jesus. We are a voice that leads others to Jesus, a witness to the Light and a statement of truth of the Lord. We are called to witness the Light. Jesus is our light (John 8:12) and “You are the light of the world” (Matt 5:14). Am I reflecting the light of Christ to others? May the Lord kindly bless us all to walk in His light. Have a good day.