Cyril of Jerusalem: Let the Doom be Cancelled Saturday, Apr 7 2012

When He was judged, He held His peace; so that Pilate was moved for Him, and said, Hearest Thou not what these witness against Thee?

Not that He knew Him who was judged, but he feared his own wife’s dream which had been reported to him.  And Jesus held His peace.

The Psalmist says, And I became as a man that heareth not; and in whose mouth are no reproofs and again, But I was as a deaf man and heard not; and as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.  [...]

But the soldiers who crowd around mock Him, and their Lord becomes a sport to them, and upon their Master they make jests.  When they looked on Me, they shaked their heads.

Yet the figure of kingly state appears; for, though in mockery, yet they bend the knee.

And the soldiers before they crucify Him, put on Him a purple robe, and set a crown on His head; for what though it be of thorns?

Every king is proclaimed by soldiers; and Jesus also must in a figure be crowned by soldiers; so that for this cause the Scripture says in the Canticles, Go forth, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, and look upon King Solomon in the crown wherewith His mother crowned Him.

And the crown itself was a mystery; for it was a remission of sins, a release from the curse.

Adam received the sentence, Cursed is the ground in thy labours; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.

For this cause Jesus assumes the thorns, that He may cancel the sentence; for this cause also was He buried in the earth, that the earth which had been cursed might receive the blessing instead of a curse.

At the time of the sin, they clothed themselves with fig-leaves; for this cause Jesus also made the fig-tree the last of His signs.

For when about to go to His passion, He curses the fig-tree – not every fig-tree, but that one alone, for the sake of the figure; saying, No more let any man eat fruit of thee; let the doom be cancelled.

And because they aforetime clothed themselves with fig-leaves, He came at a season when food was not wont to be found on the fig-tree.

Who knows not that in winter-time the fig-tree bears no fruit, but is clothed with leaves only?  Was Jesus ignorant of this, which all knew?

No, but though He knew, yet He came as if seeking; not ignorant that He should not find, but shewing that the emblematical curse extended to the leaves only.

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313-386): Catechetical Lectures 15, 16-18.

 

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Cyril of Jerusalem: Having His Body and Blood in Our Members, We Become Bearers of Christ and Sharers in the Divine Nature Sunday, Jun 26 2011

On the night he was betrayed our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said: “Take, eat: this is my body”.

He took the cup, gave thanks and said: “Take, drink: this is my blood”.

Since Christ himself has declared the bread to be his body, who can have any further doubt?

Since he himself has said quite categorically, This is my blood, who would dare to question it and say that it is not his blood?

Therefore, it is with complete assurance that we receive the bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ.

His body is given to us under the symbol of bread, and his blood is given to us under the symbol of wine, in order to make us by receiving them one body and blood with him.

Having his body and blood in our members, we become bearers of Christ and sharers, as Saint Peter says, in the divine nature.

Once, when speaking to the Jews, Christ said: Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you shall have no life in you.

This horrified them and they left him. Not understanding his words in a spiritual way, they thought the Savior wished them to practice cannibalism.

Under the old covenant there was showbread, but it came to an end with the old dispensation to which it belonged.

Under the new covenant there is bread from heaven and the cup of salvation.

These sanctify both soul and body, the bread being adapted to the sanctification of the body, the Word, to the sanctification of the soul.

Do not, then, regard the eucharistic elements as ordinary bread and wine: they are in fact the body and blood of the Lord, as he himself has declared.

Whatever your senses may tell you, be strong in faith.

You have been taught and you are firmly convinced that what looks and tastes like bread and wine is not bread and wine but the body and the blood of Christ.

You know also how David referred to this long ago when he sang: Bread gives strength to man’s heart and makes his face shine with the oil of gladness.

Strengthen your heart, then, by receiving this bread as spiritual bread, and bring joy to the face of your soul.

May purity of conscience remove the veil from the face of your soul so that be contemplating the glory of the Lord, as in a mirror, you may be transformed from glory to glory in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313-186): Catechetical Lectures 22, 3-6, from the Office of Readings for Saturday of the Octave of Eastertide @ Crossroads Initiative.

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Cyril of Jerusalem: The Spirit Comes Gently and Makes Himself Known by His Fragrance Wednesday, Jun 8 2011

The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of living water, welling up into eternal life.

This is a new kind of water, a living, leaping water, welling up for those who are worthy.

But why did Christ call the grace of the Spirit water?

Because all things are dependent on water; plants and animals have their origin in water.

Water comes down from heaven as rain, and although it is always the same in itself, it produces many different effects, one in the palm tree, another in the vine, and so on throughout the whole of creation.

It does not come down, now as one thing, now as another, but, while remaining essentially the same, it adapts itself to the needs of every creature that receives it.

In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions grace to each man as he wills.

Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul bears the fruit of holiness when repentance has made it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit.

Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of his action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvellous.

The Spirit makes one man a teacher of divine truth, inspires another to prophesy, gives another the power of casting out devils, enables another to interpret holy Scripture.

The Spirit strengthens one man’s self-control, shows another how to help the poor, teaches another to fast and lead a life of asceticism, makes another oblivious to the needs of the body, trains another for martyrdom.

His action is different in different people, but the Spirit himself is always the same.

In each person, Scripture says, the Spirit reveals his presence in a particular way for the common good.

The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance.

He is not felt as a burden, for he is light, very light.

Rays of light and knowledge stream before him as he approaches.

The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console.

The Spirit comes to enlighten the mind first of the one who receives him, and then, through him, the minds of others as well.

As light strikes the eyes of a man who comes out of darkness into the sunshine and enables him to see clearly things he could not discern before, so light floods the soul of the man counted worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit and enables him to see things beyond the range of human vision, thing hitherto undreamed of.

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313-186): Catechetical Lectures 16, 11-12, from the Office of Readings for Monday of the Seventh Week in Eastertide @ Crossroads Initiative.

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Cyril of Jerusalem: To Glorify the Lord, not to Describe Him Wednesday, Nov 4 2009

If any man should attempt to speak of God, let him first describe the bounds of the earth. You live on the earth, and you do not know the limit of this earth where you live.

How then will you be able to form a worthy thought of its Creator? You behold the stars, but you do not behold their Maker.

Count these which are visible, and then describe Him who is invisible, Who tells the number of the stars, and calls them all by their names (Ps. 1474)…

…The sun is a work of God, which, great though it be, is but a spot in comparison with the whole heaven; first gaze steadfastly upon the sun, and then curiously scan the Lord of the sun.

“Seek not the things that are too deep for you, neither search out the things that are above your strength; think upon what is commanded you” (Ecclus. 3:21-22).

But some one will say: “if the divine substance is incomprehensible, why then do you discourse of these things?” So then, because I cannot drink up all the river, am I not even to take in moderation what is expedient for me?

Because with eyes so constituted as mine I cannot take in all the sun, am I not even to look upon him enough to satisfy my wants?

Or again, because I have entered into a great garden, and cannot eat all the supply of fruits, wouldst thou have me go away altogether hungry?

I praise and glorify Him that made us; for it is a divine command which says “Let every breath praise the Lord” (Ps. 150:6).

I am attempting now to glorify the Lord, but not to describe Him, knowing nevertheless that I shall fall short of glorifying Him worthily, yet deeming it a work of piety even to attempt it at all.

For the Lord Jesus encourages my weakness, by saying, No man hath seen God at any time.(John 1:18).

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313-186): Catechetical Lectures 6, 4-5.

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