(Basil: 329-379; Gregory: 330-390) Basil and Gregory were good friends, inspiring each other from their early studies and throughout their service to the early Church at the end of the fourth century. Both came from families full of other canonized saints, both served as bishops, and both have been given the title “Doctor of the Church,” an official designation bestowed on fewer than 40 men and women whose holiness and depth of doctrinal insight stand out, even among the saints. Saint Basil is considered the Father of Eastern monasticism, and Saint Gregory reformed the Church, corrected heresies, and in his latter years, prayed for the Church as a hermit.
This shared feast day reminds us of the power of community and the strength of a good friend inspiring another. A great many “hopeless” individuals in 12-step recovery have experienced enormous value in hearing others share their experience, strength, and hope. Do you have a sponsor and a home group?
“Let listening to worldly news be bitter food for you and let the words of saintly men be as combs filled with honey” (Saint Basil the Great).