Homily 46 #
On the Same Day [Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent], a Teaching of St. John Chrysostom on the Christian Life
Hear me, then, brethren. Many are called Christians, yet only in name—they are Christians in word, but in their habits and deeds, they behave like unbelievers, imitating the customs of the pagans. For the prophecy has indeed come to pass upon us. How is it that believers are accustomed to blasphemy, lewd speech, and mockery—on the streets and at feasts—and in the cities: sorcery, witchcraft, eating of blood and strangled things, and many other acts which are not fitting for us Christians to commit?
How then do you dare to partake of the Holy Mysteries? You have become worse than the pagans, practicing abominable things—dancing, clapping hands at feasts, singing the devil’s songs; drunkenness, fornication, anger, envy, and many other shameful deeds you commit. How can you be called believers when you behave worse than the unbelievers?
O brethren, if you are truly faithful, do not associate with those who break God’s commandments. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, says plainly that with such a one no not to eat (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:11), so that you do not become partakers with them. Many are those who teach evil, and they increase ever more. Beware, then, for the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16), and the time is drawing near when the Master will gather His servants.
Do not be surprised if even shepherds become wolves. For the Apostle Paul said this to the bishops: also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them (Acts 20:30). And the Lord Himself said, Take heed that no man deceive you (Matthew 24:4), and follow not that which is evil (3 John 1:11).
Many appear to be believers but do not know what Christianity is, nor how to live according to the faith and the commandments. I see not only the young acting senselessly, but even the elderly, which grieves me greatly. When I see in the streets and at gatherings a man with gray hair, seemingly honorable, speaking wicked and unseemly things—or dragging his children with him to public spectacles and drunken feasts—I ask: what ruin are you working upon your own soul?
It is vile and evil when a father leads his own children into perdition. Christians ought to raise their children in the law of God and for the salvation of their souls—not to destruction. And if one were to ask those shameless people, “How did the apostles and prophets live, and what did they do?”—they would not know and could not answer. But if the question were about horses or birds or something else worldly, they would make themselves out to be philosophers and clever men.
They say, “There is no harm in jesting.” O man, God has given you time in this life so that you might do His will and please Him by working righteousness. But you have given yourself over to drunkenness, fornication, and all the things which are hateful to God.
O believers, the Lord shall say to you: “Why have ye spent your time in vanity, and not hearkened unto My teaching?” Is this not your custom? When the word of teaching is prolonged, many act as though they are suffering through some affliction. Yet if they are in the streets, or at feasts, or at the games, they remain even past midday—and if at drinking parties, they stay up into the night, working ruinous deeds.
How can you call yourselves Christians while doing these things? You are worse than the pagans. These are the works of Satan—for it was he who taught men to perform spectacles, jesting, blasphemies, to become fools and clowns, that through these wicked deeds and the people watching them, he might bring many to destruction.
And do not those who watch such things become like those who perform them? If a jester utters something obscene, the crowd laughs all the more. Instead of driving out the blasphemer with blows, they admire him, marvel at him, and learn his evil speech. Some even pay money to such entertainers, adding fire to their own heads by doing so.
If no one watched or admired them, then they would abandon their shameful games and words. But not only do people watch, they even begin to imitate the godless words. And when they gather for a feast or elsewhere, what should Christians speak of? Of prophecy, and of the teachings of the holy and God-bearing fathers. But instead, they say things like: “That jester once said this, or that comedian once said that,” and in doing so, they prepare for themselves many paths leading to eternal torment.
This is not Christian, but pagan behavior—if we take part in games, idle chatter, blasphemy, evil laughter, drunkenness, fornication, and all other kinds of wickedness and injustice. These are the works of those who please the devil, who have no expectation of future blessings or hope for eternal life.
Therefore, brethren, let us be diligent not to commit such evils, that we be not condemned with the demons to the unquenchable fire.
To our God be the glory.