Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 6:20-26)
As forthright as today’s first reading, St. John Chrysostom chastised
wasteful luxury and promoted evangelical poverty. An eloquent preacher, John was named the
Patriarch of Constantinople, the most prestigious position of the eastern
Church. From the pulpit of his cathedral,
he criticized the empress for extravagance and lack of charity. With his
jurisdiction he curtailed the authority of the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine
army. John paid the high price of exile for
instituting reform. He died in a forced
march from one place of banishment to another farther away.
John Chrysostom’s reform measure finds easy reference in the
New Testament. Today’s reading from Colossians
tells Christians to put behind them “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and the greed that is idolatry.” In the
gospel Jesus laments the rich and the self-satisfied. By implication, he means that if they do not
share their resources, they will suffer downfall.
As much as he reminds us of the pitfalls of material excess,
John Chrysostom links us to eastern Christianity. His story tells us that Christianity is world-wide
and that we are not alone when we defend our faith in an increasingly secular
world.
