Cyril of Jerusalem, The Catechetical Lectures

1. Already there is an odour of blessedness upon you, O ye who are soon to be enlightened 1 The “blessedness” is the grace of Baptism, the hope of which is as a fragrant odour already borne towards the Candidates. These were called no longer Catechumens, but φωτιζόμενοι, as already on the way “to be enlightened.” Compare xvi. 26, the last sentence, and see Index, “enlighten.” : already ye are gathering the spiritual 2 νοητά. The word is much used by Plato to distinguish things which can be discerned only by the mind from the objects of sight and sense. Here “the spiritual (or, mental) flowers” are the Divine truths in which “the fragrance of the Holy Spirit” breathes. flowers, to weave heavenly crowns: already the fragrance of the Holy Spirit has breathed upon you: already ye have gathered round the vestibule of the King’s palace 3 By “the vestibule” is meant “the outer hall of the Baptistery” (xix. 2), and by “the King’s Palace” the Baptistery itself, which Cyril calls “the inner chamber” (xx. 1) and “the bride-chamber” (iii. 2; xxii. 2). See Index, “Baptistery.” Here the local terms have also an allegorical sense, Baptism being regarded as the marriage of the Soul to Christ. ; may ye be led in also by the King! For blossoms now have appeared upon the trees 4 Another allegory, from the season of Spring, when the Lectures were delivered. ; may the fruit also be found perfect! Thus far there has been an inscription of your names 5 ὀνοματογραφία. See Index. , and a call to service, and torches 6 That the Candidates on their first admission carried torches or lighted tapers in procession is a conjecture founded on this passage and Lect. I. 1: “Ye who have just lighted the torches of faith, preserve them in your hands unquenched.” But see Index, “Lights.” of the bridal train, and a longing for heavenly citizenship, and a good purpose, and hope attendant thereon. For he lieth not who said, that to them that love God all things work together for good . God is lavish in beneficence, yet He waits for each man’s genuine will: therefore the Apostle added and said, to them that are called according to a purpose 7 Rom. viii. 28. In S. Paul’s argument the “purpose” is God’s eternal purpose of salvation through Christ (Eph. i. 11; iii. 11): but Cyril applies it here to sincerity of purpose in coming to Baptism. . The honesty of purpose makes thee called: for if thy body be here but not thy mind, it profiteth thee nothing.

1 The “blessedness” is the grace of Baptism, the hope of which is as a fragrant odour already borne towards the Candidates. These were called no longer Catechumens, but φωτιζόμενοι, as already on the way “to be enlightened.” Compare xvi. 26, the last sentence, and see Index, “enlighten.”

2 νοητά. The word is much used by Plato to distinguish things which can be discerned only by the mind from the objects of sight and sense. Here “the spiritual (or, mental) flowers” are the Divine truths in which “the fragrance of the Holy Spirit” breathes.

3 By “the vestibule” is meant “the outer hall of the Baptistery” (xix. 2), and by “the King’s Palace” the Baptistery itself, which Cyril calls “the inner chamber” (xx. 1) and “the bride-chamber” (iii. 2; xxii. 2). See Index, “Baptistery.” Here the local terms have also an allegorical sense, Baptism being regarded as the marriage of the Soul to Christ.

4 Another allegory, from the season of Spring, when the Lectures were delivered.

5 ὀνοματογραφία. See Index.

6 That the Candidates on their first admission carried torches or lighted tapers in procession is a conjecture founded on this passage and Lect. I. 1: “Ye who have just lighted the torches of faith, preserve them in your hands unquenched.” But see Index, “Lights.”

7 Rom. viii. 28. In S. Paul’s argument the “purpose” is God’s eternal purpose of salvation through Christ (Eph. i. 11; iii. 11): but Cyril applies it here to sincerity of purpose in coming to Baptism.

Ἤδη μακαριότητος ὀσμὴ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὦ ΦΩΤΙΖΟΜΕΝΟΙ, ἤδη τὰ νοητὰ ἄνθη συλλέγετε πρὸς πλοκὴν ἐπουρανίων στεφάνων: ἤδη τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ἔπνευσεν ἡ εὐωδία. Ἤδη περὶ τὸ προαύλιον τῶν βασιλείων γεγόνατε: γένοιτο δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως εἰσαχθῆτε. Ἄνθη γὰρ νῦν ἐφάνη τῶν δένδρων: γένοιτο δὲ ἵνα καὶ ὁ καρπὸς [τέλειος ᾖ]. Ὀνοματογραφία τέως ὑμῖν γέγονε, καὶ στρατείας κλῆσις: καὶ νυμφαγωγίας λαμπάδες, καὶ οὐρανίου πολιτείας ἐπιθυμία, καὶ πρόθεσις ἀγαθὴ, καὶ ἐλπὶς ἐπακολουθοῦσα: ἀψευδὴς γὰρ ὁ εἰπὼν, ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι τὸν Θεὸν πάντα συνεργεῖ εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Θεὸς δαψιλής ἐστιν εἰς εὐεργεσίαν: περιμένει δὲ ἑκάστου τὴν γνησίαν προαίρεσιν. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐπήγαγεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγων, τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσιν: ἡ πρόθεσις γνησία οὖσα, κλητόν σε ποιεῖ: κἂν γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ὧδε ἔχῃς, τὴν δὲ διάνοιαν μὴ ἔχῃς, οὐδὲν ὠφελῇ.