And the Word was made Flesh

Cyril of Alexandria

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

The Only-Begotten became and is called son of man; for this and nought else does St John’s saying that the Word was made Flesh signify.

For it is as though he said more nakedly The Word was made Man.

[…] Man then is a creature rational, but composite: of soul, that is, and of this perishable and earthly flesh.

ON LUKE 9:37-43. HEALING OF THE DEMON-POSSESSED BOY

St. Cyril of Alexandria

But it came to pass, the day after, as they came down from the mountain, a great crowd met Him. And, behold, a man cried out from the crowd, saying, Teacher, I beseech Thee to regard my Son, for he is my only one. And lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out, and it convulseth and teareth him, and he foameth; and having bruised him scarcely departeth from him. And I besought Thy disciples to cast him out, and they could not. And Jesus answered, and said: O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither. And when he was yet coming, the devil threw him down, and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and gave him to his father. And all wondered at the majesty of God.

Pentecost Sunday

St Cyril of Alexandria’s Commentary on the Gospel (John 20:19-23)

19, 20 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when He had said this, He showed unto them His Hands and His Side.

The Mind of Christ and the Advent of the Holy Spirit

Cyril of Alexandria: 

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He shall guide you into all the truth:

for He shall not speak from Himself; but what things soever He shall hear, these shall He speak;

and He shall declare unto you the things that are to come” (John 16;12-13).

The new instruction of the Gospel message belongs not to those who are not yet moulded by the Spirit into newness of life and knowledge, and they cannot as yet contain the mysteries of the Holy Trinity.

Cyril of Jerusalem: In the Jordan Jesus (the Life) Destroyed the Dragon (Death)ch

Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized.

[...] He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless.

Being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace.

Since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same (Heb. 2:14).

Cyril of Alexandria: The Baptism in the Jordan and the Communication of the Holy Spiritcy

And it came to pass that when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and prayed (Luke 3:21).

Was He too then in need of holy baptism? But what benefit could accrue to Him from it?

The Only-begotten Word of God is Holy of the Holy: so the Seraphim name Him in their praises.

[...] “There is one Lord Jesus Christ,” as it is written….

He [i.e. Christ in His humanity] was not separate from Him [the Word], and by Himself when baptized and made partaker of the Holy Ghost.

For we know, both that He is God, and without stain, and Holy of the Holy. For we confess that “of His fulness have all we received.”

: Mary, Theotokos, We Salute You

St. Cyril of Alexandria

I see here a joyful company of Christian men met together in ready response to the call of Mary, the holy and ever-virgin Mother of God.

The great grief that weighed upon me is changed into joy by your presence, venerable Fathers.

Now the beautiful saying of David the psalmist:How good and pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity (Psalm 133) has come true for us.

Therefore, holy and incomprehensible Trinity, we salute you at whose summons we have come together to this church of Mary, the Theotokos [Mother of God].

Cyril of Alexandria: We Proclaim the Holy Virgin to be the Mother of God

Because he was of the house and lineage of David (Luke 2:4).

The book of the sacred Gospels referring the genealogy to Joseph, who was descended from David’s house, has proved through him that the Virgin also was of the same tribe as David, inasmuch as the Divine law commanded that marriages should be confined to those of the same tribe.

And the interpreter of the heavenly doctrines, the great apostle Paul, clearly declares the truth, bearing witness that the Lord arose out of Juda.

How Could the World be Saved? By Exacting Punishment? No, Rather, by Showing It Kindnes

Cyril of Alexandria 

(on Luke 15:1-10)

God sent not his son into the world, to judge the world, as the Son tells us, but that the world may be saved by him (John 3:17).

But how could the world be saved, caught as it was in the net of sin?  By exacting punishment of it?

No, rather, by showing it kindness, so that, God being merciful and forbearing, man’s past sins were forgotten, and those who had not been living worthily began a purer way of life?

Why then, tell me, O Pharisee, do you murmur because Christ does not disdain to consort with publicans and sinners, prudently preparing the way for their conversion? It was for this He emptied himself, and became like to us.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem on the Ascension of Christ

From Catechetical Lecture 4:

But when Jesus had finished His course of patient endurance, and had redeemed mankind from their sins, He ascended again into the heavens, a cloud receiving Him up: and as He went up Angels were beside Him, and Apostles were beholding. But if any man disbelieves the words which I speak, let him believe the actual power of the things now seen. All kings when they die have their power extinguished with their life: but Christ crucified is worshipped by the whole world. We proclaim The Crucified, and the devils tremble now. Many have been crucified at various times; but of what other who was crucified did the invocation ever drive the devils away?

INTERPRETATION OR COMMENT ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN.

S. CYRIL, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA

BOOK V. ⁷

Chap. ix. And passing by He saw a man blind from his birth.

While the Jews were raging against Him and now essaying to wound Him with stones, forthwith He goes forth of the temple that is among them, and takes Him away from the unholiness of His pursuers. And in passing by, straightway He seeth one blind from his birth, and setteth him as a token and that most clear that He will remove from the abominable behaviour of the Jews, and will leave the multitude of the God-opposers, and will rather visit the Gentiles, and to them transfer the abundance of His Clemency. And He likens them to the blind from his birth by reason of their having been made in error and that they are from their first age as it were bereft of the |684 true knowledge of God, and that they Have not the light from God, i. e., the illumination through the Spirit.

CYRIL,Archbishop of Alexandria,

ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN.19-31 BOOK XII.

Apostol Tomas Sunday

Partakers in the Divine Nature through Communion with the Holy Spirit

Partakers in the Divine Nature through Communion with the Holy Spirit

Cyril of Alexandria

The Son…brought Himself as a Victim and holy Sacrifice to God the Father, reconciling the world unto Himself, and bringing into kinship with Him that which had fallen away, that is, the race of man.

[...] Indeed, our reconciliation to God could not have been accomplished through Christ who saves us except by communion in the Spirit and sanctification.

For that which knits us together, and, as it were, unites us with God, is the Holy Spirit.