Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Catechetical Quote: St. Cyril of Jerusalem on the Church

The following quote is from St. Cyril of Jerusalem's Lecture XVIII, On the Words, And in One Holy Catholic Church, and in the Resurrection of the Flesh, and the Life Everlasting. His catechetical instruction here resonates with me. He describes what I came to see and believe about the Orthodox Church. I never could have found the words to describe it, though.

Now then let me finish what still remains to be said for the Article, “In one Holy Catholic Church,” on which, though one might say many things, we will speak but briefly.

23. It is called Catholic then because it extends over all the world, from one end of the earth to the other; and because it teaches universally and completely one and all the doctrines which ought to come to men’s knowledge, concerning things both visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly and because it brings into subjection to godliness the whole race of mankind, governors and governed, learned and unlearned; and because it universally treats and heals the whole class of sins, which are committed by soul or body, and possesses in itself every form of virtue which is named, both in deeds and words, and in every kind of spiritual gifts.

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