Is it time to get back to basics?

We don’t know Saint Peter Chrysologus’ original name. But we know that the name the Roman Empress gave him, Chrysologus, means “golden-worded.” He must have been a pretty good speaker. 

How did he get so good at speaking? The same way anyone becomes a star in any field: He mastered the basics. 

Peter started small and became famous for his short homilies. He didn’t try to wow the crowd with lofty theology. He focused on clarity and brevity so that his messages were accessible to all, regardless of background or education. His sermons centered on the fundamentals of the faith, such as the Incarnation, the Virgin Mary, and the Holy Trinity.

As the Bishop of Ravenna in Italy, Peter focused on helping the Christian community there master the basics of the faith. He reinforced commitment to the Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, and promoted devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. These efforts were pivotal in fortifying the Christian identity of his followers during a time of religious uncertainty and heretical threats. Ravenna went on to become one of the strongest Christian communities in Italy.

Today, we remember Saint Peter Chrysologus as the “golden-worded” saint. He has a powerful legacy as a great speaker, pastor, and bishop. But it all started with mastering the basics.

Success at almost anything rests upon this single principle: Master the basics. Do the basics, do them well, and do them every day, especially when you don’t feel like doing them. 

It doesn’t matter if it is sport, personal finances, physical fitness, marriage, parenting, military operations, small business, big business, or your spirituality… The same principle applies. Practice the basics with heroic perseverance. 

This is one of the reasons most people don’t become phenomenally successful. They lack the persistence to do the same things over and over, to focus on the smallest improvements in the most mundane parts of whatever it is they are doing. Success at almost anything is usually the result of being the very best at four or five things, and they are usually the basics. 

In Catholic spirituality, the basics can be summarized as Seven Pillars: Confession, Daily Prayer, the Mass, the Bible, Fasting, Spiritual Reading, and the Rosary.

Master these Seven Pillars, and practice them for the rest of your life. It will be a life well-lived.

Feast Day: July 30

Feast Day Shared By: Saints Abdon and Sennen

Patron Saint of: Fevers and Rabid Dogs

Also Known As: The Doctor of Homilies