Today we remember and pray to Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. He was biblical scholar, cleric, and eventually bishop of Jerusalem in the 4th century.
Saint Cyril gave this great instruction: “We proclaim the Crucified and devils quake. So don’t be ashamed of the cross of Christ. Openly seal it on your forehead that devils may behold the royal sign and flee trembling away.”
For those who feel like you’re up against it with our current political and secular ideology at this time, Saint Cyril had to contend with both political and doctrinal controversies following the Council of Nicaea.
The Work of Saint Cyril
He defended what we pray at Sunday Mass; the Nicene Creed against a group called the Arians. The Arians wrongly believed that Jesus was a created being and not co-eternal with God the Father.
Saint Cyril strongly defended orthodox Christian teaching that Christ is fully divine and of the same substance as the Father…and that Christ’s divinity is essential for salvation.
This is the part of the Creed that Saint Cyril reaffirmed: “We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father; God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God; begotten not made, one in being with the Father.”
What we know of Saint Cyril’s teachings comes from 24 homilies that were preserved. One quote was, having “entered on a good and most glorious path,” we must “run with reverence the race of godliness.”
Turn to the Lord
To that point, our first reading from Isaiah: is a call to repentance; whether it is from venial or mortal sins; whether we have drifted a little or a lot from God. It is full of directions to follow: Hear, listen, wash clean, put away, cease doing evil, and learn to do good.
It can sound very strict, but the Lord in His gentleness is like a parent who has just given a wake-up call to their son or daughter then says, “Come now, let us set things right… (says the Lord.)”
What Can WE Do?
It made me wonder, what do we need to set right between us and God; between us and our family members, friends, or co-workers or classmates? Likewise, what do we need to put away or cease doing…that’s getting in our way of good and holy lives?
As we hear the Word of God and listen carefully…. we can also find instruction in the gospel. It’s a call to an integrity of life and humility.
Most likely you or I don’t literally have excessively long tassels or phylacteries. But there may be some analogous applications that we need to work on when it comes to humility…
Setting Things Right
Like Fr. Boby preached about yesterday, can I humble myself to admit that I have a part in family, workplace, or school strife?
And can I humbly go before Jesus in the person of a priest and confess my sins to be forgiven by God? Can I admit that have some work integrating what it means to be a follower of Jesus outside of church…when I’m out with family or friends, in conversations or online…in what I invest my time and money in….?
The good God who called each of us here today and those online is compassionately saying to us: “Come now, let us set things right” Notice God doesn’t say sometime, He’s calling us now. How will we respond?
Saint Cyril—pray for us!
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
