Comments on: Classic Chrysostom. How to read St John Chrysostom.

By: Natalia Arzhantseva

Natalia Arzhantseva — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:09:56 +0000

Yes, Deborah! and some of them are extremely professional.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:22:04 +0000

You know how I like metaphors and analogies, Natasha. Yes, it is a wonderful thing—how we have the Great Physician’s nurses, orderlies and interns to help administer His aid, who encourage us and help care for our sick and wounded souls.

By: Natalia Arzhantseva

Natalia Arzhantseva — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:40:02 +0000

Thank you so much, Father! For me it’s like tio dive into the deep waters, and it requires time & the work of my heart to explore the riches which are there – which requires much attention: moral & mental.

Thank you, Deborah for your wonderful, enlighting comment! Sometimes it feels as if you dig out of my depth what I feel & am unable to utter or even formulate, and form it all – this mess of feelings & perceptions – into a shape. So – nothing to add! Just one thing: we rely on our Great Physician. but we also have our dear physicians also – like a gift of God, His “subordinates”, who also, to the extent that is given to them & to which they were able to grow up in Christ, heal our crippled souls & breathe life & hope into us. This is to Him & through Him. His means of our support & salvation.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:52:52 +0000

This is an excellent exhortation to continue the fight against our sins and not use our fallen nature as an excuse to give up or give in to indolence and spiritual entropy. The virtues are a part of our created nature but the indolence and tendency to give in to sin are a part of the fallen nature from which Christ is delivering us. Reading this out of context one might get the impression that St. John Chrysostom is calling us to simply exercise more will power—to get up out of our beds and recliners and try harder to be good. But no matter how hard I try to be good, like Saint Paul, I find that I still do the things I do not wish to do (Romans 7:15).

Yes, it starts with an act of my will, somehow mysteriously awakened and called to rise and fight. But when awakened and made aware, I find that I have to cry out, “Lord, I believe—help, Thou, my unbelief!” It is only by acknowledging my absolutely helplessness, in the flesh, to obey Him, to rise from my bed, that I gain the ability to do so. I need the constant and continuous touch of the Great Physician to heal my crippled soul, to infuse it with the life and health I need in order to rise from my bed of indolence and walk in righteousness.