|
Saint for the Day - June 14 - St. Basil the Great
St. Basil was born in
Asia Minor. Two of his brothers became bishops, and,
together with his mother and sister, are honored as
Saints. He studied with great success at Athens,
where he formed with St. Gregory Nazianzen the most
tender friendship. He then taught oratory; but
dreading the honors of the world, he gave up all,
and became the father of the monastic life in the
East. The Arian heretics, supported by the court,
were then persecuting the Church; and Basil was
summoned from his retirement by his bishop to give
aid against them. His energy and zeal soon mitigated
the disorders of the Church, and his solid and
eloquent words silenced the heretics. On the death
of Eusebius, he was chosen Bishop of Cęsarea.
His commanding character, his firmness and energy,
his learning and eloquence, and not less his
humility and the exceeding austerity of his life,
made him a model for bishops. When St. Basil was
required to admit the Arians to Communion, the
prefect, finding that soft words had no effect, said
to him, "Are you mad, that you resist the will
before which the whole world bows? Do you not dread
the wrath of the emperor, nor exile, nor death?"
"No," said Basil calmly; "he who has nothing to lose
need not dread loss of goods; you cannot exile me,
for the whole earth is my home; as for death, it
would be the greatest kindness you could bestow upon
me; torments cannot harm me: one blow would end my
frail life and my sufferings together." "Never,"
said the prefect, "has any one dared to address me
thus." "Perhaps," suggested Basil, "you never before
measured your strength with a Catholic bishop." The
emperor desisted from his commands. St. Basil's
whole life was one of suffering.
He lived amid jealousies and misunderstandings and
seeming disappointments. But he sowed the seed which
bore goodly fruit in the next generation, and was
God's instrument in beating back the Arian and other
heretics in the East, and restoring the spirit of
discipline and fervor in the Church. He died in 379,
and is venerated as a Doctor of the Church.
Saint for the Day - St. Basil the Great
Read about the Saint for today - June 14 and spare a thought for family or friends who might suffering from ill health or are experiencing times of trouble.
|
Daily Reflection
"Fear God,"
says the Imitation of Christ, "and thou
shalt have no need of being afraid of any
man."
|
Saint for the Day Website
We hope that you gain spiritual knowledge and inspiration reading about the saint for today - June 14. An online Catholic resource providing a short Reflection for the year ahead. Use these short, inspiring words to request guidance or assistance for yourself and for the sake of others. |
