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Mystagogical Lecture 4 — On the Mysteries IV: On the Body and Blood of Christ

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The fourth Mystagogical lecture teaches that the consecrated bread and wine are truly the Body and Blood of Christ, to be received with full assurance of faith rather than judged by the senses.

Trans. Edwin Hamilton Gifford, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Vol. 7 (1894). Public domain. · view source

(On the Mysteries. IV.)

On the Body and Blood of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:23

I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, how that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, etc.

1. Even of itself the teaching of the Blessed Paul is sufficient to give you a full assurance concerning those Divine Mysteries, of which having been deemed worthy, you have become of the same body and blood with Christ. For you have just heard him say distinctly, That our Lord Jesus Christ in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks He broke it, and gave to His disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is My Body: and having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, Take, drink, this is My Blood. Since then He Himself declared and said of the Bread, This is My Body, who shall dare to doubt any longer? And since He has Himself affirmed and said, This is My Blood, who shall ever hesitate, saying, that it is not His blood?

2. He once in Cana of Galilee, turned the water into wine, akin to blood, and is it incredible that He should have turned wine into blood? When called to a bodily marriage, He miraculously wrought that wonderful work; and on the children of the bride-chamber Matthew 9:15, shall He not much rather be acknowledged to have bestowed the fruition of His Body and Blood?

3. Wherefore with full assurance let us partake as of the Body and Blood of Christ: for in the figure of Bread is given to you His Body, and in the figure of Wine His Blood; that you by partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, may be made of the same body and the same blood with Him. For thus we come to bear Christ in us, because His Body and Blood are distributed through our members; thus it is that, according to the blessed Peter, we become partakers of the divine nature 2 Peter 1:4.

4. Christ on a certain occasion discoursing with the Jews said, Unless you eat My flesh and drink My blood, you have no life in you. John 6:53 They not having heard His saying in a spiritual sense were offended, and went back, supposing that He was inviting them to eat flesh.

5. In the Old Testament also there was show-bread; but this, as it belonged to the Old Testament, has come to an end; but in the New Testament there is Bread of heaven, and a Cup of salvation, sanctifying soul and body; for as the Bread corresponds to our body, so is the Word appropriate to our soul.

6. Consider therefore the Bread and the Wine not as bare elements, for they are, according to the Lord's declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ; for even though sense suggests this to you, yet let faith establish you. Judge not the matter from the taste, but from faith be fully assured without misgiving, that the Body and Blood of Christ have been vouchsafed to you.

7. Also the blessed David shall advise you the meaning of this, saying, You have prepared a table before me in the presence of them that afflict me. What he says, is to this effect: Before Your coming, the evil spirits prepared a table for men, polluted and defiled and full of devilish influence; but since Your coming. O Lord, You have prepared a table before me. When the man says to God, You have prepared before me a table, what other does he indicate but that mystical and spiritual Table, which God has prepared for us over against, that is, contrary and in opposition to the evil spirits? And very truly; for that had communion with devils, but this, with God. You have anointed my head with oil. With oil He anointed your head upon your forehead, for the seal which you have of God; that you may be made the engraving of the signet, Holiness unto God. And your cup intoxicates me, as very strong. You see that cup here spoken of, which Jesus took in His hands, and gave thanks, and said, This is My blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins Matthew 26:28.

8. Therefore Solomon also, hinting at this grace, says in Ecclesiastes, Come hither, eat your bread with joy (that is, the spiritual bread; Come hither, he calls with the call to salvation and blessing), and drink your wine with a merry heart (that is, the spiritual wine); and let oil be poured out upon your head you see he alludes even to the mystic Chrism); and let your garments be always white, for the Lord is well pleased with your works Ecclesiastes 9:7-8; for before you came to Baptism, your works were vanity of vanities. But now, having put off your old garments, and put on those which are spiritually white, you must be continually robed in white: of course we mean not this, that you are always to wear white raiment; but you must be clad in the garments that are truly white and shining and spiritual, that you may say with the blessed Esaias, My soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with a garment of salvation, and put a robe of gladness around me Isaiah 61:10.

9. Having learned these things, and been fully assured that the seeming bread is not bread, though sensible to taste, but the Body of Christ; and that the seeming wine is not wine, though the taste will have it so, but the Blood of Christ; and that of this David sung of old, saying, And bread strengthens man's heart, to make his face to shine with oil, "strengthen your heart," by partaking thereof as spiritual, and "make the face of your soul to shine." And so having it unveiled with a pure conscience, may you reflect as a mirror the glory of the Lord 2 Corinthians 3:18, and proceed from glory to glory, in Christ Jesus our Lord:— To whom be honour, and might, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Trans. Edwin Hamilton Gifford, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Vol. 7 (1894). Public domain. The text above is reproduced from this public-domain source.

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Fourth Catechetical Lecture: On the Ten Points of Doctrine A summary of essential Christian doctrine covering God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the soul and body, the resurrection, the Scriptures, and rules of Christian conduct. Fifth Catechetical Lecture: Of Faith Cyril sets forth the dignity and power of faith, distinguishing doctrinal faith from the charismatic gift of faith, and charges the candidates to guard the Creed. Sixth Catechetical Lecture: Concerning the Unity of God. On the Article, I Believe in One God. Also Concerning Heresies Cyril affirms the incomprehensibility and unity of the one God, then refutes idolatry and a succession of heresies, culminating in a detailed account of Mani. Seventh Catechetical Lecture — The Father Cyril expounds the article “In One God the Father,” showing that God is by nature the Father of the Only-begotten Son and only in an improper, gracious sense the Father of men. Eighth Catechetical Lecture — Almighty Cyril teaches that the one God the Father is Almighty, ruling all things by His power while patiently enduring evil, against heretics who divide or limit His dominion. Ninth Catechetical Lecture — On the Words, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of All Things Visible and Invisible Cyril argues that the invisible Creator is known proportionably through the order and beauty of His creatures, refuting heretics who blaspheme the Maker of the world. Tenth Catechetical Lecture — On the Clause, And in One Lord Jesus Christ Cyril unfolds the one Lord Jesus Christ under His many scriptural titles and marshals a long chain of witnesses to His sole Lordship and divinity. Eleventh Catechetical Lecture — On the Words, The Only-Begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father Very God Before All Ages, by Whom All Things Were Made Cyril defends the eternal, ineffable generation of the Only-begotten Son, Very God of Very God, through whom all things were made. Twelfth Catechetical Lecture — On the Words Incarnate, and Made Man Cyril sets forth why and how God the Word became truly man, born of the Virgin, answering Jews, Greeks, and heretics from prophecy and reason. Thirteenth Catechetical Lecture — On the Words, Crucified and Buried Cyril glories in the Cross of Christ, gathering prophetic testimonies to His Passion, death, and burial, and urging the faithful never to be ashamed of the Crucified. Catechetical Lecture 14 — On the Words, And Rose Again from the Dead on the Third Day, and Ascended into the Heavens, and Sat on the Right Hand of the Father. St. Cyril expounds the Creed's articles on Christ's resurrection on the third day, His ascension into heaven, and His sitting at the right hand of the Father, marshalling scriptural prophecies and eyewitness testimonies to confirm the Resurrection against Jewish and Manichaean denials. 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