St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop: On the Lord’s Prayer.
“.
. . a man untempted, is a man unproved.”
Cyril
(c. 313–386) is venerated as a saint within the Roman Catholic
Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, and
the Anglican Communion. In 1883, Cyril was declared a Doctor of the
Church by Pope Leo XIII.
From
St. Cyril’s treatise on the Sacred Liturgy and Communion:
Then,
after the spiritual sacrifice, the bloodless service, is completed,
over that sacrifice of propitiation we entreat God for the common
peace of the Churches, for the welfare of the world; for kings; for
soldiers and allies; for the sick; for the afflicted; and, in a word,
for all who stand in need of succor we all pray and offer this
sacrifice.
Then
we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first
Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and
intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of
the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in
a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us,
believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom
the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awesome
sacrifice is set forth.
Then,
after these things, we say that Prayer which the Savior delivered to
His own disciples, with a pure conscience entitling God our Father,
and saying, Our Father, which art in heaven. O most surpassing
loving-kindness of God! On them who revolted from Him and were in the
very extreme of misery has He bestowed such a complete forgiveness of
evil deeds, and so great participation of grace, as that they should
even call Him Father. Our Father, which art in heaven; and they also
are a heaven who bear the image of the heavenly (1 Corinthians
15:49), in whom is God, dwelling and walking in them (2 Corinthians
6:16).
Hallowed
be Your Name. The Name of God is in its nature holy, whether we say
so or not; but since it is sometimes profaned among sinners,
according to the words, Through you My Name is continually blasphemed
among the Gentiles, we pray that in us God's Name may be hallowed;
not that it comes to be holy from not being holy, but because it
becomes holy in us, when we are made holy, and do things worthy of
holiness.
Your
kingdom come. A pure soul can say with boldness, Your kingdom come;
for he who has heard Paul saying, Let not therefore sin reign in your
mortal body (Romans 6:12), and has cleansed himself in deed, and
thought, and word, will say to God, Your kingdom come.
Your
will be done as in heaven so on earth. God's divine and blessed
Angels do the will of God, as David said in the Psalm, Bless the
Lord, all you Angels of His, mighty in strength, that do His
pleasure. So then in effect you mean this by your prayer, as in the
Angels Your will is done, so likewise be it done on earth in me, O
Lord.
Give
us this day our substantial bread. The common bread is not
substantial bread, but this Holy Bread is substantial, that is,
appointed for the substance of the soul. For this Bread goes not into
the belly and is cast out into the sewer (Matthew 15:17), but is
distributed into your whole system for the benefit of body and soul.
But by this day, he means, each day, as also Paul said, While it is
called today (Hebrews 3:15).
And
forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. For we have many
sins. For we offend both in word and in thought, and very many things
we do worthy of condemnation; and if we say that we have no sin, we
lie, as John says. And we make a covenant with God, entreating Him to
forgive us our sins, as we also forgive our neighbors their debts.
Considering then what we receive and in return for what, let us not
put off nor delay to forgive one another. The offenses committed
against us are slight and trivial, and easily settled; but those
which we have committed against God are great, and need such mercy as
His only is. Take heed therefore, lest for the slight and trivial
sins against you, you shut out for yourself forgiveness from God for
your very grievous sins.
And
lead us not into temptation, O Lord. Is this then what the Lord
teaches us to pray, that we may not be tempted at all? How then is it
said elsewhere, a man untempted, is a man unproved (cf. Psalm 16:3);
and again, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various
temptations (James
1:2)?
But does
perchance the entering into temptation mean the being overwhelmed by
the temptation? For temptation is, as it were, like a winter torrent
difficult to cross. Those therefore who are not overwhelmed in
temptations, pass through, showing themselves excellent swimmers, and
not being swept away by them at all; while those who are not such,
enter into them and are overwhelmed. As for example, Judas having
entered into the temptation of the love of money, swam not through
it, but was overwhelmed and was strangled both in body and spirit.
Peter entered into the temptation of the denial; but having entered,
he was not overwhelmed by it, but manfully swam through it, and was
delivered from the temptation.
Listen
again, in another place, to a company of unscathed saints, giving
thanks for deliverance from temptation: You, O God hast proved us;
You have tried us by fire like as silver is tried. You brought us
into the net; You layed afflictions upon our loins. You have caused
men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; and you
brought us out into a place of rest (Psalm 65; 10-12). You see them
speaking boldly in regard to their having passed through and not been
pierced. But You brought them out into a place of rest; now their
coming into a place of rest is their being delivered from temptation.
But
deliver us from the evil. If lead us not into temptation implied the
not being tempted at all, He would not have said, But deliver us from
the evil. Now evil is our adversary the devil, from whom we pray to
be delivered. Then after completing the prayer you say Amen; by this
Amen, which means So be it, setting your seal to the petitions of the
divinely-taught prayer.
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