OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE REQUIRES HUMILITY – 1/1/23 (Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church)
John 1:26–27
“I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
For the full readings, click here:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/memorial-saints-basil-great-and-gregory-nazianzen-bishops-and-doctors-church
Blessed Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen! As we have finished celebrating the Octave of Christmas, we will focus more on the ministry of Jesus Christ here on earth in our gospel readings. For the gospel reading today, we witness the beginning of the ministry of St. John the Baptist. Many people thought that he was the Messiah, but in his humility, St. John did not claim such a title. St. John the Baptist is a model of humility for us, and there are two aspects about humility which we can reflect upon. The first one is that humility acknowledges the truth about God. It is this recognition of the truth about God that we should realize the importance of following His will and avoiding sins that offend Him. St. John preached the message of repentance to people, not just because it was the mission that was entrusted to him, but it’s also because this would help the people to recognize that God should be the center of our lives. When some people think of their purpose in lives, they may start with their own ambitions and dreams in life. But, our true purpose is found in loving God and glorifying Him in our thoughts, words and deeds.
The second aspect of humility that we should also consider is knowing the truth about ourselves. And, what is that truth? It’s the truth about our brokenness and weaknesses as sinners. Despite the fame that St. John the Baptist had, he preached the truth that he was unworthy to even untie the sandal strap of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus. Sometimes, when we become successful or when we experience some achievements, we may think highly of ourselves over other people. But, humility will enable us to see our sinfulness and our dependence on God. In today’s memorial, we remember and commemorate St. Basil and St. Gregory. They were intelligent Bishops who defended the truth of the Catholic faith, especially the divinity of Jesus Christ during the time of controversy when some people falsely believed that Jesus was not God. And yet, despite their intellectual gifts, they still had a strong prayer life because they acknowledged their sins before God. They knew that it’s easy for them to commit sins, and as such, they always begged for graces from God, and they stayed away from sins. Even when God gives us blessings and helps us to live out our Catholic faith, may we always remember the importance of humility because this is based on the truth about God and ourselves. By being humble, we will learn to trust in God’s mercy and praise Him for His goodness towards us amidst our imperfections. Through humility, we will come to know the truth and put it into action with faith and love.
Amen +
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +
May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +
Reflection by: Dominic
Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors—Memorial:
https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/2-january-saints-basil-the-great-and-gregory-nazianzen-bishops-and-doctors-memorial/
Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:
https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/
Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls
Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:
https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth
MARGARITA FIDEI 