| Mon Mar 9 | am: 80 pm: 77, 79 | Gen 44:18-34 | 1 Cor 7:25-31 | Mark 5:21-43 |
Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, 394
LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: Today, we remember Gregory of Nyssa, who, with his brother Basil the Great, and Basil’s best friend Gregory of Nazianzus, are known collectively as the Cappadocian Fathers. They were a major force in the triumph of the Athanasian position at the Council of Constantinople in 381. A professor of rhetoric, he was persuaded to devote his learning and efforts to the Church. By then married, Gregory went on to study for the priesthood and become ordained (this at a time when celibacy was not a matter of law for priests). He was elected Bishop of Nyssa (in Lower Armenia) in 372, a period of great tension over the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. Briefly arrested after being falsely accused of embezzling Church funds, Gregory was restored to his see in 378, an act met with great joy by his people. He wrote with great effectiveness against Arianism and other questionable doctrines, gaining a reputation as a defender of orthodoxy. He was sent on missions to counter other heresies and held a position of prominence at the Council of Constantinople.
BIBLICAL MEDITATION OF THE DAY: Consider these words from Psalm 80 appointed for this morning ” Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved….” give us life, and we will call on your name.” It is worthy of our reflection in Lent especially because it reminds us that God is always ready to “return” to his people, but his people must also “return” to him in fidelity. If we turn away from sin, the Lord will be moved: this is the Psalmist’s conviction and one that should find some resonance in our own hearts as we make our Lenten Journey.
Known as the Psalm of the corrupt vine, this is a metaphor of Israel as a vine that is referred to by Isaiah and Jeremiah (Isaiah 5:1-2, Jeremiah 2:21), which is a helpful background that no doubt was the spiritual framework for Jesus declaration in John 15:1. In this case, the corrupt vine had brought forth a sufficient crop of “wild grapes” that were deviant. The key idea for Israel and for us is that God will turn to Israel when Israel turns to God. The great change so desperately needed is not in the attitude of God, but in that of the degenerate vine with its wild grapes, and no less is true of us!
PRAYER OF THE DAY: Almighty God, who has revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace that, like your bishop Gregory of Nyssa, we may continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “If we truly think of Christ as our source of holiness, we shall refrain from anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus show ourselves to be worthy bearers of his name. For the quality of holiness is shown not by what we say but by what we do in life.” -― Gregory of Nyssa
LENTEN DISCIPLINE – Seek out a lunch or coffee today with a person from a different Christian tradition and ask to pray together for unity. Ask them about the core values of the faith and find links to yours.
SONG OF THE HEART, SONG OF THE SEASON – Holiness by Sarah Hart