St. Cyril of Jerusalem

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 15, 10 April 1924, Page 41

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

TWO MYSTAGOGIC CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTIONS.

(Translated by F.G.M.)

SECOND INSTRUCTION.

Text, 1 Pet. ii., i.: “Wherefore laying aside all uncleanness, and all guile and detraction, etc.”

1. Of God’s loving kindness you have heard very fully at the preceding Assemblings, (1) of Baptism and Chrism (2) and also of the reception of Christ’s Body and Blood: we must now pass on to what comes next in order, as being to-day about to place the coping on the spiritual edifice of your instruction.

11. You have seen, then, the Deacon ministering water to the celebrant and the priests who gathered around God’s altar (for washing their hands).

The Washing of Hands.

Now assuredly he did not give it merely to wash away bodily dirt. No, I say, not merely for that. For we were not dirty when we first entered the Church. But that washing of hands is a. symbol (signifying) that you -.night to be from all sins and transgressions. For, as the hands are the symbol of action, by washing them, we clean.signify the purity and blamelessness of those actions. Had thou not heard Blessed David revealing this mystery, aid saying, I will wash my hands among the innocent and wilt go about Thine altar, 0 Lord? (3) So then the washing is a symbol of being immune from sins.

The Pax.

111. Then the Deacon says aloud. Embrace one another let us give each other the Kiss of Peace. (4) Think not that, that embrace is an ordinary one, such as those which are customary in the forum between common friends. X,t of such a kind is this embrace, It stirs the souls to mutual charity, and pledges them to forgetfulness of all injuries. Therefore this Osculnm is a Sign of union of souls and of banishing all remembrance of wrongs. Wherefore Christ said, If thou afforest thy gift at the altar, and there rememherest that thy brother hast aught against thee, leave thy gift ad the altar, and go and first be reconciled with thy brother, and then come and offer thy gifts.(a) Therefore the Osculnm is reconciliation, and on this account holy: as elsewhere Blessed Paul cried, saying: Salute, one another in a. holy kiss-, and Peter; In a kiss of lore.

The “Sursuin Corda.”

IV. After that the celebrant (7) says (chant) aloud: Lift up your hearts; Sursuni corda. For verily, in this most tremendous hour, one ought to lift up the heart to God, and not downwards about the earth and earthly things. It; is then as if the celebrant enjoins that at that time they lay aside all cares of this life and domestic anxieties and lift up the heart to God Who loveth men.

“Habemus ad Dominion.” You then respond: IFe lift them to the Lord. More literally: We have them with the Lord : Habemus of Dominum : giving your assent to that order (of the celebrant) by the response you make. Let no one, then, come (to assist at the Mysteries) who, when he answers with his month, IFc lift them to the Lord, has his mind taken up with the cams of this life. We ought indeed at all times to remember God; but if through human frailty this be impossible, yet ©specially at that time we should strive emulously to do so. “Gratias Agamus Domino Deo Nostro.”

V. After this the celebrant says; Let us give thanks to the Lord: Gratias agamus Domino Deo vostro. For indeed we ought to give thanks because, unworthy though we were, He has called us to so great a grace: because when we were enemies He reconciled us: (8) because “He hath

deemed us worthy by the Spirit of adoption. (9) Then you say in answer: It is meet and just (Dignum ct justum est). For when we give thanks we do what its meet and just, but He, doing not what is just (only) but over just, hath acted as a Benefactor towards us, and hath vouchsafed to. us such great benefits. .-..■■«►.■

The “Preface.”

VI, Then we call to mind heaven and earth and the. sea, sun, and moon, stars, and all creation, whether endowed with reason or without it, visible and invisible; angels, archangels, virtues, dominations, principalities, powers, thrones; the many-faced Cherubim: as it were saying l that passage of David, Magnify the Lord with me. (10) We make mention too of the Seraphim, whom Isaias in the Holy Spirit saw standing around the Throne of God; and with two wings veiling their face and with two their feet, and with two flying, and saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, LOUD of Hosts (Sabaoth). lor this reason we recite this Profession of Faith (lit: this Theology) delivered to us by the Seraphim, that we may lie united with the heavenly hosts in our common ascription of praise.

\ 11. 1 hen, having sanctified ourselves by these spiritual praises, we implore the loving God to send forth His Holy Spirit over the gifts here offered: that He will make the Bread the Body of Christ, and the Wine Christ’s Blood; for without doubt whatever the Holy Spirit hath touched is sanctified and changed.

“Memento of the Living.” , III. Then, after the spiritual Sacrifice, the unbloody worship, has been accomplished, we call upon God, over J hat Victim of propitiation for the common peace of the Churches, for the welfare of the world; for soldiers and allies; for all who labor under infirmities; and in general, for all who beg for help, we pray and offer up This Sacrifice!

•"•Memento of the Departed.” IX. Then wo remember also those who have fallen asleep; first, the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, that God by their prayers and intercessions (12) may receive our supplication. Then also for our holy Fathers and Bishops departed, and for all in general who have fallen asleep in our midst: in the belief that this will be of the greatest avail to their souls, on whose behalf our prayer is offered while This holy and most''tremendous Victim is lying here before us. A-

Objection Answered.

X. And I wish to make you give credence to this by an example. For I know many who speak thus: “What availeth it a soul that departs this life in sins, or without sins, if remembrance is made of it in prayer?” For suppose a King sends men who offended him into exile and afterwards they who are concerned about them weave a crown, and offer it to the King on behalf of their friends who are enduring his vengeance, will he not grant a relaxation of their punishment? In the same way, we too offering our prayers to God on behalf of the Departed, even though they be sinners, do not indeed weave a crown; but wo offer Christ slain for our sins to propitiate the merciful God both on their behalf ami our own. The “Pater Noster,” “Our Father Who Art In Heaven.” XI. I hen, after this, we reci that prayer, which the Saviour taught to His Own special disciples; with pure conscience we call God Father, and say: Our Father Who ait in Heaven. (13) O. the great love-of God for men! To those who have gone back from Him, and are in extreme miseiies, He hath granted so great an oblivion of injuries and participation of Grace, as even to be called Father by them! Our Father, Who art in the Heaven: the Heavens he those which hear the image of the Heavenly, (l4) in which God dwclleth and wnlhcfh.{lo)