Sunday, January 18 : Saint Cyril of Alexandria

“John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’…” For one lamb has died for all, winning back for God the Father the whole flock of those who dwell on earth. One died for all in order to bring all back to God; one died for all that all might be won for him… For we were all living in our many sins and, for this reason, had a debt of death to pay and became mortal. That is why the Father delivered up his Son for our sakes (Jn 3,16; Mk 10,45). One died for all since all things are in him and he is above all. One died for all that we might all live in him, since death, which had swallowed up the lamb that was sacrificed for all, has yielded them all back again in and with him. For we were all included in the Christ who died for us and in our place and who was raised to life again. The origin and occasion of death is sin. But once sin was destroyed how could death escape complete destruction? Once the root has died how can the seedling coming out of it still be preserved? Once sin has been wiped out what fault remains for which we might die? So let us joyfully celebrate the sacrifice of the lamb, saying: “Death, where is your victory? Hell, where is your sting?” (1Cor 15,55; Hos 13,14)… “Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Gal 3,13) so that we might escape from the curse of sin.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team