First Reading I John 2:22-28 Gospel John 1:19-28

Sometimes the lives of the saints read like a great novel or even a detective mystery. But truth is stranger than fiction! These two saints were monks, close friends who had a falling out, bishops and staunch defenders of the divinity of Christ (against Arianism). Arius was a priest of Alexandria who said that Jesus is “like” the Father, but less than the Father. At the Council of Nicea, the Church restated its age-old faith: Jesus is God of God, light of light, true God or true God, one in being with the Father. Unfortunately, a lot of the world fell into the Arian heresy.
Born in Cappadocia in Asia Minor, these two went to school in Athens. A classmate of theirs was the future emperor, Julian the Apostate! The friendship of Basil and Gregory was strained to the breaking point when Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, consecrated his friend as the bishop of a new but awful See. Basil needed a strong defender of the faith in that See, and Gregory was the man. But Gregory didn’t see it that way. Eventually Gregory became Patriarch of Constantinople while Basil remained at Caesarea.
Both Bishops suffered because of Arianism. Part of their suffering was because Pope Damascus did not intervene in their favor. That pope had heard bad reports about them — which were completely untrue. Basil was even accused of heresy. Through all kinds of intrigue, mistakes, human suffering, and strains on friendship, these two persevered and became saints.

The weekday readings: The first reading fits in with the lives of these saints who firmly believed in the divinity of Christ (against Arianism): Whoever denies that Jesus is Christ, Son of God, is the antichrist, John says. The gospel is the statement of John the Baptist that he is not the Messiah, but is one who prepares his way. We are called to prepare the way of Christ by living each day for him.
Today’s first reading has some very strong words: Whoever denies the Father and the Son is the antichrist. He is a liar. It is well that those who visit Jerusalem do not speak Arabic. On the walls of the magnificent “Dome of the Rock” on the site of the former Jewish temple, Muslims have engraved that God does not have a son! This, too, is strongly worded in the Qu’ran. The gospel is John’s proclamation that he is not the Messiah, but is a voice crying out “Prepare the way of the Lord.”