Thursday, May 7 : Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

“The water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn 4,14). This is a new kind of water, living, welling up, welling up for those who are worthy. Why did he call the grace of the Spirit water? Because all things depend on water. Water produces herbs and living things. Water comes down form heaven as rain: water always comes down in the same form, yet its effects are manifold – thus it takes one form in the palm tree, another in the vine… For the rain does not change, coming down now as one thing and now as another, but it adapts itself to the nature of the things which receive it and it becomes what is appropriate to each. Similarly with the Holy Spirit. He is one and of one nature and indivisible, but “he apportions his grace to each as he wills” (cf. 1Cor 12,11). When the dry tree is watered it brings forth shoots. So, too, the soul in sin: when through penance it is made worthy of the grace of the Holy Spirit, it bears the fruits of justice. Though the Spirit is one in nature, yet by the will of God and in the name of Christ he brings about multiple effects of virtue. He uses the tongue of one person for wisdom, he illumines the soul of another by prophecy, to another he imparts the power of driving out devils, to another the gift of interpreting the sacred scriptures; he strengthens the self-control of one, teaches another the nature of alsmgiving, another to fast and mortify himself, another to despise the things of the body; he prepares another for martyrdom. He acts differently in different people while himself remaining unchanged, as it is written: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1Cor 12,7).

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team