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.

2. Do not be surprised that the whole world is redeemed, for He who died for it was not a mere man, but the Only-begotten Son of God. The sin of one man, Adam, could bring death to the world. But if death reigned in the world by one sin (Romans 5:17), then will not life reign more by the righteousness of the One? And if then they were expelled from paradise for eating of the tree, then is it not more convenient now for believers to enter paradise through the tree of Jesus? If the first created from the earth brought about universal death, then can not He who created him from the earth bring eternal life, being life Himself? If Phinehas, having killed in jealousy a man who was a cold-acting, ceased the wrath of God (Num. 25:8), then Jesus, having not killed another, but having given Himself for redemption, cannot He quench His wrath against people (1 Tim. 2:6)?

3. Therefore let us not be ashamed of the Cross of the Saviour, but rather let us boast of it. For the word of the Cross is a stumbling block to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:18), foolishness to the Gentiles, but salvation to us: foolishness to those who perish, but the power of God is to those who are saved (ibid.). For He who died for us was not a mere man, as it is said, but the Son of God, God made man. Moreover, if the Lamb in the time of Moses removed the Angel who destroyed (Exodus 12:23), then will not the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, deliver from sins? (John 1:29) The blood of the dumb lamb brought salvation, will not the blood of the Only-begotten save more? If anyone does not believe in the power of the Crucified One, let him ask the evil spirits. If anyone does not believe the words, let him believe what he sees: many were crucified in the world, but the evil spirits are not afraid of any of them. For they died for their own sins, and Jesus for the sins of others, for sin thou shalt not commit, neither shall deceit be found in His mouth, which is reproached, and not reproached against (1 Peter 2:22-23). It is not Peter who says this, otherwise it would be possible to suspect him of caressing the Teacher, but Isaiah, who was not then in the body, but in the spirit foresaw His bodily coming (Isaiah 53:9). And why should I bring one prophet as a witness now? Here is the testimony of Pilate himself, who, having condemned Him, said: "I find not a single fault in this man" (Luke 23:14). And giving Him up, who was given to him, and having washed His hands, He said: "I am innocent of the blood of this Righteous One" (Matt. 27:24). There is also another witness to the innocence of Jesus, the thief who entered paradise first of all, who, reproaching him who is with him, says: "We are worthy according to our deeds." But do not a single evil (Luke 23:41), but I and you were subject to condemnation.

4. Thus, Jesus truly suffered for all people, for the Cross is not a dream, nor a dream and redemption. If death was only a phantom, then those are just, who said: "Remember, for he is a flatterer who is still alive" (Matt. 27:63). Therefore suffering is true, for truly He was crucified, and we are not ashamed of it, crucified and not denied, but I still boast when I speak of it. And even if I were to deny it, then this Golgotha, near which we are all now now, would now denounce me, the tree of the Cross, parts of which are given to the whole universe. I confess the Cross because I know about the resurrection. For if Jesus had remained crucified, I might not have confessed Him, perhaps I would have kept silent about it with my Teacher. But since the Cross was followed by the Resurrection, I am not ashamed to tell about it.

5. So He was crucified like all others in the flesh, but not for similar sins. He was not led to death for covetousness, for He was the Teacher of poverty, nor was He condemned for carnal lust, for He Himself clearly says: "If thou lookest upon a woman to lust after her, thou hast already committed fornication with her" (Matt. 5:28), not for a bold blow or a beating, for He also turned another to him who smote the cheek, not for contempt of the law, for He was the doer of the law, not for the reproach of the prophet, for He Himself was proclaimed by the prophets, not for the withholding of wages, for He Himself served without payment and gratuitously, not for sins in word, or in deed, or in thought, He did not sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth, who were not reproached against him, did not forbid suffering (and Peter 2:22-23), He did not go to suffering against His will, but voluntarily. If anyone were to rebuke Him even now, saying: "Thou art merciful, O Lord," He would again answer: "Follow me, Satan" (Matt. 16:22-23).

6. And do you want to be convinced that He voluntarily went to suffer? Others die in bondage, or unexpectedly, but He foretold of His suffering: "Behold, the Son of Man is delivered up to be crucified" (Matt. 26:2). And do you know why the Lover of Mankind did not escape death? In order that the world may not perish completely because of sins. Behold, we ascend to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be betrayed, and He shall be crucified (Matt. 20:18), and in another place: "Establish thy face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51). And do you want to know for sure that the Cross is the glory of Jesus? Listen not to mine, but to His own words. Judas, who had become ungrateful to the Householder, betrayed Him soon after he had left the table, after drinking the cup of blessing, went to shed righteous blood for a saving drink: he who eats His bread magnificently stumbles upon Him (Psalm 40:10). His hands had just received blessings, and immediately he was preparing a treacherous death for silver. Though he was rebuked and heard the words: "Thou hast spoken ecu" (Matt. 26:25), nevertheless he went. Then, Jesus said: "The hour has come, that the Son of Man may be glorified" (John 12:23). Do you see that He finds His glory in the Cross? Is it not dishonorable for Isaiah that he was sawn, is it dishonorable for Christ to die for the world? Now the Son of Man is glorified (John 13:31). This does not mean that He did not have glory before, for He was glorified with glory before the foundation of the world, He, as God, was always glorified, and now He is glorified because He is crowned with the crown of patience. He did not forsake his life out of necessity, nor was he forcibly killed, listen to what He says: "The province of the Imam shall lay down My soul, and the region of the Imam shall receive it" (John 10:18). Of my own free will I allow My enemies, for if I had not willed, it would not have happened. And so, of His own free will, He went to suffering, rejoicing in the accomplishment of the deed, rejoicing in the crown, and comforting in human salvation. He was not ashamed of the Cross, for He saved the world with it, because the sufferer was not a weak man, but God incarnate and striving for the feat of patience.

7. But the Jews contradict this, always ready to contradict, but not disposed to the faith, wherefore the prophet now read says: Lord! who believes in our hearing (Isaiah 53:1)? The Persians believe, but the Jews do not. They will see, to whom it will not be announced about Him, and whoever has not heard, they will understand (Isaiah 52:15), but those who have practiced in this will reject what they have practiced. They contradict us and say, "Is the Lord suffering?" Can human hands overcome the Lord? Read the Book of Lamentations, for Jeremiah, who mourns for you, wrote in his lamentations that which was worthy of weeping, he saw your destruction, he saw your falling away, he wept over the Jerusalem of that time, for the present one should not mourn, since he crucified Christ, and the present one worships Christ. Thus, the mourning prophet says: "The spirit of our face anointed (Christ) the Lord shall be in our corruptions" (Lamentations 4:20). Is this my fiction? Here the prophet testifies that Christ the Lord was taken by people. What will happen from this? Tell me, prophet! And he says, "Of Him we shall dwell in His shadow in the tongue" (ibid.), divination, he says, that the grace of life will no longer be in Israel, but in the nations.

8. But since we hear many contradictions from them, now, with the help of your prayers, as much as the brevity of time allows, with the help of the grace of God, let us offer a few testimonies about suffering. For everything that pertains to Christ is written, and there is nothing doubtful, because there is nothing without testimony. Everything is written in the prophetic books, not on boards of stone, but written clearly by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when you hear the words of the Gospel about Judas, must you not have testimony against them? Thou hast heard that (Christ) was pierced in the rib with a spear, must thou not know whether it is not written of this also (John 19:34)? Having heard that He was crucified in the garden, should He not know if it is not written about this (John 19:41)? I heard that He was sold for thirty pieces of silver, should I not test what prophet said about it (Matt. 26:15). If you have heard that He is drunk with vinegar, try where it is written about it (Mark 15:36). I have heard that His body is laid in a stone sepulchre, and the stone is placed on it, should we not have a prophetic testimony of this (Matt. 27:60). Thou hast heard that He was crucified together with the thieves, must you not know whether it is not written about this also (Matt. 27:38)? Having heard that He was buried, should I not know if it is not written accurately about the burial? I have heard that He has risen, should I not know if we are not deceiving you, teaching you these things" (Luke 26:34). For our word and our preaching are not in words that are contrary to human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:4), we do not now offer refined wisdom for permission, we do not arm ourselves with words against words in order to refute them, but we preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23) after He had already been preached by the prophets. And you, having received the testimonies, impress them on your heart. And since there are many of them, and there is not much time left, now listen as much as possible to some of the most important of them, and, taking them as a foundation, take care to find the rest yourself. For your hand must not only be stretched out to receive, but also ready to work. God bestows all things, for whosoever is lacking wisdom from you, let him ask of him who gives, God (James 1:5), and he shall receive. According to our prayers, may He also give us who speak the strength to do these things by deeds, and to you who hear to believe.