Dear in Christ Brothers and Sisters,

Heartfelt congratulations with the feast of Christ’s Resurrection, the second preparatory Sunday before Great Lent, and the feastday of the Hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom!

Today’s feast of the Three Hierarchs was established to show that among them there is no difference in greatness or holiness, but that on the contrary, before God they are equal in their worthiness. Although these bishops lived many years ago (Basil died in 379, Gregory in 389, John in 407), we know much about them. A vast number of their theological treatises, sermons, and letters have survived. Therefore we can glean from their writings a feel for their characters and sense of humour. We know about their relations with their parents, siblings, friends, other bishops, enemies. We know how they were raised, where they studies, what their goals in life were, with what feelings they left this world for the next. It’s not every saint about which we have such a wealth of information. For these reasons, if we read even a little of what they wrote, especially their letters, we can, when we stand before of their icon on the day of their memory, see real living people. In some ways, they can become to us dear and close.

Let’s take note that the sanctity of these great hierarchs did not just appear, but was cultivated. They were all raised in fervently religious and holy families. Basil the Great’s mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brothers, sisters are all saints. Gregory’s parents, brother, and sister are canonized by the Church. Chrysostom’s mother is also a saint. The fathers of Basil and John died early, and thus both were raised by their mothers. Let’s also notice that from their youth, these saints’ closest friends were also holy people. Gregory and Basil were very close to each other. All three received a magnificent education, both secular and spiritual (the spiritual at home). Each had a love for solitude, stillness, the monastic life. All were ascetics, living extremely simply despite being from wealthy and prosperous families. Gregory and John gave away their families riches, while Basil use his family’s wealth to set up places for travelers and the poor. None of them sought glory or high appointments, although when they were ordained priests and hierarchs, they preformed their duties with vigour and energy (although this was especially difficult for Gregory).

Today our parish is filled with many young families as well as young people and students that have not yet begun their families. Of course, everyone wishes that their children (or their future children, if God grants them) to be successful in all things. Before us today stand three saints and behind them, their holy parents and relatives who were successful first and foremost in their spiritual lives. Let’s remember that for us, just like for them, the spiritual must be the primary concern. Therefore, let’s think about building our lives on the model of today’s saints, so that in our families or future families, future saints will be raised.

The main thing we can do to reach this goal is to personally live a holy life. It is also important to consider with whom we and also our children spend time. To help with this, we have different activities outside of the church services: lunches, lessons for children of different ages, talks for young people, a summer camp. In general, the Church in North America has many activities for young people. How good would it be if the closest friends of our children were other Orthodox youth. To cultivate a love of the simple life, asceticism, stillness, and prayer there are the church services in our parish, but one could also visit monasteries to become acquainted with monks and nuns, to see how they pray, eat, and work. More than one monastery is located not too far from Ottawa; therefore, this is not as hard as it may seem.

Through the prayers of the Three Hierarchs, may the Lord help us set up in our homes and families that spirit which once animated the families of today’s saints!

priest Alexis