27th January, St John Chrysostom, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church

St John Chrysostom, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church

St. John Chrysostom, born at Antioch towards 347, was a great genius and his powerful eloquence earned for him the surname of Chrysostom, or golden mouthed. The people of Constantinople, eager to hear him, crowded his cathedral.

He ardently loved St. Paul, of whom he would say: "The heart of Paul is the heart of Christ." He also passionately loved Christ, and like the great Apostle he suffered everything rather than allow His divine rights to be impaired.

With St. Athanasius, St. Gregory of Nazianzen and St. Basil, he forms the group of the four great doctors of the Eastern Church (Introit). Anointed archbishop of the imperial city, he always distributed to those whose father he had become the bread of the word and of grace (Communion).
His courage in branding vice, "in correcting in season and out of season " (Epistle), in order always to be the salt of wisdom which preserves souls from corruption (Gospel) caused him to be exiled and ill-treated in all manner of ways (Alleluia). He died a victim of those sufferings, at Comana in Pontus on September 14, 407. January 27 is the anniversary of the translation of his relics under Theodore II in 438.

Let us love to hear the divine word, and let us keep it in our hearts so that our lives reflect the life of God.

In medio Ecclesiae aperuit os ejus: et implevit eum Dominus spiritu sapientiae et intellectus: stolam gloriae induit eum. * Bonum est confiteri Domino: et psallere nomini tuo, Altissime.

In the midst of the Church the Lord opened his mouth: and He filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding: He clothed him with a robe of glory. * It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to Thy name, O most High.

(Ecclesiasticus 15:5 and Psalm 91:2 from the Introit of Mass)
 

Ecclesiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, gratia caelestis amplificet: quam beati Joannis Chrysostomi Confessoris tui atque Pontificis illustrare voluisti gloriosis meritis et doctrinis. 

We beseech Thee, O Lord, that heavenly grace may give increase to Thy Church, which Thou wert pleased to make illustrious by the glorious merits and teaching of blessed John Chrysostom Thy confessor and bishop.

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08452b.htm