The God Who Never Forgets

Voice over by Eliz

Isa 49:8-15, Psalm: 144, Jn 5:17-30

Memorial of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop and doctor of the Church

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

On this Memorial of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, a great teacher of the faith, our scriptures reveal a breathtaking truth about God: He is both a tender Mother and the just Judge of all, and in Christ, these are one.

From the prophet Isaiah, we hear words of unimaginable comfort. To a people in exile, feeling forgotten, God speaks: “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” This is the covenant love of our God—a fidelity more enduring than the deepest human bond. He promises restoration, guidance, and compassion: “I will cut a road through all my mountains, and make my highways level.” He is a God who makes a way where there is no way.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus unveils the source of this divine power and love. He declares His profound union with the Father: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” This work is nothing less than the gift of life. The Father, Jesus teaches, “has given all judgment to the Son,” and “whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life.” Here, the tender God of Isaiah is revealed as the Father who has entrusted everything to His incarnate Son. The One who never forgets His children has given them His only Son so that “they may not come into condemnation but pass from death to life.”

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, in his famous Catechetical Lectures, dedicated his life to explaining this profound mystery to new Christians. He taught that doctrine is not dry rule, but the map to a relationship with this loving, life-giving God. He would say, “The root of all good works is the hope of the resurrection.” Our hope is founded on Christ, the Judge who is our Savior.

Where is our comfort? In our darkest moments, when we feel abandoned, we must cling to Isaiah’s image. Our God’s fidelity is His very nature. He cannot forget you. Your name is written on the palms of His hands.

And where is our strength? In heeding Christ’s command to “hear His word and believe.” We are called to a living faith that trusts in the Father’s love revealed in the Son. This faith propels us into good works, not out of fear of judgment, but in grateful response to the gift of life already received.

This week, when anxiety whispers that you are forgotten, speak Isaiah’s words aloud. When the world seems chaotic, place your trust in the One to whom all judgment is given—the same Jesus who laid down His life for you. Like Saint Cyril, let us be unwavering in teaching and living this faith: we are remembered, we are loved, and we are called from death to life by the voice of the Son of God. Amen.

May God bless you all!