The ninth day of Christmas, January 2

Feast of St. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen

Activity

  • Make use of some of the resources on the tabs below (carols, reflections, scripture, literature, etc.)
  • Visit an old church or monastery and spend time contemplating the nature of the Trinity and praying for the Church.
  • Make a pastry in remembrance of Basil and Gregory (perhaps baklava) and share it with someone.
  • Read part of a theology book (perhaps on the Trinity or the Holy Spirit) or begin to listen to a theology or church history podcast.  (Wayne Grudem, C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright, Miroslav Volf, Popes John Paul and Benedict, or Gregory and Basil themselves, are all good places to start in figuring out why you believe what you believe).
  • Listen to a podcast about Basil and Gregory and write a short piece of historical fiction (or an epic poem) about their very eventful lives.
  • Reflect on the nature of the Trinity and have a conversation with a friend or community about how it operates, even if it's just to establish what some of your questions about it are.  Keep in mind that this mystery has to do with the very essence of the Godhead and is ultimately impossible to understand completely--but the hints that we are given can be life-changing.

Gift Giving

  • Give one of the gifts you did not give on the first day of Christmas.
  • Give someone an icon or picture that reminds them of a theological truth, such as the Incarnation or Trinity.
  • NO CASH OPTION: Find a way to serve someone in your community by doing the dishes, cooking dinner, or something else.