Today’s Readings – Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

Cyril and Methodius were two Byzantine Greek brothers from a noble family in Thessalonika, a district in north-eastern Greece. Methodius was born about 815 AD, and Cyril (known through most of his life as Constantine) the younger, was born about 827 AD. Though belonging to a senatorial family, they set aside all secular honours and became priests. They were living as monks in a monastery on the Bosphorous, when the Khazars sent a request to Constantinople asking for a Christian teacher . (At the height of their empire, the Khazars controlled much of what is today southern Russia, western Kazakhstan, eastern Ukraine, Azerbaijan and large portions of the Caucasus.)

Constantine was chosen, but his brother went with him. They learned the Khazar language and made many converts. Soon afterwar … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Thursday of Week 5 of Ordinary Time - First Reading

Commentary on Genesis 2:18-25

We continue the story of the creation of Man. The Man, here clearly understood as male, is still alone on the earth with only the plant life which had been given to him in the Garden.

Now once more, from the soil of the earth, God brings into being all t … Continue