Cyril of Jerusalem

(c. 315-c. 386). Bishop and Doctor of the Church. He was probably ordained deacon around 330 and priest about 343. From 348 until 386, Cyril was the Bishop of Jerusalem. While he was bishop he wrote his Catechetical Lectures on the Christian faith, which were given to candidates for baptism. In these lectures he explained the liturgical practices of Lent and Holy Week in fourth-century Palestinian Christianity. The Mystagogical Catecheses, which were lectures given to the newly baptized after Easter, are ascribed to Cyril, but were probably written by his successor, John. Cyril attended the Council of Constantinople in 381, accepted its conclusions, and was a defender of the Nicene faith. He was made a Doctor of the Church by the Roman Catholic Church in 1882. He is commemorated in the Episcopal calendar of the church year on Mar. 18. (From An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church) 

"Baptism that lies before you: a ransom to captives; a remission of offences; a death to sin; a new birth of the soul; a garment of light; a holy indissoluble seal; the delight of Paradise; a welcome into the Kingdom; the gift of adoption."                         (From Procatecheses 16 in The Catechetical Lectures)

The commemoration for this day on the website for Mission St. Clare reminds us that Cyril was Bishop of Jerusalem between the Council of Nicaea (325) and the Council of Constantinople (381) and that these were "troubled years" for the Church that was trying to hold to the faith of Nicaea while at the same time trying to find a middle way. 

Troubled years. It comes up a lot, actually, if you get into the practice of commemorating the saints. It turns out that it's almost never, if ever, been easy to be faithful. It turns out that what we call "the tradition" was a time of struggle, not settledness or certitude. 

Cyril got focused on the basics and started working on catechesis, that is to say, formation. He used the season of Lent to prepare people for Holy Baptism, to be part of the Jesus Movement. As The Book of Common Prayer puts it in the "Ash Wednesday Liturgy,"

...the season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism...

That didn't happen automatically; it happened in large measure because of the fidelity of people like Cyril, in "troubling years."

I wonder how this Lent might be such a time, even now, for us who have already baptized to re-commit to the "holy indissoluble seal" that it has on us who have been marked and claimed by God. For ordained and lay together, since we all share one faith, and one baptism, how might this Lent be a time for us to put on our garments of light and work together for the sake of God's reign of justice and mercy?