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Date:         Mon, 31 Aug 1992 09:46:00 -0400
From:         Lora Harris <LHARRIS@UPEI.CA>
Subject:      A reading for the 11th Sunday after Trinity

For the 11th Sunday after Trinity:   A reading from the homilies of St. John
Crysostom on the Acts of  the Apostles ( Hom 20,4)


        Nothing is colder than a Christian who does not care for the
salvation of others.

        You cannot plead poverty here; for the poor widow who put in
two copper coins will be your accuser.  Moreover, Peter said, 'Silver
and gold have I none,' and Paul was so poor that he often went hungry
and lacked necessary food.

        You cannot plead lowliness of birth; for the apostles also
were lowly men and of humble parents.  You cannot allege want of
education; for they too were unlearned men.  You cannot plead infirmity,
for Timothy was of delicate health and was frequently ill.

        Everyone can be of profit to his neighbour, if he will fulfil
his role.

        Look at the trees of the forest: how strong they are, how
beautiful, how large also, and smooth, and of great height, but they
do not bear fruit.  If we had a garden, we should much rather have
pomegranates or fruitful olive trees.  The others are for the delight
of the eye, not for profit, which in their case is very small.

        Men who are interested only in themselves are like the forest
trees, or rather they are not even so good.  In fact they are only fit
for the fire, while the forest timber can be used for building houses
and palisades.  Such are the foolish virgins of the parable, chaste
indeed and decent and modest, but as they are no profit to anyone they
are rejected.  Such are they who do not nourish Christ.

        Observe that none of these are charged with particular sins
of their own, with fornication, for instance, or with perjury; in
short, with no sin but not being use to another.  Such was the man who
buried his talent, showing indeed a blameless life, but not being
useful to others.

        How can such a one be Christian?  If yeast when mixed with the
flour did not raise the whole batch, would it be yeast at all?  Again,
if a perfume could not be perceived by those around, could it in any
sense be called a perfume?

        Do not say, 'It is impossible for me to induce others to
become Christians,' for if you were really a Christian, it would be
impossible for you not to do so.  As all nature acts in accordance
with its own properties, so in this case too; this is a part of the
very nature of being Christian.

        Do not insult God.  To say that the sun cannot shine would be
to insult him; to say that being a Christian is useless is to insult
GOd and call him a liar.  It is easier for the sun not to give heat,
not to shine,, than for the Christian not to send forth light; it is
easier for the light to be darkness than for this to be so.

        Do not tell me that it is impossible.  Do not insult God.  If
we once get our own affairs right, the other will certainly follow as
a natural and necessary consequence.  It is not possible for the
light of a Christian to be hid; it is not possible for a lamp so
conspicuous as that to be concealed.


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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