We are celebrating today the feast of the great Slavic saints Cyril and his real life brother Methodius. They were born in Thessalonica and educated in Constantinople. Cyril then accompanied his brother Methodius to Moravia to preach the faith. They both prepared Slavic liturgical texts in what would become known as the Cyrillic alphabet. Both were summoned to Rome, where Cyril died on February 14, 869, which Methodius was consecrated bishop and sent to Pannonia where he tirelessly preached the Gospel. Though suffering much from detractors, he received assistance from the Roman Pontiffs. Methodius died on April 6, 885 in Velehrad, Czechoslovakia.
Cyril and Methodius were to the Slavic people exactly what Paul was like to the Gentiles at large: a bright light shining for them in the darkness of their lives! All three offered the Light of Christ himself to those who so desperately needed it! Faithful to their missions – these workers of the Lord did much to make the kingdom of God grow on earth as a preparation for its fulfillment one day in heaven!
The gospel passage tells of good advice that Jesus gives all of his helpers: travel as lightly as possible, keep your mind and your heart on the goal (me), and offer "peace" (my peace, not yours) wherever you go! Preach the arrival of the kingdom, cure the sick and eat what they put before you! This was it – for the true priest and bishop!
May we pray today that bishops and priests be faithful to their simple calling to be heralds of the kingdom – nothing more and nothing less! And may the people they bring their message to receive them well – and feed them well for a job well done! The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings!
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