Another "great" of our early Church to address the "mission" of the Holy Spirit is St. Cyril of Alexandria (Egypt). The brief "life" is worth the reading time! He is well known in patristic circles for opposing Nestorius who claimed that Mary could not be the mother of Jesus because he was divine and not human. A commonly used "title" of Mary, theotokos, meaning God-bearer, could not be attributed to her. Cyril also wrote a treatise on the Holy Spirit.
He taught that after the earthly life of Jesus was completed, there remained a challenge for humankind: "To become sharers in the divine nature of the Word" was a goal to be achieved. Transformation -- putting off the old and putting on the new -- into a life that pleased the Father was possible "only by sharing in the life of the Holy Spirit.
Cyril believed it was "fitting" that only after Jesus had departed that the Holy Spirit could descend upon those who believed in Jesus. After his Ascension, he would be united to his followers through the Holy Spirit. Jesus would continue "to dwell in our hearts through faith." Jesus, related to us through the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives, would strengthen us to be able to pray "Abba, Father." This gift of the Spirit was to be the power that enabled us "to grow in holiness" and to have strength to be invincible when challenges by sin and other kinds of enemies.
Cyril writes that the Old and New Testaments present examples "that the Spirit changes those in whom he come to dwell. His presence in our lives transforms us "to live a completely new kind of life." Cyril cites the transformation of Saul into the ardent follower of Jesus, Paul. This new man should be a living proof to us "that the Spirit changes those in whom he come to dwell and alters the whole pattern of their lives.... With the spirit within them it is quite natural for .... cowards to become men of great courage." Cyril suggests that this happened to the disciples of Jesus. The gift of this power could, as Jesus said, only take place if he returned to heave, God's "time appointed for the descent of the Holy Spirit."
For us today in our daily challenges to live our faith and to give the Good News of our redemption to others, it is the gift of the Holy Spirit and our regular prayer to him and our willingness to accept him into our lives that we have one of the tools needed to help sanctify our world and the work that we seek to accomplish. No doubt, being born again in the Holy Spirit can be frightening. When we pray, "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful," we are without doubt inviting God through the Holy Spirit to transform us.
Send forth your Spirit, light of radiant joy,
to take possession of our hearts.
Photo: Logo of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Belmont, MI.
