The son of two saints, Basil and Emmilia, young Gregory was raised by his older brother, St. Basil the Great, and his sister, Macrina, in modern-day Turkey. Gregory’s success in his studies suggested great things were ahead for him. After becoming a professor of rhetoric, he was persuaded to devote his learning and efforts to the Church. Although married by then, Gregory went on to study for the priesthood and become ordained, as at that time celibacy was not a matter of law for priests.

He was elected Bishop of Nyssa (in Lower Armenia) in 372, a period of great tension over the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. After being briefly arrested under the false accusation of embezzling Church funds, Gregory was restored to his see in 378; an act met with great joy by his people.

It was after the death of his beloved brother, Basil, that Gregory really came into his own. He wrote with great effectiveness against Arianism and other questionable doctrines, gaining a reputation as a defender of orthodoxy. He was sent on missions to counter other heresies and held a position of prominence at the Council of Constantinople. His fine reputation stayed with him for the remainder of his life, but over the centuries it gradually declined as the authorship of his writings became less and less certain. But, thanks to the work of scholars in the 20th century, his stature is once again appreciated. Indeed, St. Gregory of Nyssa is seen not simply as a pillar of orthodoxy but as one of the great contributors to the mystical tradition in Christian spirituality and to monasticism itself.

REFLECTION FOR THE DAY

The celebration of the Baptism of the Lord draws the Christmas season to a close. Tomorrow we move into Ordinary Time. And Jesus moves into the time of his public ministry. Jesus’ baptism prepares him for ministry. As he rises from the waters, the heavens open and the Spirit descends upon him. God says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Secure in his identity as God’s Beloved and graced by the Spirit, Jesus is ready for his mission. Do we see our baptism as preparing us for mission? Many of us were baptized as babies; we don’t even remember it. We may not have experienced the heavens being “torn apart” but we were claimed as God’s children and received the Spirit in baptism. God continually reminds us that we are uniquely known and loved, uniquely gifted and called to serve. He “tears apart the heavens” to connect with us through the Mass, the sacraments, Scripture, hymns, prayer and one another. These ways may not seem special, compared with Jesus’ baptismal experience. Ordinary Time may not seem special compared with Christmastime. But God is with us in the ordinary moments as much as in the extraordinary ones. Ordinary Time is a time of growth and maturing in discipleship. Everyone’s baptism is an invitation into Jesus’ mission. Responding is the work of a lifetime.