The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
It Is A Holy Thought to Pray for the Dead (Sermon by Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishop, 329-389) Submitted by Fr. D. Bourbonnais, OMI St. Ann's Parish What is man that you are mindful of him? What is this new mystery surrounding me? I am both small and great, both lowly and exalted, mortal and immortal, earthly and heavenly. I am to be buried with Christ and to rise again with him, to become a co-heir with him, a Son of God, and indeed God himself. This is what the great mystery means for us; this is why God became man and became poor for our sake; it was to raise up our flesh, to recover the divine image, to re-create mankind, so that all of us might become one in Christ who perfectly became in us everything that he is himself. So we are no longer to be male and female, barbarian and Scythian, slave and free - distinctions deriving from the flesh - but are to bear within ourselves only the seal of God, by whom and for whom we were created. We are to be so formed and moulded by him that we are recognized as belonging to his one family. If only we could be what we hope to be, by the great kindness of our generous God! He asks so little and gives so much, in this life and in the next, to those who love him sincerely. In a spirit of hope and out of love for him, let us then bear and endure all things and give thanks for everything that befalls us, since even reason can often recognize these things as weapons to win salvation. And meanwhile let us commend to God our own souls and the souls of those who, being more ready for it, have reached the place of rest before us although they walked the same road as we do. May we set out eagerly for that everlasting and blessed life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
