Prologue in Sermons: November 1

What Wives Should Do During an Illness in Order To Recover From It

November 1*

(From the Life of Saint John Chrysostom)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

When any of you Christian women are afflicted with some illness, what should you do to recover from it? We don't know how you will answer our question. But we, for our part, advise you to do the following during illnesses to recover from them: first, cast malice from your hearts; second, give alms to the poor; third, pray fervently; and fourth, finally, promise God to always maintain abstinence and purity during feasts and fasts. Hearing this, you will undoubtedly ask: How is it clear that this is how, and not otherwise, one should act during illnesses to recover from them? We will answer this with the following incident, which occurred during the life of Saint John Chrysostom.

A woman named Christina, who had been suffering for some time from a woman's ailment, begged her husband to take her to the monastery where Saint Chrysostom lived, believing he would heal her. The husband fulfilled his wife's request, brought her to the monastery, and, leaving her before the holy gates, went to Saint Chrysostom himself and begged him to heal the sick woman. In response to the husband's request, Saint Chrysostom said: "Go and tell your wife to abandon her evil nature and cruelty; to give alms to the poor; to pray fervently, and finally, to keep herself in abstinence and fasting on feasts and fasts, and then God will grant her healing." The husband went out and relayed Saint Chrysostom's words to his wife. She said: "I will keep everything you have commanded until my last breath." The husband, after this, returned to the Saint and reported his wife's promise to Saint Chrysostom. To this, Saint Chrysostom said, "Go in peace; God has already healed your wife." And indeed, the husband again went to his wife and found her healthy. Both returned home joyfully, glorifying God.

Thus, as you see, Christian women, it was not without reason that we advised you, in times of illness, to be healed by casting malice from your hearts, giving alms to the poor, praying fervently, and preserving yourselves in abstinence and purity during feasts and fasts. It was enough for the sick woman to promise to fulfill all this, and she was restored to health. Therefore, during times of illness, adhere to our advice, and especially to the command of Saint Chrysostom. And then the merciful Lord, seeing your sincere intention to improve your lives, your sincere repentance, your fervent prayers, and your alms, will show you His mercy and raise you from the bed of illness and sorrow. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

Notes:

* In the original text, there is no entry for November 1st. There this is the second entry for November 13th.