My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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ON NOVEMBER 13th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS, JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
Saint John Chrysostom, beacon of the whole world, pillar and confirmation of the Church, and preacher of repentance, was born in the city of Antioch in Syria. His parents were unbelievers and held to the impiety of the Greeks. His father, who was an officer, was named Secundus and his mother Anthusa, and they were persons of wealth and repute.
When John reached the proper age, he was entrusted to the sophist Libanius and the philosopher Andragraphius, who instructed him in the learning of the Greeks. Although but a youth, he surpassed many older men in understanding, for he came to know the One True God, the Creator of All, and to disdain the godless polytheism of the pagans. John was baptized by the Most Holy Patriarch Meltius, who was at that time priest of the church of Antioch. Not long thereafter, it pleased God the most good to illumine John's parents with the holy faith so that they who brought into the world this great luminary might not continue to wander astray in the darkness of unbelief. Secundus departed unto the Lord and a better life soon after receiving Holy Baptism, leaving Anthusa, John's mother, a very young widow. She was little more than twenty years old when her husband died.
When John reached the age of eighteen, he went to Athens, and within a short time surpassed his fellow-students and many of the philosophers there in knowledge. He studied all the teachings and the texts of the schools there and himself became a noted philosopher and eloquent orator.
John had in Athens a malicious opponent, a philosopher named Anthimius, who was jealous of the high regard in which the Saint was held. Anthimius began to slander the blessed one, but John's wise and divinely inspired words put him to shame before all. Moreover, John led Anthimius and many others to Christ in the following manner. While Anthimius was disputing with John, he began to blaspheme our Lord Jesus Christ. Suddenly an unclean spirit gained power over him and began to torment him. Anthimius fell to the ground, beside himself, his eyes agape and foam seething from his mouth. The onlookers were overcome by fear and many fled. Those who remained begged John to have mercy on the possessed man and to heal him, but John replied, "If he does not repent and believe in Christ God, Whom he blasphemed, he cannot be healed."
Anthimius straightway cried out, "I confess that there is no God either in heaven or on earth other than the God of the Christians, in Whom the wise John believes!"
When he had said this, the unclean spirit came forth, and Anthimius stood upon his own feet, restored to health. All the people who beheld this miracle cried, "Great is the God of the Christians, Who alone works wonders!" (thavmata)
Saint John forbade Anthimius to continue to blaspheme the Son of God and instructed him in the teachings of the True faith. Then he sent him to the Bishop of of the city , who baptized Anthimius, and his entire household. Many other citizens of repute came to believe in Christ as well and were baptized. The Bishop learned that that it was John who had brought about the conversion of so many pagans to Christ, so he wished to ordain him and to keep him in Athens. Moreover, he hoped that John would succeed him on the hierarchal throne, for he was very old, but John learned of this and secretly departed from the city, returning to Antioch. There he resolved to forsake all the vain glory and pride of life, to take up the humble life of a monk, and to labor for God in the Angelic Schema. His intention was encouraged by his close friend, whose name was Basil. This man was also born in Antioch and knew John from childhood. The two shared the same teachers and loved one another greatly, being of one mind and soul. Basil, who became a monk first, advised his companion John to take up the Monastic life, and John heeded his good counsel.
John wished to enter a Monastery immediately and to become a monk but was held back by his mother. Learning of his intention, she pleaded with him, weeping: "My child I did not long enjoy conjugal life with your father, for death, in accordance with God's will, left me a widow and you an orphan. But no sorrow has succeeded in compelling me to marry a second time and to bring another man into your father's house. I have endured the woes and fires of widowhood with God's help because I had the joy of gazing often upon your face which greatly resembles that of your father, I have not squandered your father's wealth in the troubles that have befallen me as a widow, but have preserved it untouched to provide for your needs. Therefore, I beseech you, my child do not force a second widowhood upon me, nor arouse by your departure the sorrow within me which has scarcely abated since the death of your father. Wait until my death, which I expect with each passing day...And thus she persuaded him not to forsake her.
At that time, Zeno the Archbishop of Jerusalem, happened to be in Antioch, and tonsured John a reader. He remained in that rank for three years. Then John's mother died, and after burying her he gave away all his possessions to those who were in need, freeing his servants and bidding farewell to his relatives and friends. He went to a Monastery, where he became a monk and began to labor for the Lord day and night, toiling and struggling greatly. It was there that he wrote the books On the Priesthood, On Contrition of Heart (a most profitable work), and An Epistle to the Fallen Monk Theodore.
John did not cease to toil either for his own salvation or for that of others, laboring fervently himself and arousing others to struggle. The slothful he inspired to strive for heavenly things, to mortify their flesh, and to subject it to the spirit. Moreover, the blessed one worked numerous miracles while living the ascetic life in that Monastery...John remained in the Monastery for four years. Then, desiring a life of silence, he secretly departed into the desert where he found a cave, in which he remained for two years, living only for God.
After this, Saint John fell ill, enfeebled by his indescribable labors. The cold had harmed his legs, and he was no longer able to care for himself because of his infirmity. For this reason he was compelled to leave the wilderness and to return to Antioch. This occurred in accordance with God's Providence for His Church, so that the brilliant lamp would not remain hidden in a desert cave, as though beneath a bushel, but would be placed on the lampstand of the Church to illumine all. Thus John ceased to have his dwelling among wild beasts and began to live amid men and to profit not only himself but others as well.
Upon his arrival in the city of Antioch, the blessed John was received with joy by the Most Holy Patriarch Meletius, who gave him a place to live. A short time thereafter, the Patriarch ordained John to the Deaconate. He remained a Deacon for five years and became the adornment of the Church, both, because of the virtue of his life and on account of the edifying treatises which he wrote at that time.
Upon the death of Saint Meletius he left Antioch and returned to the Monastery where he lived earlier. One night, however, while Flavian occupied the throne of Antioch, an Angel of the Lord appeared to the Patriarch as he stood at prayer. The Angel said, "Go tomorrow to the Monastery where John, the favorite of God, has his dwelling. Bring him back to the city and ordain him presbyter (priest), for he is a chosen vessel and God will turn a multitude of people unto Himself through him."
An Angel also appeared to John at the same time. The Saint was praying in his cell during the night, according to his custom when the Angel came to him and commanded him to return with Flavian to the city and to accept the priesthood. The next day, the Patriarch arrived at the Monastery, and the blessed John and all the monks came out to meet him. They bowed down before him, received his blessing, and then led him to the church with fitting honor.
The next day John was ordained. When the Patriarch placed his hand upon John's head, a shining white dove suddenly appeared, flying above the Saint. Seeing this, the Patriarch Flavian and all those present were amazed and stood there marveling. Word of this miracle spread throughout Antioch, the neighboring cities, and all Syria, and those who heard of it said, "What shall this man become? The glory of the Lord has overshadowed him from the very day of his ordination!"
Once he was made a Presbyter (Priest), John began to care for the salvation of men's souls with still greater zeal. The blessed one often preached without a written text to the faithful in church, causing the people of Antioch to marvel greatly and praise him...Whenever the people learned that Father John was to preach, they hastened with joy to the church.
Once, a woman, who was listening to the Saint speak but could not understand the meaning of what he said, cried out to him, "O spiritual teacher! I would do well to call you John of the golden mouth. The well of your teaching is deep, however, the rope of our minds is short and cannot reach its depths!"
Then many of the people began to say, "God Himself has given you this name through this woman!" And from that time until the present the whole Church has called Saint John by the name "Chrysostomos," which means "golden-mouthed." (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)
(To be continued)
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DIVINE SERVICES ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH:
Orthros (Matins) at...............................................9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at .................................................10:00 a.m.
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George