Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Patristic Quote for the Day

"Those who believe in one God the Father Almighty ought to believe in his only-begotten Son. Jesus says: ‘I am the door. No one can come to the Father but by me.’ (Jn 10,9; 14,6).

Anyone who does not accept the door cannot possibly reach the Father. Anyone who wishes to pray to the Father should adore the Son, or his prayer is not accepted.

The Son is called Christ, which means anointed, that is consecrated. He was not anointed by human hands but consecrated by the Father to become a priest for ever. He died, but he did not remain, as all human beings do, in the underworld. He is the only one free among the dead.

The Saviour becomes all things to all, according to the need of each: to those who ask for.joy, he becomes the vine; to those who wish to enter, he becomes the door; to those who are under the weight of sin, he becomes a lamb, a lamb slain for them. He becomes all things to all, but he remains nonetheless what he is.

He is called by a twofold name: Jesus because he gives us salvation, and Christ because he is priest.

He is the healer of bodies and the doctor of souls.

As he made whole those who were physically blind, so he gave light to their minds. As he gave the lame the chance to walk, so he urges the steps of sinners in the direction of the way of penitence."


-- Cyril of Jerusalem: Catecheses, 10, 1ff.

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