Liturgy of St. Cyril

The polls don’t paint a flattering picture of Christians. The characteristics most associated with people like us are “hypocrisy” and “judgmental.” Hmmm. It bears a striking resemblance to the critique Jesus levied against religious rulers in his day. The early church father Tertullian (160-225) wrote a defense of Christianity to rulers of the Roman Empire in the autumn of 197AD. He charged detractors that the persecution of Christians was based on fallacious rumors that Christians practiced incest, human sacrifice, and treason against the empire. He challenged Roman rulers to give proof of these rumors, citing the well-known Roman proverb, “Among all evils, none flies so fast as a rumor.” He buttressed his defense with the claim that Christians honor Roman society through their love of one another and their fellow Romans. “We are a body knit together by a common religious profession, by uniting in discipline, and by the bond of a common hope.” He then referenced what was commonly said about Christians (in quotes) as compared to the behavior of the population at large (as indicated by the parentheses), “Look, they say, ‘how they love one another’ (for they themselves are animated by mutual hatred) and ‘how they are ready to die for one another’ (for they themselves will someone put to death).” I count at least fifty instances in the New Testament where Jesus and his apostles instruct believers of their mutual responsibilities to one another. Love one another. Honor one honor. Serve one another. Be kind to one another. Forgive one another. What are we to make of all this one-another-ing? Jesus said, “This is how they will know you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13.35). O, that people would say of us, “Look, how they love one another.” We pray a 4th-century Coptic Liturgy of St Cyril for a heart to love one another: