Mirrors to baptism vessels; Church pitched by Lord; spiritual fasting

Cyril: …most selected from the others and temple-initiates, were scarcely thought worthy of such an honor—of insolence then; for thus is better and true to say. So then women of those from blood of Israel, having found leftovers of the worship in Egypt in their own vessels, brought forward these mirrors unto fruit-bearing, which were also remade into the matter of the laver. And when the holy tent was raised they fasted, sitting somehow beside the doors, and living through all things purely—the matter somehow hinting, I think, that when the more true tent has been shown—that is, the Church which the Lord pitched, and not a human, as the divine Paul writes—it is somehow already a time for those once dedicated unto glory of the herd of the demons to be remolded into holy vessels, and fittingly holding toward reception of the holy baptism, so as also to be able to excel with the boasts beyond law. For this, I think, is the molding of the bronze laver from Greek mirrors, or diabolic heirlooms, in which also the water, which also cleanses Moses himself, and is useful to the priesthood according to law unto washing-off—clearly the intelligible. Or would you yourself not also say, O Palladius, that those who have wandered and have served the demons are diabolic vessels?

Palladius: For how not?

Cyril: And the women have fasted beside the doors of the holy tent. And these things also would be a beautiful and wise riddle—of those justified in Christ not running into churches through bloods, but rather excelling with spiritual sacrifices, and bringing forward as somehow a gift-bearing to God the self-control, the as-it-were deadening of the flesh. ‘For present,’ he says, ‘your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God—your rational worship.’ And again: ‘Glorify already God in your body.’ So then the ones who fasted when the holy tent was raised finish unto an image of souls, no longer being trained still with Mosaic commands, but having already shown a spiritual and Gospel way of life, and not without sweat trampling the earthly pleasures, and being well remolded toward the unmixed beauty, through not enduring to suffer the foul and profane charges of love-of-flesh. Or is not the manner of life thus for us who have been called in Christ unto sanctification and the spiritual thinness?

Palladius: Altogether so.

Cyril: But let these things be said for the present concerning holy vessels. And come, if it seems good, let us also look down upon the tent itself—how it holds of placement and construction. And deep is the matter, and beyond the measures according to us, yet I think there is altogether no harm in loving to collect from every side what finishes unto benefit, and striking as is possible upon the things very overlying.