Leaves from St. John ChrysostomJohn Chrysostom, Saint
Religion
Leaves from St. John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom, Saint
Christian literature, Early; John Chrysostom, Saint, -407
what your anger is against the traitor, and those who crucified Him, and
see if you are not yourself guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ. They
slaughtered the all-holy Body, and you receive it with a foul soul after
so many loving benefits. He deemed it not sufficient to become man, to
be scourged, and put to death, He also blends Himself with us, not by
faith only, but in very deed makes us His Body. What, then, should be
the purity of him who partakes of this sacrifice? How spotlessly white
should not the hand be which divides this Flesh, or the mouth which is
filled with spiritual fire, or the tongue which is purpled with that
tremendous Blood? Consider what honour has been shown to you, and what
that feast is which you enjoy. The angels gaze and tremble, and dare not
look back again, because of the lightning which flashes from it; and
this is what we feed upon, this is blended with us, and we ourselves
become one body and one flesh with Christ. _Who shall declare the powers
of the Lord? Who shall set forth all His praises?_ Where is the shepherd
who feeds his sheep with his own members? And why do I talk of a
shepherd? There are many mothers who, after the pains of childbirth,
give up their children to be nursed by others. This He would not suffer,
but He Himself feeds us with His own Blood, and in everything unites us
to Himself. For consider: He was born of our substance. ‘Not for all
men,’ you say. Yes, for all. For, if He came to our nature, it is
evident that He came to all, and if He came to all, then He came to each
one of us. And why is it, you ask, that all men have not profited by
this gift? This was not the fault of Him Who took that nature for all,
but of those who had not the will. He unites Himself to each one of the
faithful, through the mysteries, and those whom He brought forth He
rears through Himself, and gives Himself to no other, persuading you
again thereby that it was that very flesh of yours which He took.
Therefore, let us not grow negligent who have been made worthy of so
great charity and honour. Do you not see how eagerly babies grasp their
mother’s breast, and how they press their lips upon it. Just so let _us_
approach this table and the breast of spiritual drink; or rather, with
much more impatience, let us draw near to the kindness of the Spirit, as
children to their mother’s breast, and let us know one only pain, that
of not participating in this food. That which lies before us is no work
of human power. He Who did these things at that supper is He Who is now
doing them. Our part is to furnish the ranks of servers. He Who
sanctifies and prepares these gifts is Himself. Therefore let there be
no Judas, no money-lover. If a man be not a disciple, let him withdraw:
this table is not prepared for such as he. _I will eat the Pasch_, He
says, _with My disciples_. This is that same table, and it offers no
less. It was not that Christ instituted the one and a man the other, but
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