Welcome to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen! After sixteen bruising, gut-wrenching, heart-pounding battles, we have cut the field of 32 saints in half. We’ve already seen our fair share of hotly contested match-ups, blow-outs, and Cinderellas and we’re only half-way through the bracket. Lent Madness, like Lent, is part endurance race and we encourage those who have come thus far -- both voters and contestants -- to buckle down for the duration and, in the words of Saint Paul, “Run with perseverance the race that is set before you.”
In this round, we move past basic biographies and delve into what we like to call “Quirks and Quotes.” We’ll learn some unusual facts about our saints and hear about them, either in their own words or in words uttered or written about them. Some of our holy men and women are quirkier than others and some are more quotable. As always, remember these match-ups are neither fair nor for the faint of heart. If you want a bland Lenten devotion you’ve come to the wrong place.
Yesterday's Round of 32 ended with the biggest rout of 2014 with Charles Wesley throttling his brother John 80% to 20%. As you make your informed and never irrational choices from here on out, you can always refresh your memory with the first round bios conveniently housed under the bracket tab by Bracket Czar Adam Thomas. Just click the appropriate links for the first round match-ups. Adam has also updated the Match-Up Calendar so you can see precisely when all the Saintly Sixteen action will take place. Print it out and staple it to your refrigerator!
We kick thing off with Basil the Great vs. Antony of Egypt. In the last round Basil defeated Christina the Astonishing while Antony turned back Mary of Egypt. Away we go!
Basil the Great
Basil (330-379) was a prolific writer and preacher. His numerous writings included a treatise on the Holy Spirit; a Lenten series on Creation; writings on the Psalter; sermons on living the Christian life; liturgies and prayers; and hundreds of letters. Essentially, he was a one-man Forward Movement Tract* Rack. A few selections include:
How to Pray
Prayer is a request for what is good, offered by the devout of God. But we do not restrict this request simply to what is stated in words. We should not express our prayer merely in syllables, but also through the attitude of our soul and in the virtuous actions we do in our life. This is how you pray continually — not by offering prayer in words, but by joining yourself to God through your whole way of life, so that your life becomes one continuous and uninterrupted prayer.
Praying Daily
When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking God for being so generous to you. If you drink wine (or coffee), be mindful of God who has given it to you for your pleasure and as a relief in sickness. When you dress, thank God for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who ordered things this way. When the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator.
On Attachment to Possessions
The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit.
Basil lived what he preached. He ate a bare minimum of food, just enough to survive. He owned only the clothes on his back and used any money he acquired to help the poor and needy.
Lest anyone think Basil was all sweetness and light, he challenged an entire faction of the Church, including an emperor. When the Emperor's prefect demanded Basil support the Arian heresy or risk torture, exile, and death, Basil’s response was essentially, “Hit me with your best shot,” although much more eloquent. When the prefect, stunned by Basil’s defiance, said he’d never heard a bishop speak like that to him, Basil simply replied, “Perhaps you’ve never met a real bishop before.”
Drop. Microphone.
And forever inspire the Church.
*Tracts are small pamphlets that offer insight and information about all things Episcopal. The quotes are not verbatim, either.
-- Laurie Brock
Antony of Egypt
In our first encounter with Antony we saw him sell all of his inheritance, ensure the safety of his younger sister (who later became a “guiding spirit” to other virgins), move out to the desert, wage intense battle with demons, and staunchly defend orthodoxy before his death as an old man.
St. Antony’s biographer, the bishop Athanasius, tells us that when Antony addressed would be monks, he reminded them that “The whole of [a person’s] life is very short measured by the ages to come, so that all our time is as nothing compared to eternal life.” Antony himself lived by this code. It was not enough to give up all he owned, he had to be a “martyr to his conscience” daily (Martin Luther would be proud). To aid in this “[Antony] fasted continually, his clothing was hair on the inside while the outside was skin” and “he never bathed his body in water to remove filth.”
In the Sayings of the Fathers it is reported that a man wished to become a monk. After selling all his possessions but keeping some of the proceeds for himself, he came to Antony. Antony instructed him to go to the local village, buy meat, and attach it to his bare body. The man did so and was hounded by birds and wild animals the entire walk back, his body in tatters from the beasts. Antony looked at him and declared, “Those who have renounced the world but wish to have money are thus attacked and massacred by the demons.”
Speaking of demons, Antony’s many nights in the tombs resisting devils produced a demonology that puts Frank Peretti to shame. Space only allows a brief mention of his battle with an enormously tall demon named Providence. Although demons appear full of confusion, crashing, roaring, and shouting, all Antony had to do to banish his foe was blow a breath at it, speak the name of Christ, and make an effort to strike it. The enemy, along with his fellow demons, vanished in a jiffy.
Antony also had a way with animals. Once when he had planted a garden, wild animals continued to damage the beds. With tact that would make Francis of Assisi jealous, Antony gently caught one of the animals and announced to the other beasts, “Why do you do harm to me when I harm none of you? Go away, and in the Lord’s name do not come near these things again!” He was never bothered by the vermin again. Not even a ferret.
Antony firmly believed in the inherent goodness of human beings. He reminds us, “When you hear the word virtue mentioned, do not be afraid of it or treat it as a foreign word. Really it is not far from us, nor is its home apart from us; no the thing is within us, and its accomplishment is easy if we but have the will.”
Finally, I leave you with the little known fact about Antony’s diet. It is reported by his biographer Davidicus that, in addition to his simple meals of bread and water, he used to eat basil for breakfast.
-- David Creech
Vote!
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130 comments on “Basil the Great vs. Antony of Egypt”
Basil: the sayings about prayer (coffee and all, duly noted) are wonderful; the "bread which you do not use..." is getting copied and put on my office door. Both sides.
and probably all three as worthy additions to the worship booklet for the Diocese of Iowa Summer Ministries School and Retreat.
Yes, Judith, Laurie Brock wisely let the saint speak for himself today.
One memorable passage in St. Athanasius' biography of Antony first reports the detail about how he wore skins and never bathed his body with water and then notes that numerous women, even some who were already betrothed, took one look at Antony and vowed perpetual virginity.
This report did not unduly influence my vote for Basil. Both are now surrounded by the sweet odor of sanctity.
What a beautiful explanation of continuous prayer! It goes right to the heart of the matter. I plan to read it aloud to the members of my Bible study class later today...unless one of them beats me to it. Such inspiration makes Lent Madness an excellent discipline in preparation for Easter.
Well, Basil wins in a landslide, but I've always rooted for the underdog, particularly when he's my name-saint. I've always admired the Desert Fathers simply because their life style was so weirdly bizarre and socially unacceptable (as in not bathing). However, some of the extremes of asceticism strike even me as a little pathological. Hagiography has it that one of the Desert Fathers (I forget who) didn't speak to anyone for twenty years. When I was young (and a little pathological myself), I thought it would be neat to be a hermit.
Check out St. Simon Stylites!
I think the Roman Catholic take on the issue of non-bathing was that it would be a real penance -- like not eating (much), not dating, not sleeping. etc. In short, it fit into the sorta masochistic "subdue the flesh" notions of the era. In other words -- Antony might have been itching for a bath (pun intended) but felt it was virtuous to deny himself the pleasure. That would tend to make you a hermit, though... Whether you intended to be one or not.
I voted for Basil. His way of worship was beautifully stated. As for Anthony, I bet he could knock demons of with his breath. He wasn't very fastidious about cleanliness!
Choosing was torture today. Two of my favorite people....
As much as I love Antony (and wish more people had voted for him), I'm currently writing on Basil, and his homilies and other works are the perfect Lenten reading. Therefore he had to have my vote. (And for those interested in the scents of the ancient world, check out Susan Ashbrook Harvey's Scenting Salvation.)
It is obviously not for all of us to live a life of extreme penance and physical self-mortification as Antony did. This obviously doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, if you are moved to, and I'm sure there must be people for whom this is inspiring....but as a householder looking for ways to live spiritually in the world, where the use of money is necessary, I find the words of Basil more personally applicable.
Basil had me at "The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry…" What a beautiful and compelling quote!
I like theologians and writers. I think being filthy is a false piety. I love the explanation of praying without ceasing. Basil all the way.
Took some thought and prayers, but Basil finally won my vote! Know particular reason, but felt this was the best choice for me.
Basil. Probably because I understand his spiritual directions regarding continual prayer and recognizing the needs of others.
Poor Antony. So ridiculed for his non-use of water to bathe. Did you know sand works well to remove filth from the body? Does a marvelous job as an exfoliant,too. 😉
Hear, Hear! - for the post by Jonathan above!
I assume someone on the SEC really wants Basil to win, as he was also a contender in 2011.
I am surprised at how shallow and silly many of the comments are, especially in reference to St. Antony. He was the FIRST desert father, one who turned his back on the secular world and sought God as his primary life function! Thus jump starting the monastic tradition- which saved Christan and western culture during the Dark Ages. Also no one has commented on how important St. Basil was in the defeat of the Arian Heresy. If a few courageous and faith filled souls hadn't opposed this incredibly popular teaching we would have a much different faith today. Thank God for both men.
"Thank God for both men."
"Hear! Hear!"
Yes, yes, and yes
Should have voted for Antony since he ate" basil for breakfast." But I voted for the eaten Basil. - I'm still chuckling.
Loved Basil's quotes--some new to me, others familiar--all challenging. Coupled with Antony dumping his sister off in a "house of virgins," made this an easy choice.
While I can appreciate that Antony was the father of monasticism, I couldn't get past (both voting times) his treatment of his sister. I know I'm looking back on someone almost 1800 years ago through a 21at century lens, and I own this.
Yes. They were both wealthy orphans when Anthony was 20.
Anthony gave away their inheritance without setting aside a dowry to make a good marriage for his sister.
Their parents were both devote Christians, so it's very possible Anthony's sister was happy with the plan. Both played a roll in the early days of monasticism.
Basil because of prayers and herbs.
Basil got my vote with "the shoes you do not wear are the shoes of one who is barefoot". It's a reminder to get those shoes, clothes, etc, out of my house to people who need them.
Everyone enjoy the feast day of Charles Henry Brent. Oh, I'm sorry, he already lost in the first round. Although I can't believe how everyone is still hanging on to Antony's alleged mistreatment of his sister, I have to go with Basil. It's amazing how his prayer on attachment to possessions still rings so very true today.
The number of people commenting on Antony's hygiene practices is interesting. People from antiquity would probably consider our practices as funny -- they would wonder about our "excessive" bathing and why we would want to constantly wash off the oils on our skin and rub off the superficial layer of the skin the way we do. I say that not in defense of Antony, merely that it is interesting how things change. We certainly know a lot more about the transmission of disease and that is a huge influence on our behavior over that of people from antiquity. Also none but the rich could afford essential oils and perfumes to put on themselves.
Even trying to understand the cultural differences, however, I see Antony as eccentric in ways that do not make me like him any better. Neither one of these guys had a clue about proper nutrition. On the other hand, neither was likely to have weight problems like we contend with!
I remain skeptical of Antony's "interaction" with the animals who were harming his garden, and his "interactions" with demons make me think of people I have met with various forms of psychiatric disease .....
On the other hand, I do like Basil's comments on prayer in many ways, and while I don't think that we have to give away multiple pairs of shoes or reduce our clothing to what is on our backs as Basil did, I agree that we all need to learn to be more charitable with others who have less than we do. I have dreamed my whole life of a world where we reach out a helping hand to our neighbors, because it is only together that we can get through life. We live to much in a every man or woman for themselves! Basil had a better idea how we should behave towards each other. That's why I voted for him.
And knowing something about biology and animal behavior, I still have my doubts about the ferret leaving the garden and taking all of the other pests with him! Sorry, Antony, Basil got my vote -- you seem a little nutty!
Basil The Great, defender of the faith against the Arian heresy.
Basil prevailed against the new teachings that Jesus (2nd Person of the Trinity), was a good man and not Divine.
Anthony and the desert fathers started the monastic movement which preserved the faith through the Dark Ages, but without Basil's perseverance, there wouldn't have been a Christian faith to preserve.
"The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit."
Would that we we all take Basil's words into our hearts and minds and really practice them! He gets my vote this time around.
Yes!
Basil is The Great because he preserved the doctrine of the Diety of Christ, when the Arians were trying to make Jesus a created being.
This is a foundational issue of Christianity.
Yes, basil's writings are inspiring, but
Christianity would not exist today if Basil had not prevailed against the infamous Arian heresy.
Ahem. basil and Anthony were not medieval.
They lived a 1000 years before during the Roman Empire.
The Romans are still famous for their bath houses. Built them everywhere they conquered.
I suspect that according to the high sanitary standards of the time, Anthony was considered odd.
I soooo agree with Lucretia!!!!
Both worthy of The Halo. Hard to decide.
These men are very different but the same in many respects, or, if you wish, they are very much the same, but in different respects.
Life may be relatively short, indeed, but you all add so much to its immeasurable richness, and we don't need money for that. Here's to you! Many thanks. And let the band (church organ) play on!
We all need to leave the society of others to learn that God doesn't care how we smell. And God hears all prayers, wherever they are offered.
Davidicus and pesto references aside (but I did appreciate that), I'm going with Basil.
I won't say Basil didn't deserve to win, but Anthony didn't deserve to lose based on his hygiene. And it's depressing that so many people expressly didn't vote for him because he might have been mentally ill-- and surprising that no one called foul about this (even his lack of baths got more of a defense). Maybe he did experience life through the lens of a chemical imbalance in the brain, but God was no less able to work through him. And when we experience difficulties in life, yes, the impulse to seek healing is not to be disparaged, but when it is not forthcoming, we may also find a calling from God (and another form of healing) in suffering with good humor (as Anthony seems to have).