Mass in Front Royal on St. Cyril's Feast Day

I attended Mass at St. John the Baptist in Front Royal this morning which is always an edifying experience. As I walked into the church, the congregation, led by the pastor, Fr. Jerome Fasano, was praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. As Father processed in from the sacristy we prayed the Angelus. Mass, as is the norm at St. John's, was said ad orientem (Novus Ordo) with the Greek Kyrie and some of the responses in Latin. Oh, and of course the bells and the reverent silence (except for the chirping of the baby birds in the congregation) and the many veiled women all contributed to an atmosphere of of awe and holiness. So many people attend morning Mass that distribution of Communion (at the altar rail where congregants can kneel or stand) takes about ten minutes. How I love attending daily Mass there!

Being St. Cyril's feast day, Father's homily focused on the Council of Ephesus which declared Mary the Mother of God (Theotokos). Early Church councils always addressed heresies and the Council of Ephesus was no exception. The Bishop Nestorius of Constantinople, a major see in the Church, was teaching that Jesus was two persons, one divine and one human. Mary, he said, was mother only of the human Jesus, not the divine. Of course, this heresy flew in the face of both Church doctrine and common sense, making Jesus the ultimate schizophrenic with His body separate from his spirit. St. Cyril, a doctor of the Church, opposed Nestorius and it is to him we owe the second half of the Hail Mary which declares her "Holy Mary, Mother of God."

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Pray for Us

Today is the feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria who fought the Nestorian heresy. Nestorius, the bishop of Constantinople (problems with bishop aren't a modern phenomena), demeaned the role of the Blessed Mother. He denied that she was the Mother of God claiming she was only the mother of Christ's humanity. Heretics serve a purpose in the Church, however, because they cause the doctrines they deny to be definitively stated. And, in fact, the Council of Ephesus in 431 addressed the heresy of Nestorius and his followers. Mary was named "Theotokos," Mother of God and those who denied it declared "anathema."

The devil hates Mary so much exactly because of her exalted role in God's plan. That a mere human, a lowly woman, could be the door through which the Creator of heaven and earth entered the world assaults Satan's great pride. And so he works hard to encourage men to deny Mary's role in salvation. He's done that bad job with many protestants who are so antagonistic toward Christ's mother they fairly drip with animosity. But can you imagine Jesus, the Word who articulated the command to honor parents, disrespecting his own mother? No! Jesus, our Savior, was humble enough to enter the world through the womb of Mary. Why would He not expect us to imitate His sublime humility by coming back to Him through Mary? That's why we seek her intercession. She represents the humble doorway that leads us directly to Christ. Mary, Theotokos, pray for us who have recourse to Thee. St. Cyril, defender of Mary, pray for us.