Jerusalem's Saint Cyril

Ok, let's face it - when you are the saint that follows after St. Patrick's Day, you are probably going to be passed over by exhausted celebrants. Tomorrow, the Church in both the East and the West honors St. Cyril of Jerusalem, the Bishop of Jerusalem from 348 through 386. Now why should we honor Cyril? Well, these were both heady and very troubling days in the Church. The Church was struggling to carefully define to the best of its ability the relationship of Christ to the one God. All of the Bishops met in 325 to hammer out the foundations of what we now profess each Sunday in the Nicene Creed. But subsequent gatherings would further refine and clarify our understanding of Jesus Christ. The Bishops met again in Constantinople in 381 (our friend Cyril was in attendance) and again in 431 at Ephesus and 451 in Chalcedon to finalize the confession of faith in the most accurate language available. Cyril worked tirelessly to help with this effort until his death in 386, and he fought of what had become a more fashionable approach to Christianity (akin to those in our time who might describe themselves as 'spiritual' rather than religious maybe?)

Cyril struggled through these years, and at the height of the fashionable error of Arianism (which roughly argued that Jesus was the best of all humans but not God) he was removed from his office of Bishop several times by Arian supporting Emperors. It was not an easy life for Cyril.

Cyril is well known for his preparation of the Catechumens - those who were seeking Baptism in the Catholic Church. His Catechetical Lectures are a great treasure. In a writing addressed to those who were about to be baptized and sealed with the Holy Spirit in confirmation, he writes

... this is truly a great occasion. Approach it with caution. You are standing in front of God and in the presence of the hosts of angels. The Holy Spirit is about to impress his seal on each of your souls. You are about to be pressed into the service of a great king. And so prepare yourselves to receive the sacrament. The gleaming white garments you are about to put on are not the preparation I am speaking of, but rather the devotion of a clean conscience.

Cyril served the Church in a time of great disagreement, infighting and trouble. The trouble came from friction within the Church and from criticism from outside the Church. Anything like today? Tomorrow, let's ask St. Cyril to help us stay on track with the teachings of Jesus that have come to us in the Apostolic Tradition and Sacred Scripture, serving unity, charity and justice for all people.