Experience something new
St. Cyril of Jerusalem: March 18
St. Cyril of Jerusalem: March 18
Experience is often the best teacher in life. You can learn many things from books, articles or internet searches, but for some, until you have lived it, you really don’t “know.” (For example, any parent would laugh at the notion that a person can learn how to parent a child solely from reading parenting books!)
Experience is often the best teacher in life. You can learn many things from books, articles or internet searches, but for some, until you have lived it, you really don’t “know.” (For example, any parent would laugh at the notion that a person can learn how to parent a child solely from reading parenting books!)
The Church has always had this intuition that true learning comes not from books but from experience. And sometimes (in addition to experience) we also need a trusted guide who can help us make sense of all that has happened in our lives.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem was born in Jerusalem around AD 315. He is best known for his Catechetical Homilies given before and post-Easter to men and women preparing for baptism. Before their initiation, catechumens were told very little of what would happen to them during the celebration of the “mysteries” (sacraments) as they were aptly called in the early Church. They only learned what would happen during their initiation as they were experiencing it!
After Easter, St. Cyril unpacked what had happened to them in the celebration of baptism, confirmation and first Communion. Full of love and pastoral care for the newly initiated, Cyril’s five Mystagogical Catecheses (the final section of his Catechetical Homilies) helped them understand the deeper, spiritual meaning of the prayers and rituals of initiation, of the symbols of water, chrism, and bread and wine.
At a time when our culture is inundated with information right at its fingertips, Cyril’s legacy invites us to greater openness to learn from our experience. We come to know God in a most profound sense by experiencing him in the sacred actions of our liturgy, in the beauty of the natural world around us and in the relationships we share. And when we make space to reflect on all that has happened in our lives together with others or a trusted guide, we are attentive to the deeper truth our experience offers us.
Today’s recipe is a simple salad from Jerusalem, the location of Cyril’s life and ministry. The crisp, colorful vibrancy of the ingredients in this dish remind us to savor the fresh wisdom that can only be gained from experience.
Jerusalem Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups fresh tomatoes, bite-sized dice
- 4 Persian/small or 2 English cucumbers, bite-sized dice
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped to similar size
- 3 green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup mint, finely chopped
Instructions
- In small blender or glass measuring cup, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend or whisk well, set aside.
- Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl, chill covered until almost ready to serve. Remix dressing, then pour onto veggies and mix well, let flavors meld for 10 minutes. Taste, adjust seasoning if desired. Serve immediately.
- Serves 4 as a side.
