September 13th is the Feast of Saint John Chrysostom, who was born in 347 in the Greek city of Antioch, the place where followers of Christ first came to be known by the title of “Christians.” John lived most of his life there, where his powerful preaching contrasted markedly with his small stature and humble demeanor. In fact, he was so unimposing that he had to stand on an ambo to be elevated so the crowd could see and hear him.
In his book The 33 Doctors of the Church, Father Christopher Rengers, a Capuchin Francican, describes the experience of those who heard St. John preach, writing, “A total stranger looking up at the first sound of the not-too-strong voice might have been unimpressed….But as St. John poured fourth, the stranger, whether highly learned or hardly literate, would find himself lifted above the ordinary. He would be drawn into the flowing, warm stream of thought and emotion of this speaker.”
Providing the reason behind the name we know him by today, Father Rengers writes, “Two centuries after his death, his reputation had not diminished but rather grown. Then the title of Chrysostom, or ‘The Golden Mouthed,’ was given him.” Records survive of his sermons and teachings thanks to 4th century tachygraphers and scholars who recognized the importance of his preaching. Of the priesthood, St. John said: “The greatness and dignity of the priesthood rise above all that is earthly and human. For the priestly office is indeed discharged on Earth, but it ranks amongst heavenly ordinances; and very naturally so, for neither man nor angel, nor archangel, nor any other created power, but the Paraclete Himself, instituted this vocation and persuaded men, while still abiding in the flesh, to represent the ministry of angels.”
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St. John encouraged people to cultivate a deep relationship with Christ through a life of prayer and to never be afraid to ask Jesus for the deepest desires of the soul, saying, “Reflect what great happiness is bestowed upon you, what glory is given to you, namely to converse in your prayers, to join in colloquy with Christ, and to beg for what you desire.”
In his effort to win souls to Christ, it is said that St. John did his best to avoid controversy, employing a straightforward interpretation of Scripture that could open the hearts even of skeptics. But controversy did come for John when he was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople, where he felt compelled to implore the ruling class to have greater compassion for the poor and downtrodden. “If you would rise, shun luxury, for luxury lowers and degrades,” he declared. Emperor Arcadius eventually exiled John from Constantinople, and he died in exile at the chapel of the martyr Basiliscus. However, a few decades later, the children of Arcadius had his remains transferred to Constantinople and begged for forgiveness from God for the wrong done to St. John.
It is said that even in exile, he maintained a forgiving heart towards those who had wronged him, wanting only to share the light of Christ with all he encountered. At the end of his life, after receiving Holy Viaticum, he said the words he was known to repeat in times of affliction: “Glory be to God for all things. Amen.”
St. John Chrysostom had a gift for seeing God’s grace at work in all things, even in his own suffering. May he intercede for us all to detach from the material to pursue the things of eternity.
For free copies of the Christopher News Note ANSWERING GOD’S CALL, write: The Christophers, 264 West 40th Street, Room 603, New York, NY 10018; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org
The unimposing but powerful preacher