Memorial of St. John Chrysostom

 DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

Feast: September 13

“Golden Mouth”

We will be silently reflecting on the life and works of St. John Chrysostom.

His intercession has been faithfully sought since the moment that he was given to us as our family’s patron saint for the year 2010.

He is also a patron saint of education.  God knew I would be in need of this particular intercession this year as I have faced many struggles.  I trust St. John Chrysostom has been with my family through it all.

St. John Chrysostom, Ora pro nobis.

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"…Everything is carried out joyfully and one can educate their children to virtue. When the first child is born, this is “like a bridge; the three become one flesh, so that the child links the two parts (Homily 12:5 “On the Letter to the Colossians”), and the three make up “one family, a little Church” ~ Chrysostom (Homily 20:6 “On the Letter to the Ephesians”).

"From the tenderest age, arm children with spiritual weapons and teach them to make the Sign of the Cross on their forehead with their hand" ~ Chrysostom (Homily, 12, 7 on First Corinthians).

"This is the principle of our social life… not to be solely concerned with ourselves!" ~ Chrysostom (Homily 9, 2 on Genesis).

“Do you fast? Prove it by doing good works. If you see someone in need, take pity on them. If you see a friend being honored, don’t get jealous of him. For a true fast, you cannot fast only with your mouth. You must fast with your eye, your ear, your feet, your hands, and all parts of your body.” ~ St. John Chrysostom

“You can call happy those who saw Him. But, come to the altar and you will see Him, you will touch Him, you will give to Him holy kisses, you will wash Him with your tears, you will carry Him within you like Mary Most Holy.”  ~ St. John Chrysostom

Saint John Chrysostom instructed women of all times about dress (modesty) when in the fourth century he declared:  "You carry your snare everywhere and spread your nets in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not, indeed, by your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment. … When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent? Tell me, whom does this world condemn? Whom do judges punish? Those who drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion? You have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death dealing drink, and you are more criminal than are those who poison the body; you murder not the body but the soul. And it is not to enemies you do this, nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity, nor provoked by injury, but out of foolish vanity and pride."  ~ St. John Chrysostom

“What the soul is in the body, let Christians be in the world.”  – St. John Chrysostom

RESOURCES:

Office of Readings for the Memorial of John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor

EWTN Bio

Life of St. John Chrysostom

Audio – St. Anthony’s Saint of the Day 

Coloring page (insert into a word document and resize for coloring)

(turn off music at the bottom of screen before playing)

 

 Glory to God for all things. 

~ St. John Chrysostom

 

 Prayer of St. John Chrysostom According to the Hours of the Day and Night

1. O Lord, deprive me not of Thy heavenly blessings;

2. O Lord, deliver me from eternal torment;

3. O Lord, if I have sinned in my mind or thought, in word deed, forgive me.

4. O Lord, deliver me from every ignorance and heedlessness, from pettiness of the soul and stony hardness of heart;

5. O Lord, deliver me from every temptation;

6. O Lord, enlighten my heart darkened by evil desires;

7. O Lord, I, being a human being, have sinned; do Thou, being God, forgive me in Thy lovingkindness, for Thou knowest the weakness of my soul.

8. O Lord, send down Thy grace to help me, that I may glorify Thy holy Name;

9. O Lord Jesus Christ, inscribe me, Thy servant, in the Book of Life, and grant me a blessed end;

10. O Lord my God, even if I have done nothing good in Thy sight, yet grant me, according to Thy grace, that I may make a start in doing good.

11. O Lord, sprinkle on my heart the dew of Thy grace;

12. O Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold of heart and impure, in Thy Kingdom.

13. O Lord, receive me in repentance;

14. O Lord, leave me not;

15. O Lord, save me from temptation;

16. O Lord, grant me pure thoughts;

17. O Lord, grant me tears of repentance, remembrance of death, and the sense of peace;

18. O Lord, grant me mindfulness to confess my sins;

19. O Lord, grant me humility, charity, and obedience;

20. O Lord, grant me tolerance, magnanimity, and gentleness;

21. O Lord, implant in me the root of all blessings: the fear of Thee in my heart;

22. O Lord, vouchsafe that I may love Thee with all my heart and soul, and that I may obey in all things Thy will;

23. O Lord, shield me from evil persons and devils and passions and all other lawless matters;

24. O Lord, Who knowest Thy creation and that which Thou hast willed for it; may Thy will also be fulfilled in me, a sinner, for Thou art blessed forevermore. Amen.