by St. John Chrysostom
Our father among the saints John Chrysostom (347-407), Archbishop of Constantinople, was a notable Christian bishop and preacher from the 4th and 5th centuries in Syria and Constantinople. He is famous for being one of the most powerful preachers of the Gospel in history and his denunciation of abuse of authority in the Church and in the Roman Empire of the time.
“Just as a calm and sheltered harbour provides great security to the ships moored there, so does the temple of God: when people enter it, it snatches them away from worldly affairs as from a storm, and gives them the capacity to stand and listen to God’s words in calm and security.
This place is the bedrock of virtue and the school of spiritual life…You need only set foot on the threshold of a church and at once you are liberated from the cares of daily life.
Go on into the church, and a spiritual dew will envelop your soul. The stillness there moves you to awe, and teaches you how to live spiritually.
It elevates your thoughts and prevents you from remembering things or matters belonging to the present life. It transports you from earth to heaven.
And if there is such great gain from simply being in church when no service is going on, then how much benefit will people derive from being present…when the holy Apostles proclaim the Gospel, Christ stands in our midst, God the Father receives the Mysteries that are performed and the Holy Spirit gives His own joy.”
