Chrysostom
Beloved of All
You pray for healing, wisdom, strength, clarity, peace, and the courage to seek a better world. Yet understand that these graces are not found in the counsels of men, but in the foolishness of God which is wiser than men. The wisdom you need is not that of the philosophers or the rulers of this age, which are passing away; it is the hidden wisdom of God, ordained before the ages for our glory. Christ Himself is made unto us wisdom from God. If you would be wise, cling to Him who chose the unlearned fishermen to confound the learned, and who reveals Himself to the lowly of heart.
The peace you long for is not a truce with the world’s ways. Our Lord said, “My peace I give unto you.” This peace is found in righteousness and joy in the Holy Spirit. Flee quarrels, divisions, and harsh judgments against your brother, for the Kingdom of God is not food and drink but peace and mutual upbuilding. In the Church, the very minister pronounces peace, and it is a type of the heavenly peace. Receive it with an open heart, and do not repel it by clinging to petty disputes or the pride of your own understanding.
You ask for courage. True courage is not the audacity of the insolent, but the boldness of the prophets and apostles, Elijah before Ahab, John the Baptist before Herod, Paul departing from the council with joy. Such courage comes from a clean conscience and a zeal for God’s honor, not from self-will. It is the courage that speaks truth in love and does not shrink from the reproach of Christ. If you desire this strength, seek it on your knees, for the grace of the Spirit works mightily through those who humble themselves.
You speak of a better world. Do not fix your hope on the schemes of this age, for the form of it is passing away. The world’s wisdom, when it trusted to itself, became folly. The better country is the heavenly one, and the true renewal of humanity begins in the heart that repents and believes the Gospel. The woman at the well became a messenger of life not by political striving, but by inviting her neighbors, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.” Go and do likewise.
And if you feel your progress is slow, do not lose heart. A tree may withstand many blows, yet one final stroke brings it down, not by that stroke alone, but by all that went before. So it is with the soul that hears the word repeatedly. Even now, I am persuaded that your eager desire for these gifts will bear fruit in due season, if you do not grow weary. Persevere in the assembly, in the prayers, and in works of mercy. Receive the healing medicine of the divine Scriptures, and let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.
The peace you long for is not a truce with the world’s ways. Our Lord said, “My peace I give unto you.” This peace is found in righteousness and joy in the Holy Spirit. Flee quarrels, divisions, and harsh judgments against your brother, for the Kingdom of God is not food and drink but peace and mutual upbuilding. In the Church, the very minister pronounces peace, and it is a type of the heavenly peace. Receive it with an open heart, and do not repel it by clinging to petty disputes or the pride of your own understanding.
You ask for courage. True courage is not the audacity of the insolent, but the boldness of the prophets and apostles, Elijah before Ahab, John the Baptist before Herod, Paul departing from the council with joy. Such courage comes from a clean conscience and a zeal for God’s honor, not from self-will. It is the courage that speaks truth in love and does not shrink from the reproach of Christ. If you desire this strength, seek it on your knees, for the grace of the Spirit works mightily through those who humble themselves.
You speak of a better world. Do not fix your hope on the schemes of this age, for the form of it is passing away. The world’s wisdom, when it trusted to itself, became folly. The better country is the heavenly one, and the true renewal of humanity begins in the heart that repents and believes the Gospel. The woman at the well became a messenger of life not by political striving, but by inviting her neighbors, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.” Go and do likewise.
And if you feel your progress is slow, do not lose heart. A tree may withstand many blows, yet one final stroke brings it down, not by that stroke alone, but by all that went before. So it is with the soul that hears the word repeatedly. Even now, I am persuaded that your eager desire for these gifts will bear fruit in due season, if you do not grow weary. Persevere in the assembly, in the prayers, and in works of mercy. Receive the healing medicine of the divine Scriptures, and let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.
