At the Feet of the Fathers St. John Chrysostom: Beware the Life of Ease
At the Feet of the Fathers
Monday, October 23, 2023
St. John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom (c. AD 347 – September 14 AD 407) was an important early Church father who served as archbishop of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey). He is known for his preaching, public speaking, his stand against abuses both among secular authorities and in the church, and his Divine Liturgy, used to this day in Eastern Orthodoxy. The name Chrysostom means "golden-mouthed" in Greek and was given to him for his celebrated eloquence. Chrysostom was one of the most prolific authors in the early Christian Church.
Beware of the Life of Ease
Wait a minute! Is it not possible, they say, to enjoy ease both here and hereafter?
This, ladies and gentlemen, is unattainable; it is one of the impossible things. It simply cannot be that anyone who here enjoys ease and plenty and continually indulges in every luxury—who lives a vain and aimless life—can also enjoy honor hereafter.
Nevertheless, if he is not troubled by poverty, he still is troubled by desire and, from this cause, suffers restraint—a cause that gives rise to no small amount of trouble. Again, if disease does not afflict him, yet evil passion burns within, and it is no slight pain that springs from wrath. If trials are not laid upon him, yet wicked thoughts constantly arise to vex him.
It is by no means a trivial matter to restrain lawless desire, to put a stop to vainglorious thoughts, to check unfeeling pride, to refrain from excess, to live in self-denial. And whoever does not accomplish these things, and things like them, can never attain salvation.
[Steve's note: it is not that leisure or wealth are inherently bad things. Neither does self-denial merit salvation, which is by grace through faith in Christ alone. Rather, the risk is run when pursuit of an easy life takes precedence over a Godly life—we risk losing sight of Christ and—carried to an extreme—risk losing saving faith by trusting only in ourselves and our accomplishments.]
St. John Chrysostom, Four Discourses, 3.6