June 1
(A Homily of Saint John Chrysostom on How One Ought to Honor a Priest)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
In parishes where there are many schismatics among the Orthodox, the schismatics usually do everything possible to separate the Orthodox from the Orthodox Church. To accomplish this, they stir them up against the priests. As soon as they notice the slightest fault in an Orthodox shepherd, they immediately begin proclaiming it everywhere: "Look at the kind of shepherd you have! See what he does and how he lives! How can anyone listen to such a man? How can anyone go to him for confession?" and so on. And simple-minded Orthodox Christians often yield to these evil suggestions against their spiritual fathers, abandon them, flee from the Church, and, becoming schismatics themselves, become slanderers of Christ's priests. Therefore, in order to stop the mouths of these malicious accusers, and to remove you, brethren, from their slanderous suggestions and calumnies against the shepherd, we present to you the following teaching of Saint John Chrysostom concerning how one ought to honor a priest.
"If a priest," says Saint Chrysostom, "teaches correctly, do not look at his life, but listen to his teaching. And do not say: 'Why does he teach me when he himself does not do what he teaches?' It is his duty to teach everyone, and if he fails to practice what he teaches, he will be judged by the Lord for that. But if you refuse to listen to him, you too will be condemned, for the Lord says: 'He who hears you hears Me; and he who rejects you rejects Me.' And again: 'He who reviles you reviles Me.' It is not the business of sheep, brethren, to revile the shepherd. He offers the divine service every day for you and for your brethren. Morning and evening, both in the church and outside it, he prays to God for you. Reflect upon all this and honor him as a father. You may say: 'But he is sinful and wicked.' What concern is that of yours? Even if a good man prays for you, what benefit is there for you if you are faithless? But if you are faithful, his unworthiness will not harm you in the least. Grace is given by God. The priest merely opens his mouth, but God accomplishes everything."
Is it not clear from this, brethren, that God works through all priests, even if they may be unworthy? Consider: Who saves us — the priest or God? Who grants us grace in the Holy Mysteries? Who receives our prayers in church? Whose word does the priest read or preach in the temple? Obviously it is God's word. And it is equally obvious that our salvation is in the hand of the Lord, not in the hand of the priest. Moreover, if you truly wish to be saved through a priest, then seek a sinless priest. But will you find such a one? Alas, we are all sinners, from the first to the last. For: "No one is free from defilement, even if his life on earth has lasted but a single day."
Therefore, rather than criticizing priests, whatever they may be like; rather than fleeing from priests and thereby fleeing from the Church through them — is it not better to flee from those who slander them? As long as you remain in the Church, then even with a sinful priest you can always be saved, if you truly desire it. But with those who slander the priests, outside the Church, you will always perish. For no matter how holy they may appear to you, never forget that they possess neither the Church nor the Holy Mysteries, and consequently they do not possess the grace of God. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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