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Date:         Fri, 28 Aug 1992 14:44:00 -0400
From:         Lora Harris <LHARRIS@UPEI.CA>
Subject:      A late reading for 24 August.

A reading for August 24 on St. Bartholemew the Apostle.

A reading from the homilies of St John Crysostom on the first letter
to the Corinthians (Hom4,3.4)

"It was through the agency of uneducated men that the cross brought
conviction, and drew the whole world to itself.  Not by their preach-
ing on matters of no importance, but by their discourses on GOd and on
the true religion, on the way of life which accords with the gospel,
and on the judgement to come.  It turned peasants and unlettered men
into philosophers.  See how the folly of God is wiser than men, and
his weakness stronger.  How is it stronger?  In that it overran the
whole world, and gripped all men, and although countless people were
trying to obliterate the name of the Crucified, the contrary happened.
It flowered and grew larger, but they perished and withered, and the
living who were fighting against him who had died did not prevail.
And so when the Greek says that I am foolish, then he shows himself
foolish beyond measure: he reckons me a fool - but I am clearly wiser
than the wise; when he calls me weak, then he shows himself weaker.
What tax-gatherers and fishermen had strength to achieve by the grace
of God, that neither kings nor orators nor philosophers, not, in a
word, the whole world searching in all directions, could even imagine.

        Reflecting on this Paul said: 'The weakness of GOD is stronger
than all men.'  It is clear from this too that the gospel is divine.
For whence did it strike twelve unlettered men to attempt such great
enterprises, men who were living in marshes, or rivers, in desert
places, who had never perhaps gone into a city or the public square?
Whence did it strike them to array themselves against the whole world?
That they were cowardly and unmanly, he who has written about them
shows, inasmuch as he does not even deprecate nor try to gloss over
their failings.  This in itself is a powerful proof of the truth.
What then does this man say about them?  That after the innumerable
miracles they had seen Christ work, when he was taken prisoner some
fled, while the one who remained, although he ws head over the rest,
denied him.

        Here were men who failed to stand up to the Jews when CHrist
was alive.  Yet when he died and was buried they arrayed themselves
against the whole world.  How came this if as you say Christ had not
risen from the dead, conversed with them and put heart into them?
Would they not have said to themselves: What is this?  He had not the
strength to save himself, will he protect us?  He did not defend him-
self when he was alive; will he reach out his hand to help us now that
he is dead?  When he was alive he did not conquer a single nation -
shall we convince the whole world by speaking his name?  Would it not
have been folly even to conceive of such things let alone to do them?
Hence it is clear that, if they had not seen him risen and received
this mighty proof of his power, they would never have risked such a
gamble."


From: "From the Fathers to the Churches: Daily Spiritual Readings "
      Editor, Brother Kenneth CGA
      Collins Liturgical Publications, Icehouse One - 401
      151 Union Street, San Francisco, CA 94111-1299
      copyright 1983 William Collins and Sons Ltd.
      ISBN 0-00-599749-6
      BV30.F76 1987 242'2 87-15090
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