26. He is not ashamed to take flesh from these members, being the Creator of the members Himself. And who tells us about this? The Lord said to Jeremiah: "First shall I create thee in the womb, I shall know thee: and first shall I come out of the couches, which sanctify thee" (Jeremiah 1:5). If, in the creation of men, He touches the members and is not ashamed, then is it shameful to make holy flesh, the veil of the Godhead for Himself? To this day God forms infants in the womb, as it is written in the Book of Job: "Or hast thou not crushed me as a child, but hast thou made me wet equal to cheese?" And with skin and flesh He clothed me with ecus, and with bones and sinews He sewed me into ecus. There is nothing defileable in the human constitution unless it is defiled by adultery and intemperance. He who created Adam also created Eve, and both male and female were created by Divine hands. Not a single member in the body was originally created to be filthy. Let all heretics who condemn the body, or rather the Creator Himself, be silent. But let us remember the words of Paul: "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwelleth in you" (1 Corinthians 6:19)? Likewise, the Prophet says in the person of Jesus: "My flesh is of them" (Hos. 9:12), and it is not yet written anywhere: "For this cause will I, who give birth until the time" (Micah 5:3). What is the sign of this, he says afterwards: He will bring forth, and the rest of their brethren shall return. And what is the betrothal of the Virgin, the Holy Bride? And I will betroth thee unto me in faith (Oc. 2:20). And Elizabeth, speaking to Her, likewise says: "Blessed is she that believed, for it shall be done by the Lord which was spoken unto Her" (Luke 1:45).

27. But both the Greeks and the Jews reproach us, saying that it was impossible for Christ to be born of a Virgin. Let us stop the mouths of the Greeks with their own fables, for you, who say that the stones that were thrown turned into men, why do you say that it is impossible for a Virgin to give birth? You fabulous that a daughter was born from the brain, why do you say that it is impossible for a Son to be born from the Virgin womb? You who say that Bacchus came from the thigh of your Jupiter, why do you deny our truth? I know that I say such things that it is unseemly to listen to now, however, in order that you may be able to rebuke the Greeks on occasion, I offer this, turning their own fables against them.

28. Thus object to the circumcised, asking: Which is more difficult, to give birth to a barren old wife, who no longer has the usual things of women, or to give birth to a young Virgin? Sarah was barren and did not have the usual things of women, but she gave birth more than nature. Thus, if to give birth to a barren woman is more than nature, then to give birth to a Virgin is more than nature. Either reject both, or accept both. For the same God did one thing and arranged the other. You will not dare to say that there was possible for God, and here it was impossible. And again, what law of nature changed the human hand during one hour into another form, and brought it back to its former state? How did the hand of Moses become white like snow, and then return to its former state? You will say that God changed it according to His will. God's will can do it there, but can't it do it here? And moreover, that sign was only for the Egyptians, and this sign was made for the world. O Jew! What is more difficult, for a Virgin to give birth, or for a rod to turn into an animal? You believe that Moses' straight rod, turned into the form of a serpent, frightened even the one who threw it down; and he who had previously held the rod fled from it as from a serpent, for it was indeed a serpent; and Moses fled, not fearing what he was holding, but fearing that which had been transmuted. The rod had teeth and snake eyes. And so, in the rod there appear looking eyes: and is it possible that from the Virgin's womb, by the will of God, a Child will not be born? I do not mention that with the rod of Aaron happened in one night what happens to other trees after many years. For who does not know that a rod that has no bark, though planted among rivers, will never sprout? And since God is not conformed to the nature of the trees, but is the Creator of nature, the barren and dry rod, and having no bark, blossomed, and grew, and brought forth nut fruit. And so, having given the rod fruit in a supernatural way for the forming high priest, could he not give birth to the Virgin, for the true High Priest?

29. The words mentioned must be convincing. But the Jews still contradict and are not convinced by the narration of the rod, unless they are convinced by such miracles and supernatural births. Wherefore I ask them thus: In the beginning of whom was Eve born? What mother conceived her motherless? The Scriptures say that she was born from Adam's side. So, could Eve be born from the rib of a man without a mother, but from the womb of a Virgin without a man a child cannot be born? The feminine race owes grace to men, for Eve was born of Adam, and was not conceived of matter, but as if it were descended from one man. But Mary repaid the debt of this gratitude, giving birth not of a man, but of herself alone in a blameless manner, through the Holy Spirit, by the power of God.

30. Let us also present the most important of this: although the birth of bodies from bodies is miraculous, it is nevertheless possible. And that the finger of the earth became man is more miraculous, that ugly dirt receives shells and the light of the eyes is more miraculous. That from a uniform feather are born the strength of the bones, and the delicate lung, and other diverse members, is miraculous. That animate dirt goes around the universe, moves on its own, arranges itself, it's wonderful. That the mud teaches, and speaks, and builds, and reigns – this is wonderful. Foolish Jews! Where was Adam born from? Did not God, taking a finger from the earth, form this wondrous creation (Gen. 2:7)? And if dirt changes into the eye, will not the Virgin give birth to a Son? If what is especially impossible between people happens, then why not what is possible?

31. This is what we, brethren, must remember, and use these instruments for defense. Let us not tolerate heretics who teach that the coming was in a phantom; let us also abhor those who say that the birth was of husband and woman, who dare to assert that He was born of Joseph and Mary, because it is written, and He received His wife (Matt. 1:24). But let us remember that Jacob, before he received Rachel, said to Laban: "Give me my wife" (Gen. 29:21). For just as this was called the wife of Jacob before the marriage only because she was promised, so Mary was called the wife of Joseph because she was betrothed. Notice, then, the caution of the Gospel, which says: "In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, to the city of Galilee, whose name was Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man, whose name was Joseph, and so on." (Luke 1:26). And in another place, when there was a census, and when Joseph went to write in, what to say the Scriptures. And Joseph also went up from Galilee to be married to Markia, who was betrothed to him, and was not idle (Luke 2:4-5). She was not idle. Yet it is not said, "With his wife, but with her betrothed to him." For God sent His Son, says Paul, not born of man and woman, but born of a woman (Gal. 4:4), that is, of a virgin. For we have proved before that the Virgin also is called a woman. From the Virgin was born the Creator of virgin souls.

32. But are you amazed at this event? The One Who gave birth was also amazed at this. For She said to Gabriel: "How shall this be unto Me, where I know not a man" (Luke 1:34). And he answers: "The Holy Spirit shall come upon Thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow Thee: by the same shall he who is born Holy shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Pure and Immaculate Birth. For where the Holy Spirit breathes, there is no uncleanness. Immaculate is the bodily birth of the Only-begotten Virgin, although heretics will contradict this truth. The Holy Spirit will rebuke them, the power of the Most High will be offended by them, Gabriel will stand against them on the day of judgment, and the place of the manger, which has received the Lord, will put them to shame. Witnesses to them will be the shepherds who preached the gospel then, and the host of angels, praising, singing, and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14). The Temple to which He was then brought on the fortieth day, the two turtledoves brought for Him, and Simeon, who then embraced Him, and the prophetess Annas, who was with Him, will be witnesses.

33. And so, when God testifies, the Holy Spirit testifies together, and Christ says: "Why do you seek to kill me, the man who has spoken the truth to you" (John 7:19)? then let the heretics who contradict His humanity be silent. For they contradict Him Who says: "Touch Me, and see: for the spirit hath not flesh and bone, as ye see Me possessing" (Luke 24:39). Let us worship the Lord born of the Virgin, and let the virgins know the crown of their state, so that the monastic order also knows the glory of purity, for we are not deprived of dignity for purity. Although the Saviour was in the womb of the Virgin for nine months, yet He became a man at the age of thirty-three. Therefore, if the Virgin accepts honor for a time of nine months, then much more so for many years.

34. Let us all flow the field of purity with the help of the grace of God, young men and virgins, old men and young men (Psalm 148:12). Let us not give ourselves over to intemperance, but let us praise the name of Christ. Let us know the glory of purity, for it is the crown of angels, a thing that surpasses man. Let us guard the body, which has to shine like the sun. For a small pleasure let us not defile this so glorious body. In a short time, in one hour, sin is committed, and shame will continue forever after many years. Those who strive for purity are angels living on earth. Virgos have a part with the Virgin Mary. Let them reject every superfluous adornment, every unclean look, every careless step, every glitter of clothing, and the lure of voluptuousness, fragrant smells. And let the incense be for all, sweet-smelling prayer combined with good deeds and bodily holiness, so that the Lord, born of the Virgin, may say both of us men who preserve purity and of women worthy of the crown: "I will dwell in them, and I will be like them, and I will be God, and they shall be people to Me" (2 Corinthians 6:16; Lev. 26:11-12). Glory to Him forever and ever. Amen.

[1] [2] Probably, St. Cyril, by the name of Darius Medes, here means Darius Istaspes.

Catechetical Homily Thirteenth

To those who are preparing in Jerusalem for enlightenment, spoken without preparation, on the words: Crucified and buried; and also to the words of Isaiah: Lord! Who believes in our ears, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? and so on. As a sheep is led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:1, 7).

1. Every act of Christ constitutes the glory of the universal Church, but the Cross constitutes a special glory. Knowing this, Paul says: "Let me not boast except in the Cross (Gal. 6:14) of Christ." Although it was miraculous that the blind man in Siloam received his sight from birth (John 9:7), what does this mean in comparison with the blind of the whole world? It is great and supernatural that Lazarus was resurrected for four days (John 11:39, 44), but this grace was only limited to them. What is this in comparison with those who have been killed by sin in the universe? It is miraculous that five loaves of bread more than fed five thousand people (Matt. 14:21), but what a comparison with those who hunger for ignorance throughout the whole world. It is miraculous that a woman who has been bound by Satan for eighteen years is allowed, but what is this in comparison with us, who are bound by the bonds of sins? And the crown of the Cross enlightened those who were blinded by ignorance, and freed all who were in the power of sin, and redeemed the entire human race.