St. John Chrysostom | His Wisdom in Ten Quotations

Saint John Chrysostom, a brilliant theologian and powerful orator, was born in Antioch about 347 A.D. His eloquence earned him the surname of Chrysostom, or golden mouthed. With St. Athanasius, St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Basil, he is one of four great doctors of the Eastern Church. As Archbishop of Constantinople, his courageous stance in defense of the Faith caused him to be exiled several times. The quotations below evidence his great knowledge of the ways of God.

The love of husband and wife is the force that welds society together.

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No matter how just your words may be, you ruin everything when you speak with anger.

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There is nothing colder than a Christian who does not seek to save others.

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The rich man is not one who is in possession of much, but one who gives much.

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To destroy the fetus 'is something worse than murder.' The one who does this 'does not take away life that has already been born, but prevents it from being born.'

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The Eucharist is a fire that inflames us, that, like lions breathing fire, we may retire from the altar being made terrible to the devil.

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We must not mind insulting men, if by respecting them we offend God.

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Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts

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Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

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This is the rule of most perfect Christianity, its most exact definition, its highest point, namely, the seeking of the common good ... for nothing can so make a person an imitator of Christ as caring for neighbors.

St. John Chrysostom, help us to please God in our words and our deeds.