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A Saint With Holy Siblings

Saint Gregory of Nyssa is often overshadowed by his illustrious brother Saint Basil the Great and his remarkable sister Saint Macrina. Happily, our Benedictine calendar brings him into the light by celebrating his feast during the Octave of the Epiphany on January 10th in communion with the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Saint Gregory is best known for his Life of Moses, especially in monasteries where it is often given as a Lenten book.

The Holy Father's Presentation of Saint Gregory

Pope Benedict XVI gave a splendid introduction to the life and teaching of Saint Gregory of Nyssa on August 29th and September 5th, 2007. He quoted Saint Gregory's teaching on prayer:

"Through prayer we succeed in being with God. But anyone who is with God is far from the enemy. Prayer is a support and protection of charity, a brake on anger, an appeasement and the control of pride. Prayer is the custody of virginity, the protection of fidelity in marriage, the hope for those who are watching, an abundant harvest for farmers, certainty for sailors" (De Oratione Dominica 1: PG 44, 1124ab).

Becoming God's Friend

Who is Gregory of Nyssa? A contemporary author has this to say about him: “Athanasius was the hammer, Basil, the stern commander, Gregory of Nazianzus the tormented singer, and it was left to Gregory of Nyssa to be the man enchanted with Christ” (Robert Payne, The Holy Fire, p. 168). The man enchanted with Christ. I love that. Saint Gregory wrote that, “the one thing truly worthwhile is becoming God’s friend.”

Never Cease to Desire God

Gregory’s elder sister Macrina introduced him to the spiritual life and remained his counselor and inspiration until her death. Gregory and Macrina were more than brother and sister; they were friends in the Holy Spirit. Macrina’s death plunged him into grief. Out of the darkness of that crisis Gregory emerged shining with the light reflected from Christ, the Human Face of God. “This is the true vision of God,” he says: “that those who lift their eyes toward Him never cease to desire Him.”

Advancing While Motionless

The spirituality of Gregory of Nyssa is one of desire. The journey toward God goes from desire to desire. In his Life of Moses, Gregory has God say, “O Moses, you are straining with so great a desire for that which is before you and there is no weariness in your progress. Know that the spaces around you are so vast you will never reach the end of your journey. Here there is only motionlessness. I set you on the Rock; and now there occurs the most astonishing thing of all: for here to be in motion, and to be unmoving, are the same thing. Here he who advances stops, and he who stops advances, and he advances by the very fact that he is motionless.” The next time you feel that in your silent prayer nothing is happening and that you are getting nowhere, remember that. You advance by the very fact that you are motionless.

And His Wife Theosebia

Gregory was a married man. His wife Theosebia was his companion on the Godward journey. Notwithstanding his marriage, Gregory was chosen to be bishop of Nyssa or, more exactly, was pressured into it by his holy but somewhat overbearing brother Basil. Gregory described his ordination as the most miserable day of his life. To brilliant ecclesiastical careers and churchy business he preferred a contemplative solitude shared with his wife.

Falsely Accused and Vindicated

Gregory had no talent for administration. He was lacking in diplomacy and tact. He got himself into a terrible mess over the handling of Church funds, was falsely accused of embezzling Church money, arrested, and thrown in jail. Then he escaped and went into hiding while a synod made up of Arian bishops and officials of the court set about deposing him. He wrote that, during this time, he had more happiness as a fugitive than when wearing his magnificent episcopal robes as bishop of Nyssa. After the storm blew over, Gregory returned to his flock at Nyssa. He attended the Second Council of Constantinople in 381 where he was acclaimed as a pillar of the Church.

And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit, into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country. And he taught in their synagogues, and was magnified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up: and he went into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the sabbath day; and he rose up to read. And the book of Isaias the prophet was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the contrite of heart, To preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward. And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears. And all gave testimony to him: and they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth, and they said: Is not this the son of Joseph? (Luke 4:14-22)

Adoration: It is Enough to Say "Amen"

The mysteries announced in the Gospel are fulfilled in the Most Holy Eucharist. Everything that we see Our Lord do, and hear Him say -- and all that He is in relationship to the Eternal Father, and in relationship to us -- is given us in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar. This is why Mother Mectilde, in a beautiful passage of her writings on Holy Communion, says that after receiving Holy Communion, it is enough for us to remain quiet, saying only "Amen" to all that we have received; to all that Christ is, in us, and for us, and to His Father.

This "Amen" that is the perfect thanksgiving after Holy Communion is, also, the perfect expression of our adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament. Today, as you gaze in adoration upon the Eucharistic Face of Jesus, what will you see?

-- You will see that the Spirit of the Lord rests upon Him. Wheresoever the Body of Christ is truly present, there also the Holy Ghost is present and, not only present, but communicated to us abundantly, like the oil poured out over the Head, that runs down over the entire Mystical Body of Christ, even to the very least of His. Members. To this, say "Amen."

-- You will see that from the Sacrament of His Love, He is preaching, at every moment, the Gospel to the poor. You have only to open the ear of your heart, recognizing that you are poor, and you will hear Him. To this, say "Amen."

-- You will see that from the Sacrament of His Love, even now, He is healing the broken-hearted. Bring to Him your broken heart, place it before Him, even when you feel that it is in a thousand pieces, and quite beyond being made whole again. He will do for you what the Holy Gospel announces: He will repair your broken heart. To this, say "Amen."

-- You will see that from the Sacrament of His Love, even now, He is preaching deliverance to captives. Acknowledge the things that hold you captive. Go to Him, and say, "In this thing, Lord Jesus, and in this other thing, I am not free. Do Thou for me what, of myself, I cannot do." Set me free so that, freely and joyfully, I may love Thee and live the abundant life that is Thy will for me." To this, say "Amen."

-- You will see that from the Sacrament of His Love, He gives sight to the blind. We saw, on the feast of the Epiphany, that the adorable mystery of the Eucharist is a wellspring of Light. There is no blindness that cannot be cured in contemplating the Eucharistic Face of Jesus. To this, say "Amen."

-- You will see that from the Sacrament of His Love, even now, He sets free those who are bruised from having been too long in bonds. He will not ask you why you have been so long in bondage, nor will He condemn you for having fallen into such an unfortunate state. His desire is only to set you free, and to spread the balm of His mercy over the bruises left on your soul by the heavy chains of sin. To this, say "Amen."

-- You will see that from the Sacrament of His Love, He preaches, at every moment, the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward. As soon as a soul enters the presence of the Most Holy Sacrament, that soul finds herself transported into the acceptable year of the Lord, and into the day of reward. By this, I mean, that adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament opens to us a vast space of grace in we discover, with Mary, that nothing is impossible to God; and with Saint Paul, that for those who love God, all things work together unto God. To this, say "Amen."

The Man Enchanted With Christ