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Ayios Vasilios bears a title that few Saints share with him. He is known as "Saint Basil the Great." Some attribute this title to him because he organized cenobitic monasticism, or because he was a warrior-bishop who preached thunderous sermons throughout Caesarea to defend Orthodoxy against the heresy of the Arians. Below, however, I share why he is considered "Great" in my mind. Two things convicted the heart of St Basil during his formative years. The first was when his younger brother  Naucratius, died, and then second was the influence of his elder sister Macrina, whose rock-like faith led her to join a community of religious women who served the poor, owned no personal items, slept on the ground, ate only enough to sustain them, and lived completely for God.  Saint Basil followed this example and experienced himself the ascetic life, before being ordained and recruited to defend the Church. He went on to address the rich "who let their wheat rot, while

Consider bringing the story of the 3 Great Hierarchs into your home tomorrow with the following lesson and activity. Begin by asking your kids or teens to select three favorite Fruits . * Announce the fruits out loud and discuss why they were picked. * What do your kids like and dislike about each one? * What are their respective qualities and characteristics. Is one sweeter than another? More tasty, too bitter, or bland? * Can they agree... "Which is their favorite?" If you're working with a youth group, divide the room according to the choices. Can you create a small uproar amongst the groups? Ask one to try convincing the others to change their selection. Lastly, ask the groups to come up with a "name" that would associate them with their favorite fruit. (i.e. Kiwians,Appleanians, Orangins) Then, ask everyone to close their eyes. As the adult, use three voices to introduce yourself on behalf of each fruit, being a bit silly, and arriving at the final conclus

“You must understand why it is that the Word of the Fathe r , so great and so high, has been made manifest in bodily form." “Christ has been manifested in a human body for this reason only, out of the love and goodness of His Father, for the salvation of us men ”  “It was our sorry case that caused the Word to come down, our transgression that called out His love for us , so that He made haste to help us and to appear among us. “… the human race was in process of destruction … what then was God, being Good, to do?” “It was unthinkable that God, the Father of Truth, should go back upon His word regarding death in order to ensure our continued existence.” “… corruption could not be got rid of otherwise than through death ”  “For by the sacrifice of His own body He did two things: ' He put an end to the law of death which barred our way; and He made a new beginning of life for us, by giving us the hope of resurrection.” "The word became flesh (that is, man) , th