Gospel and Saint of the day: 2 January 2020

First letter of St. John the apostle 2,22-28.
Dear ones, who is the liar if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? The antichrist is the one who denies the Father and the Son.
Whoever denies the Son does not even possess the Father; whoever professes his faith in the Son also possesses the Father.
As for you, everything you heard from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you too will remain in the Son and the Father.
And this is the promise he made to us: eternal life.
This I have written to you about those who try to mislead you.
And as for you, the anointing you have received from him remains in you and you do not need anyone to teach you; but as his anointing teaches you everything, it is truthful and does not lie, so stand firm in him, as it teaches you.
And now, children, stay in him, because we can trust him when he appears and we are not ashamed of him at his coming.

Salmi 98(97),1.2-3ab.3cd-4.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
because he has performed wonders.
His right hand gave him victory
and his holy arm.

The Lord has manifested his salvation,
in the eyes of peoples he has revealed his justice.
He remembered his love,
of his loyalty to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Acclaim the whole earth to the Lord,
shout, rejoice with songs of joy.

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 1,19: 28-XNUMX.
This is John's testimony when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to question him: "Who are you?"
He confessed and did not deny, and confessed: "I am not the Christ."
Then they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah? » He replied, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He replied, "No."
So they said to him, "Who are you?" Because we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? »
He replied, "I am the voice of someone crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said."
They had been sent by the Pharisees.
They asked him and said to him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, neither Elijah, nor the prophet?"
John replied to them: «I baptize with water, but among you is one whom you do not know,
one who comes after me, to whom I am not worthy to untie the tie of the sandal. "
This happened in Betània, beyond the Jordan, where Giovanni was baptizing.

02 JANUARY

SAINTS BASILIO MAGNO and GREGORIO NAZIANZENO

XNUMXth century

Bishops and doctors of the Church. Basil, bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, called Magno by doctrine and wisdom, taught his monks the meditation of the Scriptures and the work in obedience and in fraternal charity and disciplined his life with rules he himself composed; he instructed the faithful with outstanding writings and shone for the pastoral care of the poor and sick; died on January XNUMXst. Gregory, his friend, bishop of Sásima, then of Constantinople and finally of Nazianzo, defended the divinity of the Word with great ardor and for this reason he was also called the theologian. The Church rejoices in the common memory of such great doctors. (Roman martyrology)

PRAYER TO SAN BASILIO

Mystical column of the Holy Church, glorious St. Basil, animated by living faith and ardent zeal, you not only left the world to sanctify yourself, but you were inspired by God to trace the rules of evangelical perfection, to lead men to holiness.

With your wisdom you defended the dogmas of faith, with your charity you endeavored to raise every fate of neighbor's misery. Science made you famous to the pagans themselves, contemplation elevated you to familiarity with God, and piety made you a living rule of all ascetics, an admirable specimen of the sacred pontiffs, and an inviting model of fortress to all the champions of Christ.

O great Saint, impetrate my living faith to work according to the Gospel: detachment from the world to aim for heavenly things, perfect charity to love God above all things in my neighbor and especially obtain a ray of your wisdom to direct all actions to God, our ultimate goal, and thus reach one day eternal bliss in Heaven