St. John Chrysostom: On reading with care the Holy Scriptures

 Let us now after this be ashamed, and blush. A woman who had had five husbands, and who was of Samaria, was so eager concerning doctrines, that neither the time of day, nor her having come for another purpose, nor anything else, led her away from enquiring on such matters; but we not only do not enquire concerning doctrines, but towards them all our dispositions are careless and indifferent. Therefore everything is neglected. For which of you when in his house takes some Christian book in hand and goes over its contents, and searches the Scriptures? None can say that he does so, but with most we shall find draughts and dice, but books nowhere, except among a few. And even these few have

the same dispositions as the many; for they tie up their books, and keep them always put away in cases, and all their care is for the fineness of the parchments, and the beauty of the letters, not for reading them. For they have not bought them to obtain advantage and benefit from them, but take pains about such matters to show their wealth and pride. Such is the excess of vainglory. I do not hear any one glory that he knows the contents, but that he hath a book written in letters of gold. And what gain, tell me, is this? The Scriptures were not given us for this only, that we might have them ill books, but that we might engrave them on our hearts. For this kind of possession, the keeping the commandments merely in letter, belongs to Jewish ambition; but to us the Law was not so given at all, but in the fleshy tables of our hearts. And this I say, not to prevent you from procuring Bibles, on the contrary, I exhort and earnestly pray that you do this, but I desire that from those books you convey the letters and sense into your understanding, that so it may be purified when it receiveth the meaning of the writing. For if the devil will not dare to approach a house where a Gospel is lying, much less will any evil spirit, or any sinful nature, ever touch or enter a soul which bears about with it such sentiments as it contains. Sanctify

then thy soul, sanctity thy body, by having these ever in thy heart, and on thy tongue. For if foul speech defiles and invites devils, it is clear that spiritual reading sanctifies and draws down the grace of the Spirit. The Scriptures are divine charms, let us then apply to ourselves and to the passions of our souls the remedies to be derived from them. For if we understand what it is that is read, we shall hear it with much readiness. I am always saying this, and will not cease to say it.

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily 22 on the Gospel of St. John, #3

St. John Chrysostom: God's love and our selfishness

 Let us now be abashed at His love, let us be ashamed at the excess of His lovingkindness, since He for our sakes spared not His Only-begotten Son, yet we spare our wealth to our own injury; He for us gave His Own Son, but we for Him do not so much as despise money, nor even for ourselves.

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily 17 on John 3:12-13, #3

St. John Chrysostom: On the Mystery of Baptism

What then is the use of the water [of Baptism]? This too I will tell you hereafter, when I reveal to you the hidden mystery. There are also other points of mystical teaching connected with the matter, but for the present I will mention to you one out of many. What is this one? In Baptism are fulfilled the pledges of our covenant with God; burial and death, resurrection and life; and these take place all at once. For when we immerse our heads in the water, the old man is buried as in a tomb below, and wholly sunk forever; then as we raise them again, the new man rises in its stead. As it is easy for us to dip and to lift our heads again, so it is easy for God to bury the old man, and to show forth the new. And this is done thrice, that you may learn that the power of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost fulfills all this. To show that what we say is no conjecture, hear Paul saying, "We are buried with Him by Baptism into death": and again, "Our old man is crucified with Him": and again, "We have been planted together in the likeness of His death." ( Rom 6:4, 5, 6). And not only is Baptism called a "cross," but the "cross" is called "Baptism." "With the Baptism," saith Christ, "that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized" (Mark 10:39): and, "I have a Baptism to be baptized with" (Luke 12:50) [which ye know not]; for as we easily dip and lift our heads again, so He also easily died and rose again when He willed or rather much more easily, though He tarried the three days for the dispensation of a certain mystery.

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily 25 on John 3:5, #2

St. John Chrysostom: On fervent prayer

 Just as incense is good and fragrant even on its own, but displays its fragrance properly when it comes in contact with fire, so it is with prayer. It is good even on its own, but it becomes even better and more fragrant when it is offered up with a warm and ardent soul, when the soul becomes a censer and is burning with fierce fire... First set your hear on fire by your eagerness, and then pray.

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily 3 on Psalm 140.

St. John Chrysostom: On calling God "Father"

 How exceedingly great is God's love for mankind! What words are adequate to give thanks to God who gives us so many good things? Examine, my beloved, the worthlessness of your and my nature. Think about what we are related to - earth, soil, clay, bricks, dust. For since we were made out of earth, we dissolve back into earth after death. So after considering all this, be amazed at the unfathomable richness of God's great goodness toward us. For you an earthen creature have been told to call Him, the heavenly One, Father - the mortal addressing the Immortal, the corruptible addressing the Incorruptible, the ephemeral addressing the Eternal!

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily 3 On living in accordance with God.

St. John Chrysostom: On the Reception of the Holy Eucharist

 What is the Bread? The Body of Christ. And what do those who partake of it become? The Body of Christ. Not several bodies, but one body. Just as the bread, while it is made up of many grains, is one bread, so that the grains are nowhere apparent, even though they are there... in the same way, we are united with each other and with Christ. For it is not that you are nourished by one body, and the other person by another; we are all nourished by the same Body. That is why St. Paul adds, "For we all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor 10:17).

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily 24 on 1st Corinthians, #2.

St. John Chrysostom: On how to approach the Holy Gifts

 Having taken account of the magnitude of the Sacrifice, make your body beautiful. Understand what your hand receives, and never raise that hand to strike someone... Bear in mind that you do not receive Christ in your hand only but also put Him into your mouth, and keep your tongue pure of foul and abusive language, free from blasphemies and perjury... When you recall that your heart receives that terrible Mystery, never scheme against your neighbor but keep your heart pure of any wickedness. In this way you will also be able to guard your eyes and your hearing... You are invited to a wedding my beloved; do not go in wearing dirty clothes, but provide yourself with the appropriate garment (cf Matt 22:2-14).

+St. John Chrysostom, from Baptismal Instructions, 2.2.

St. John Chrysostom: On the benefit of common prayer

 It is possible, of course, to pray at home; but it is impossible to pray at home as you would in church, where there is such a throng of Fathers, and where powerful prayer is offered up to God with one mind. When you petition the Lord on your own, you are not heard as when you petition Him together with your brethren. For here in the church there is something in addition: the concord and agreement of the faithful, the bond of love and the prayers of the priests.

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily #3 On the Incomprehensible Nature of God.

+St. John Chrysostom: God's love for mankind

 The magnitude of His love for mankind! Christ regards the honor offered to Himself as inferior to love for our neighbor. "Let your worship of me be interrupted", Christ says, "in order that the love between you and your brother may be preserved." By these words, the Lord wants to show us that He values love dearly, and considers it a sacrifice higher than any other. Without this sacrifice, He accepts no others. In this way, Christ teaches us that the Holy Table does not accept those who harbor enmity among themselves.

+St. John Chrysostom, from Homily 16 on Matthew, #9

St. John Chrysostom: God's surpassing love for mankind

 Such is the love of God for mankind that He never rejects genuine repentance, but even if someone were to go beyond the limit of evil and desired to return from there to the way of virtue, He would receive and approach him, doing everything to guide him to his former condition. In fact, He is still more loving: for even if one did not show all repentance - even the very least - He would reward him much for the little repentance shown.
It is not He who ever turns away from us, but rather we who detach ourselves from Him.
If you have sinned and fallen, rise, arise please. For the good and loving Master who was put to shame by your sin is beside you and does not reject cohabitation with you. Give Him your hand.
+St. John Chrysostom, from Letters to the Fallen Theodore

St. John Chrysostom: What true fasting really is.

Do you see, dearly beloved, what true fasting really is? Let us perform this kind, and not entertain the facile notion held by many that the essence of fasting lied in going without food till evening. This is not the end in view, but that we should demonstrate, along with abstinence from good, abstinence from whatever is harmful, and should give close attention to spiritual duties. The person fasting ought be reserved, peaceful, meek, humble, indifferent to the esteem of this world. You see, just as one has neglected the soul, so it is necessary to neglect empty esteem as well, and to have regard only for Him who examines our innermost being (cf Ps 7:9) and with great care to direct prayers and confessions to God, and provide for oneself according to one's ability the help that comes from almsgiving.
+St. John Chrysostom, from Homilies on Genesis, homily 8 #15.

St. John Chrysostom: Mind the things of heaven

Instead of the things on earth, the cheap things which rush past and are gone, mind the things that are above, the things in heaven, the indestructible things, the things which coextend with eternity, the things which are seen by the eyes of faith, the things that know no end or succession, the things that have no boundary. I wish you constantly to keep your minds on these things. Our concern for them frees us from earth and transports us to heaven.
This is why Christ said: "Where a man's treasure is, there also is his heart" (cf Matt 6:21). For when the soul gets an understanding of the ineffable goods of heaven, it is, as it were, loosed from the bonds of the flesh and lifted on high. Each day it pictures to itself the enjoyment of these goods and can take no thought for the things on earth.
+St. John Chrysostom, from Baptismal Instructions, Instruction 7 #14-15.

St. John Chrysostom: The Duty of Fraternal Correction

Consider to what a dignity he exalts himself who esteems his brother's salvation as of great importance. Such a man is imitating God as far as lies with the power of man. Hear what God says speaking through His prophet: "He who separates the worthy from the vile shall be as My mouth." (Jer 15:19)  What He says is that he who is eager to save a brother who has fallen into careless ways, he who hastens to snatch his brother from the jaws of the devil, that man imitates me as far as lies in human power. What could equal that? This is greater than all good deeds. This is the peach of all virtue.
+St. John Chrysostom, from Baptismal Instructions, The Sixth Instruction, The Gravity of Scandal and the Duty of Fraternal Correction #19.