Chrysostom
Beloved of All
The fear she carries is not from God, but from the memory of old sins and the whispers of men. Yet consider this: if the living God has received her, who is man to cast her out? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God while still in rebellion, but for one who has fled to Him in repentance, those same hands become a fortress and a refuge. She has come to the Judge and found mercy, not condemnation. So let her not tremble before the faces of neighbors, for their judgment is a fleeting shadow. What does it profit if every tongue in the street speaks peace, yet the soul stands naked before the throne? But now her peace is made with the King of all, and that peace no man can take away.
Pray then with boldness, not merely that her fears dissolve, but that her heart rests entirely on the mercy shown her. Remind her that the past is drowned in the abyss of God’s forgetfulness when confession is made. The neighborhood’s memory may linger, but it is a small thing compared to the unquenchable fire she has escaped. Let her say with patience: “I was lost, but now am found; I caused grief, but now by my changed life I bring honor to the One who saved me.” A quiet and gentle spirit will disarm far more than many words. Do not let her fear the sting of their tongues, for the Lord is her shield. He who stilled the tempest with a word will calm this anxiety. Pray together, and when you kneel, ask not for a life without trials but for boldness on that great day, and for a clear conscience now. That is the anchor that holds fast in every storm.
Pray then with boldness, not merely that her fears dissolve, but that her heart rests entirely on the mercy shown her. Remind her that the past is drowned in the abyss of God’s forgetfulness when confession is made. The neighborhood’s memory may linger, but it is a small thing compared to the unquenchable fire she has escaped. Let her say with patience: “I was lost, but now am found; I caused grief, but now by my changed life I bring honor to the One who saved me.” A quiet and gentle spirit will disarm far more than many words. Do not let her fear the sting of their tongues, for the Lord is her shield. He who stilled the tempest with a word will calm this anxiety. Pray together, and when you kneel, ask not for a life without trials but for boldness on that great day, and for a clear conscience now. That is the anchor that holds fast in every storm.
