By Fr. George Dorbarakis
One cannot fail to emphasize, when speaking of the Great Father and Ecumenical Teacher, Saint John Chrysostom, his preaching on repentance, which constitutes one of his most beloved themes – we recall that he wrote nine major homilies on this subject, without even mentioning others in which he also addresses it – so that he is called, among other things, the “preacher of repentance.” The Holy Hymnographers of his Service, Theophanes and Joseph, repeatedly refer to it, as does the liturgical office of the Saint on November 13, the day of his glorious memory, during which we again spoke of the repentance he preached, of his similarity to the Prophets of the Old Testament, and of his connection with Saint John the Forerunner, the first preacher of repentance on the soil of the New Testament. For this reason, we are obliged to consider it even briefly, given that, as we said, the hymnographers Theophanes and Joseph often refer to it. Indeed, the verse of the kontakion reminds us of repentance in a twofold way, since the poet both asks the Saint to guide him on the path of repentance, because he, deficient in virtue, dared to stand before the Saint’s relics, and also because the Saint is eminently qualified to become his guide in this, since this was primarily what he preached.
“The lamp of my deeds has almost gone out, John Chrysostom, and I shrink from approaching your sacred shrine; but guide me yourself, and straighten my paths, granting me time for repentance, All Holy One, for you are its inspired preacher, and calm the dizziness of my manifold passions.”
The hymns of our Church, therefore, come again on the occasion of the translation of his sacred relic to remind us that the Saint preaches to the faithful that repentance which, presupposing God’s boundless love for them, becomes their greatest comfort – the repentance that “wipes away the moisture of terrible despair and cools the hearts scorched by sins.”
“Let us worthily honor John the Golden-Worded, preacher of repentance, the all-golden sponge that wipes away the moisture of terrible despair and cools the hearts scorched by sins.”
It should be noted: the Saint does not excuse sins nor minimize their harmful consequences on the human psychosomatic constitution. How could he, after all, have done so, he who was “the good shepherd and disciple of Christ, the Chief Shepherd,” that is, the one who emphasized that “through sin comes death” and that “no one can serve two masters”?
What he does emphasize and tirelessly preach is that one may have sinned with many and great sins, yet these sins cannot be considered equal to the love of God. Nothing compares to it, for selfless love, God Himself, loved us so much that He suffered and sacrificed for us humans, granting us forgiveness. It is sufficient, of course, that we also desire this forgiveness, that is, that we repent. For all of God’s offering is infinite and eternal, yet remains inactive without our own will. This is precisely what Saint Chrysostom emphasized in life, and what he continues to preach after death, thus becoming humanity’s greatest comforter.
Saint Theophanes points this out with great clarity: “Though you are dead in the tomb, yet living in the world, Chrysostom, you preach repentance and grant forgiveness, warmly assuring those who repent.”
Both Hymnographers insist on what today’s feast essentially highlights: his vitality even after death. It is not only the above troparion that affirms this truth, but their entire hymnography follows this line, as also evident from the synaxarion. For example:
“Though dead, Chrysostom clearly taught the kings that he did not suffer corruption; for having disobeyed their first command to bring his relics to Constantinople, he returned at their second entreaty.”
Once again, today our Church proclaims Christ’s victory over death. Christ triumphed; therefore, every human being, especially the faithful, participates in this victory. Death is considered, after Christ’s coming, a mere episode in human life. Essentially, it no longer exists. And the holy relics in our Church are a powerful cry of this truth, which the faithful experience and rejoice in, particularly on feast days of the translation of relics, such as that of Saint Chrysostom today.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
