Reflect
then how great an evil it is for us, who ought to live so purely as
not even to need written words, but to yield up our hearts, as books,
to the Spirit; now that we have lost that honor, and are come to have
need of these, to fail again in duly employing even this second
remedy. For if it be a blame to stand in need of written words, and
not to have brought down on ourselves the grace of the Spirit;
consider how heavy the charge of not choosing to profit even after
this assistance, but rather treating what is written with neglect, as
if it were cast forth without purpose, and at random, and so bringing
down upon ourselves our punishment with increase.
– Saint
John Chrysostom from
a homily on the Gospel of Matthew
Saint
John Chrysostom's
patronage: Constantinople;
epilepsy; Istanbul, Turkey; lecturers; orators; preachers; speakers.
