Catecheses of St Cyril of Jerusalem (49)
The writer of today’s reading was a Christian from the Middle East, who became bishop of Jerusalem in 335. Cyril was his name. As bishop, he had great care for the poor, and he was also very involved in political life, but it is as a teacher that he is best known. The passage that we will hear today is from his Catechesis, that is, his teaching to newly baptized adults. It’s part of the Advent liturgy because it lays out two major Advent themes: the coming of the Son of God as a man, which we celebrate at Christmas, and the second coming of Christ at the end of time, to which we look forward in expectation and hope.