Feast of St. John Chrysostom

On September 13^th, we celebrate the feast of Saint John Chrysostom.  John was born in Antioch, in modern-day Turkey, in the fourth century.  His father died when John was a baby, and with the death of his sister, he became the only child of a widowed mother.

John was baptized at about age 18, and the bishop Palladius, says, “After his baptism, John never cursed or swore or spoke evil of anyone or spoke a lie or wished ill to anyone or tolerated loose talk.”

In 386, he was ordained to the priesthood and began preaching.  His sermons were so good that when he preached, pick-pockets came to “work” the crowds because people listened so intently that they didn’t notice they were being robbed!  Because John is considered one of the greatest preachers of Christianity, he was given the name Chrysostom, which means golden-mouthed.

What made him such a great preacher?  John was solid in his knowledge of doctrine, and was capable of explaining Scripture in a way that people could understand.  He was not interested in difficult questions of theology, or complicated Biblical interpretation.  He was interested in leading people to the fullness of Christian living, and guiding them through the difficulties of living in a largely pagan world

John left Antioch when he was named the Patriarch of Constantinople in 398 AD.  In this new place, John was not well-liked because he preached against the luxury of the upper class and about the duty of taking care of the poor. He practiced what he preached, building a hospital with the money he saved on expenses in his first year as bishop.  He said, “God wishes that all should become holy and that none should neglect the practice of virtue.”  This made him strong enemies, including the rich Empress.  His zeal for social justice led to his exile to a remote spot on the far coast of the Black Sea, where he died.

St. John is called a Doctor of the Church, a rare title reserved for those whose writings have contributed to the theology or doctrine of the Church.  1909, Pope Pius X made him the special patron of all those who preach the word of God.  St. John is also called the “Doctor of the Eucharist,” partly because he spoke in the clearest possible terms about the Mass and the Eucharist.

St. John is most important for us to learn from because his life, actions, and words mirrored and echoed God's eternal Word, Jesus Christ. St John expressed that as a preacher, but we too are called to express that same Word using the gifts God has given us.