ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Bishop and Doctor of the Church – September 13
Honoring Christ at the Altar and in the Poor
Introduction
A family may leave church moved by the Gospel and pass someone on the way home whose need is easy to overlook. Perhaps the person is a neighbor who has been ill, an older parishioner waiting for a ride, or someone asking for food. We can be sincere in our worship and still need help recognizing what Christ is asking of us just outside the church door.
St. John Chrysostom preached about that connection. He urged Christians to receive the Eucharist with reverence and to recognize the same Lord in those who needed food, clothing, and care. His memorial invites us to ask what our worship changes in the way we see and serve others.
Who Was St. John Chrysostom?
John was born in Antioch in the middle of the fourth century. He received an education in rhetoric, the art of public speaking, and spent a period in ascetic life before being ordained a priest in 386. In Antioch, he became known for preaching that helped people understand Scripture and see its bearing on their lives. His eloquence earned him the name Chrysostom, meaning “golden-mouthed.”
In 398, John became Bishop of Constantinople. He sought to reform the life of the clergy, simplified his own household, and devoted resources to the care of the poor. His years in Constantinople ended in exile, and he died in 407 while being taken to a more distant place of confinement. The Roman Rite observes his memorial on September 13. The Syro-Malabar calendar commemorates him on September 12.
Preaching That Reaches the Household
John preached through whole books of Scripture and brought their teaching into the daily life of his listeners. He spoke about how people earned and spent money, how parents taught their children, and how neighbors treated one another. He understood that a passage of Scripture is better understood when we can see what it asks of us in a particular situation.
A family can practice that kind of reading at home. After hearing the Gospel about forgiving others, family members might ask whether someone in the household has been left waiting for an apology. A short conversation about an actual event can help children and adults see what forgiveness requires.
Honoring Christ in the Poor
In one of his homilies on Matthew, John asks what it means to honor the Body of Christ while allowing someone to go cold and hungry. His preaching draws on Jesus’ teaching about the Last Judgment, where the Lord identifies himself with people who are hungry, thirsty, or in need of clothing. John wants the reverence we show at the altar to become visible in the care we give outside it.
His challenge applies to the way a parish uses its resources and to the choices we make as individuals. A community can care for its place of worship and give careful attention to how a family asks for help. A parishioner can contribute to a collection and also take the time to learn whether an older neighbor has a way to get groceries. Practical questions like these help us see where our charity can reach someone.
A Pastor in a Time of Conflict
John’s efforts at reform and his conflicts with influential people brought him into opposition with figures in both the imperial court and the Church. During exile, he continued to write to friends and members of his community. His letters to Olympias, a deaconess in Constantinople, show that he continued to offer encouragement even when he could no longer be present to the people he had served.
We may find ourselves unable to help in the way we once could. Illness, distance, or a change in responsibilities can close familiar avenues of service. A letter, a phone call, or a promise to remember someone in prayer can give that person the assurance that they are still held in mind.
His Legacy in the Christian East
St. John Chrysostom is honored in both Eastern and Western Christianity. The Divine Liturgy that bears his name is widely celebrated in the Byzantine tradition. His preaching and his association with that liturgy reflect the place the Eucharist held in his understanding of the Church.
For those of us who celebrate the Holy Qurbana in the Syro-Malabar tradition, his witness offers a familiar insight. The prayers of the assembly, the proclamation of the Word, and the reception of Communion prepare us to live as one body. That unity becomes visible when someone who is struggling can count on the care of the community.
A Life Connection
After Sunday Qurbana, a parishioner notices that a woman who used to come regularly has been absent for several weeks. A phone call reveals that she is caring for her husband and seldom has a chance to leave home. The parishioner asks what would help. The woman says that a grocery pickup would give her one less thing to manage. They agree on a day, and the parishioner calls again the following week.
The help begins with noticing an empty place in church. It becomes useful because someone asks a question, listens to the answer, and follows through. That is one way the communion we celebrate at the altar can reach a household carrying a burden quietly.
Eucharistic Connection
In the Holy Qurbana, we celebrate Christ’s saving death and Resurrection and receive his Body and Blood. St. John Chrysostom’s preaching helps us see what follows from this gift. The Lord who gives himself to us draws us into communion with one another and teaches us to recognize those whose needs we have passed by.
After Communion, we can bring one person before Christ by name. We can ask for the patience to understand what that person needs and the generosity to offer what we can. A visit, a ride, or a discreet act of assistance can become part of our thanksgiving.
Messages and Call to Conversion
St. John Chrysostom invites us to carry one word from the Gospel into the week and let it guide a specific decision. We might use it to examine how we speak to someone at home, how we spend what we have, or how we respond when another person asks for help.
His memorial also invites us to consider who is missing from our parish life and why. A call to someone we have not seen for a while may reveal a need we can help meet. We can begin by listening.
Conclusion
St. John Chrysostom used his gift of preaching to help people hear Scripture in the circumstances of their own lives. Through his intercession, may we receive Christ with reverence in the Holy Qurbana and honor him with practical charity in the people we meet.
