Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop, and Doctor of the Church
Scripture:
Reflection:
Athanasius lived in Alexandria, Egypt in the fourth century. He became secretary to the bishop of Alexandria, was ordained, and then was named a bishop himself. At this time, many “Christians” came to think that Jesus was a good man, but certainly not divine. One of these people was Arius, and his followers were called Arians.
By 325, the Arian heresy was dividing the Church and unsettling the Roman Empire. In that year, Athanasius attended an Ecumenical Council, held at Nicea. The Council reaffirmed the Church’s teaching on Christ’s full deity as a statement of faith. Through his prayer, his study, and his pastoral work as a bishop, Athanasius understood God as Trinity: three Persons in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For his work in the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, St. Athanasius was given the title “Doctor of the Church”.
Today’s Scripture readings speak of the expansive and inclusive Love of the three Persons in one God.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples about his relationship with God the Father:
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love. –John 15: 9-10
And in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear St. Peter speak of the Holy Spirit being given to the Gentiles, as well as the Jewish followers of Jesus. The early Church for a time struggled with including Gentiles, and some wanted them to first convert to Judaism. Because of the early disciples’ experience of the expansive and inclusive Love of the Trinitarian God, they were able to affirm that Jesus came for all peoples. St. Athanasius expressed it this way:
We see the fitness of His death and of those outstretched arms: it was that He might draw His ancient people with the one and the Gentiles with the other and join both together in Himself.
A recent expression of this is Pope Francis’ “Todos, todos, todos.” (meaning “everyone, everyone, everyone”), repeated throughout his time in Lisbon, Portugal, for World Youth Day last year.
We ask St. Athanasius to intercede for us, so that God’s expansive Love will outstretch our arms even wider. We pray to be more inclusive in our relationships with those near to us, and with those we have not yet met.
Patty Gillis is a retired Pastoral Minister. She served on the Board of Directors at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit. She is currently a member of the Laudato Si Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.