Happy Valentine's Day

I bet you were expecting a post about St. Valentine... gotcha! 

SS. Cyril and Methodius may be two of the most important figures in the Christian history of Europe. Pope Bl. John Paul II did nothing without good reason, and that includes making them co-patrons of Europe (with St. Benedict of Nursia) at a time when the Gospel needs to be proclaimed again.

While the Apostles of the Slavs have a special place in the hearts of the Poles, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Czechs, Croats, etc., their legacy is of significance to all Christians. 

The second reading from the Office of Readings today:

From an Old Slavonic Life of Constantine

Build up your church and gather all into unity

Constantine, already burdened by many hardships, became ill. At one point during his extended illness, he experienced a vision of God and began to sing this verse: “My spirit rejoiced and my heart exulted because they told me we shall go into the house of the Lord.”

  Afterward he remained dressed in the vestments that were to be venerated later, and rejoiced for an entire day, saying: “From now on, I am not the servant of the emperor or of any man on earth, but of almighty God alone. Before, I was dead, now I am alive and I shall live for ever. Amen.”

  The following day, he assumed the monastic habit and took the religious name Cyril. He lived the life of a monk for fifty days.

  When the time came for him to set out from this world to the peace of his heavenly homeland, he prayed to God with his hands outstretched and his eyes filled with tears: “O Lord, my God, you have created the choirs of angels and spiritual powers; you have stretched forth the heavens and established the earth, creating all that exists from nothing. You hear those who obey your will and keep your commands in holy fear. Hear my prayer and protect your faithful people, for you have established me as their unsuitable and unworthy servant.

  “Keep them free from harm and the worldly cunning of those who blaspheme you. Build up your Church and gather all into unity. Make your people known for the unity and profession of their faith. Inspire the hearts of your people with your word and your teaching. You called us to preach the Gospel of your Christ and to encourage them to lives and works pleasing to you.

  “I now return to you, your people, your gift to me. Direct them with your powerful right hand, and protect them under the shadow of your wings. May all praise and glorify your name, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

  Once he had exchanged the gift of peace with everyone, he said: “Blessed be God, who did not hand us over to our invisible enemy, but freed us from his snare and delivered us from perdition.” He then fell asleep in the Lord at the age of forty-two.

  The Patriarch commanded all those in Rome, both the Greeks and Romans, to gather for his funeral. They were to chant over him together and carry candles; they were to celebrate his funeral as if he had been a pope. This they did.

Prayer:

Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius were your instruments, Lord,

  in bringing the light of the gospel to the Slavonic peoples.

May we take your word into our hearts

  and be at one in professing the true faith.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

  one God, for ever and ever.

The Eparch and the Cenobite

After a modest celebration in honor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, (my classmate who is Slovak and I tracked down some pivo; not surprisingly, few others even knew who we were talking about) I felt inspired to share about their significance for me.

Until recently, my knowledge went little beyond knowing that Papa referred to them all the time and I was almost named Methodius. However, some major changes in life experiences of brotherhood and missionary work have added some perspective. 

Brotherhood's teasing and nitpicking in the early years sometimes seemed to be more trouble than it was worth, and I think I really under-appreciated the time we had together while growing up. As many good times as there have been, I have come to realize more how difficult it is to maintain those relationships as we age. That said, time doesn't level all lumps and I think just the fact that these brothers worked together diligently unencumbered by jealousy or discord shows heroic virtue. 

While I have not gone beyond missionary-lite in hospital ministry, I have still learned a great deal about what it means to bring the Gospel of Christ to those who have little or no hope and may not realize their need. But mine is the work of "revanglization," and I stand on the shoulders of giants who developed systematic theology and learned to express the Gospel in new languages that had never spoken of a Triune God or the remission of sins - work pioneered by the Holy Brothers who brought the Word to forty percent of Europe in a tongue that had never been used for Christian rites. 

So, having encountered some of the difficulties of growing in the Christian life, I can better appreciate the heroism of the Svätých Bratia and have more reasons to say 'na zdrovie!' today and ask for the blessings of Svätí Kiril i Metoda.