St. Cyril of Jerusalem was one of those early Doctors of the Church who spent a good deal of time fighting with their contemporaries over the question of Christ: Was he God or Man? Or both? Even Byzantine emperors became embroiled in the controversies. Two of them banished Cyril from his post as bishop of Jerusalem when they sided with Arians, semi-Arians, and the neo-Arians, against Cyril. Cyril followed the Nicene Creed, which had been hammered out by an ecumenical council of all the bishops of the time at Nicea in 325, and is still recited at Catholic masses around the world.

The Nicene Creed held (and still holds) that the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity was "begotten not made," and consubstantial, that is, "of the same substance" with the Father. That is, the Son was part of the Trinity, not of creation.

At one time, Arius, a native of Lybia, who lived from 256 to 336), had half of Christendom siding with him. He believed that God is unbegotten and without beginning, but that the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, because he is begotten, cannot be God in the same sense that the Father is. For Arius, the Son was not generated from the divine substance of the Father; he did not exist from all eternity, but was created out of nothing like all other creatures, and exists by the will of the Father. In other words, the relationship of the Son to the Father is not natural, but adoptive.

Got that? It's a pity that Cyril had to spend 16 of his 35 years as a bishop in exile over a question that seems so abstruse, now. Today, we just wish everyone would believe in God, and follow His commandments, for our own good, and for that of the world. As for the exact nature of the Trinity, we'll only know the truth when we get to heaven. And then it won't make any difference, will it?

Model: Cyril's steadfastness in the faith. Once you figure out what you believe, stick to it. But don't fight over things that don't really matter.

Dogged determination. You have a strong personality, with great leadership ability and a determination to pursue your dreams. While others may wonder about their purpose in life, you have a keen vision of your destiny. Although you encounter a lot of setbacks, you never give up and eventually return to get the job done.

Call it a hunch. You have a more intuitive sense of time, knowing just when to act and when to be patient. Less mature people born on this day may use their so-called patience as an excuse for inaction.

Nagging details. You can see the big picture but sometimes overlook the tiny details, which may come back to bite you. Beware of contemplating those generalities too long. When specific demands are put on your shoulders, you must act and not dilly dally. If you are a parent, your children may become very impatient with your inaction and turn frustrated, upset and rebellious.

Broker, agent, diplomat. You'd do well as an arbitrator between two parties. Able to see differing points of view, you can suggest ways to bring two competing factions to an agreement.

Advice for you. Beware of compromising your own beliefs, just to get something done quickly. And don't let your easy-going acceptance be an excuse for inaction.

Also born on this day:
Edgar Cayce (psychic) Stephane Mellarme (French poet) Ray Jenkins (US senate council, exposed McCarthy) F.W. de Klerk (apartheid reformer) Grover Cleveland (US president) Bonnie Blair (gold medal speed skater) Charlie Pride (country-western singer) Wilson Pickett (soul singer) Neville Chamberlain (British prime minister) Rudolf Diesel (German engineer, diesel oil engine) Ingemar Stenmark (Swedish alpine skier) John Updike (novelist) George Plimpton (writer, adventurer, tv personality)