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NOVEMBER 17, 2024 – ST. GREGORY THAUMATURGUS.



ST. GREGORY was born in Pontus, of heathen parents. In Palestine, about the year 231, he studied philosophy under the great Origen, who led him from the pursuit of human wisdom to Christ, who is the Wisdom of God. Not long after, he was made Bishop of Neocasærea in his own country. As he lay awake one night, an old man entered his room, and pointed to a lady of superhuman beauty and radiant with heavenly light. This old man was St. John the Evangelist; and the lady told him to give Gregory the instruction he desired. Thereupon he gave St. Gregory a creed which contained in all its fullness the doctrine of the Trinity. St. Gregory set it in writing, directed all his preaching by it, and handed it down to his successors. Strong in this faith, he subdued demons, he foretold the future. At his word a rock moved from its place, a river changed its course, a lake was dried up. He converted his diocese, and strengthened those under persecution. He struck down a rising heresy; and when he was gone, this creed preserved his flock from the Arian pest. St. Gregory died in the year 270.

REFLECTION: Devotion to the blessed Mother of God is the sure protection of faith in her Divine Son. Ever time that we invoke her, we renew our faith in the Incarnate God; we reverse the sin and unbelief of our first parents; we take our part with her who was blessed because she believed.


WORD OF THE DAY

FAITH AND REASON. The relationship between human response to God’s revelation and use of human native intelligence. This relationship is mainly of three kinds, where the role of reason is to assist divine faith: 1. reason can establish the rational grounds for belief by proving God’s existence, his authority or credibility as all-wise and trustworthy, and by proving that God actually made a revelation since he confirmed the fact by working (even now) miracles that testify to God’s having spoken to human beings, especially in the person of Jesus Christ; 2. reason can further reflect on what God has revealed and thus come to an even deeper and clearer understanding of the divine mysteries; and 3. reason can both show that the mysteries of faith are in harmony with naturally known truths and can defend their validity against the charge of being contrary to reason.

Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)


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