The Feast Of Friendship

Almost immediately into the New Year and the Church keeps the feast of two of her mighty Saints, the Bishops, Theologians and Doctors of the Church, Sts Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen. Doctors of the Church have their own feast day, they are not usually gathered into pairs or groups, but the Church has made an exception here for a reason. These two men, great teachers in the Church, great defenders of the truth about Christ, are also great examples of Christian friendship, and so as the holiness of their lives, the depth of their wisdom, their fidelity in suffering are offered to us, so the nature of their relationship is presented to us for mediation and imitation. Today is, then, as far as I see it: the feast of friendship, though the Church has yet to officially designate it as such.

We all need friends, good friends, who can not only offer us company in life, but who can help us live our Christian lives. This was what Basil and Gregory did for each other. Their relationship was firmly planted in their faith, so it was not merely human friendship, but also a divine one since it placed God at the heart of the relationship. They were very close, as St Gregory revealed in the Oration he preached at St Basil's funeral. Close friendship among men was not unusual, the Greek world, in which they lived, celebrated such friendships, however like everything else in the world it was flawed. Basil and Gregory's friendship was graced and could rise above what the Greeks cherished. The intimacy enjoyed by these Christian men was one centred on Christ, it was pure, generous, charitable and sanctifying. Their friendship was not devoid of difficulties, there was even a serious breach at one point, but they triumphed over it in charity.

It has to be said, but in recent times there have been some who, to push a particular agenda, have tried to change the nature of Basil and Gregory's friendship, as they try to change the nature of the friendship enjoyed by King David and Jonathan and the teaching and friendships of St Aelred: these relationships are now being looked at as being homosexual relationships. Quite apart from the ideological slant which is being imposed on these relationships, there is not one shred of evidence to support the claim that all these men were "gay lovers". 

Such misunderstanding must surely convince us of the importance of the feast we celebrate today: a feast of two men who loved each other deeply as friends, whose relationship was rooted and immersed in the Gospel and in the person of Christ, and who, with God's blessing, assisted each other on the path to holiness. 

Today we must remember our friends, pray for them, and thank God for those wholesome people who accompany and guide us in life. We should also strive to be the best friends we can to our friends, and the way to do that is to conform our lives more and more to the Gospel. That is what Basil and Gregory did, if we do also our friendships will become an important element on the process of our sanctification and the sanctification of those we love.

Feast Of Friends

The feast of St Basil the Great and St Gregory Nazianzen, the great bishops of Cappadocia and Doctors of the Church.    There is so much to honour and praise in these two holy men: their personal virtues, their humility sitting comfortably with great learning, their heroic defence of the teaching of orthodox Christianity, their profound works of theology and spirituality - I could go on.  But, to be honest, there is one thing, after their deep love of God, which I think we can praise above all of these: their holy friendship. 

Basil and Gregory were very close friends - best friends.  They spent their lives in each other's company, supporting each other and encouraging a life of heroic virtue in the other.   They had their rows, but these fade when we look to the union of fraternal love which existed between them.

Here's what St Gregory says of their friendship in an oration delivered following Basil's death in 379:

We were contained by Athens, like two branches of some river-stream, for after leaving the common fountain of our fatherland, we had been separated in our varying pursuit of culture, and were now again united by the impulsion of God no less than by our own agreement. I preceded him by a little, but he soon followed me, to be welcomed with great and brilliant hope.

Whenever any newcomer arrives, and falls into the hands of those who seize upon him, either by force or willingly, they observe this Attic law, of combined jest and earnest. On this occasion I not only refused to put to shame my friend the great Basil, out of respect for the gravity of his character, and the ripeness of his reasoning powers, but also persuaded all the rest of the students to treat him likewise, who happened not to know him. For he was from the first respected by most of them, his reputation having preceded him. The result was that he was the only one to escape the general rule, and be accorded a greater honour than belongs to a freshman's position.

This was the prelude of our friendship. This was the kindling spark of our union: thus we felt the wound of mutual love.

And when, as time went on, we acknowledged our mutual affection, and that philosophy was our aim, we were all in all to one another, housemates, messmates, intimates, with one object in life, or an affection for each other ever growing warmer and stronger. Love which is godly and under restraint, since its object is stable, not only is more lasting, but, the fuller its vision of beauty grows, the more closely does it bind to itself and to one another the hearts of those whose love has one and the same object. This is the law of our superhuman love. Such were our feelings for each other, when we had thus supported, as Pindar has it, our “well-built chamber with pillars of gold,” as we advanced under the united influences of God's grace and our own affection. Oh! How can I mention these things without tears.

We were impelled by equal hopes, in a pursuit especially obnoxious to envy, that of letters. Yet envy we knew not, and emulation was of service to us. We struggled, not each to gain the first place for himself, but to yield it to the other; for we made each other's reputation to be our own. We seemed to have one soul, inhabiting two bodies. And if we must not believe those whose doctrine is “All things are in all;” yet in our case it was worthy of belief, so did we live in and with each other. The sole business of both of us was virtue, and living for the hopes to come, having retired from this world, before our actual departure hence. With a view to this, were directed all our life and actions, under the guidance of the commandment, as we sharpened upon each other our weapons of virtue; and if this is not a great thing for me to say, being a rule and standard to each other, for the distinction between what was right and what was not.

So today, let us commend to the holy friends, Basil and Gregory, our own dear friends, as we give thanks for friendship.  Spiritual exercise for today: contact your friends, wish them a happy feast day, tell them you love them and thank them for their friendship.  Friendship can sanctify, that is one of the lessons God teaches us today in life and example of these two holy men.   May all of us, friends, spur each other on to holiness.

Happy feast day, my dear friends!

RELATED:  Fr Dwight Longenecker has an excellent article on modern Arianism on his blog - well worth reading.  It reminds us of course that the Church is still struggling with the same issues that SS Basil and Gregory had to deal with in their own, plus ça change....!

St Malachy Triduum Day Three: Feast Day

Given that today is St Malachy's feast day, and as we bring our Triduum to an end, perhaps a word or two on friendship.  Malachy and Bernard were dear friends: two holy men in love with God, they recognised in each other a soul mate and companion on the path to perfection.  Each sought to help the other to sainthood, and as they both attained it through mutual assistance, it is only right that their relics should lie together, intermingled.   I have spoken about friendship before on this blog and how same sex friendship is now taken to be homosexual relationships.  So far Malachy and Bernard have escaped the revisionists of the gay movement, and I hope it stays that way because the example of their friendship is one we can learn from.

The friendship they shared had many dimensions. It was personal - two human persons who liked each other, had a lot in common, and so enjoyed each other's company.  The fact that they were Saints does not mean that this human dimension should be excluded from their lives.  A second dimension was their common vision - their desire for the vision of God.  They often spoke about God, and together reflected on Him and his love for mankind.  Looking in hope towards the beatific vision, they taught each other about the Lord while living in his presence.  In this way, almost like a sacrament, they brought the presence of the Lord to the other.

Thirdly, they were men with a common purpose: reform.  They helped each other, encouraged each other, and no doubt consoled each other as they worked long hours and years in the Lord's vineyard, seeking to help the renewal of the Church.  Soul mates, they knew how to salve each other's wounds caused by enemies, misunderstandings, failures and weariness.   Fourthly, they spurred each other on towards holiness, as did St Basil and St Gregory.  Realising that they were send to each other to help form the other in the ways of sanctity, they corrected each other, advised each other in love, so they would not be distracted from the destination which lay ahead.

Finally, their friendship is a symbol of the communion which is to exist between the disciples of Christ.  As a married couple reveal, in their sacramental marriage, the love of God for his people, and the communion which exists in that love: friends reveal, through the union of their love, that love and communion which is particular to the Mystical Body of Christ.  As Malachy and Bernard loved each other, so we too should love one other and help one another on the path to holiness.

Happy Feast Day

Novena Prayer to St Malachy

Glorious Saint Malachy,

ardent yet gentle shepherd of God’s people,

we come before you seeking your

intercession and protection

in this time of trial.

Malachy, angel of peace,

who brought those in conflict

to be reconciled

in the name of Christ,

grant lasting peace and reconciliation

to our country.

Mighty pillar of the Church,

who banished error

by the truth of your preaching,

obtain for each of us the grace

of sincere repentance and renewal

that we may serve the Lord in holiness

all our days.

Most fatherly Archbishop of Armagh,

enkindle the hearts of bishops and priests

that, aided by your patronage and example,

they may labour to form a holy people

            strong in faith

            constant in prayer

            abounding in charity

            devoted to the Sacraments

            and loyal to the See of Peter.

O saint rich in mercy and compassion,

look upon all who are suffering or in need

and obtain for them support, healing and hope.

St Malachy, ablaze with heavenly fire,

be a light to guide us on our pilgrim way

to the Kingdom of Heaven.

There may we be united with you

in singing the praises of God

for ever and ever.

Amen.

SS Malachy and Bernard, pray for us.