On Palm Sunday (St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

On Palm Sunday

By the Holy Hieromartyr Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Smyrna

“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel” (John 12:13).

Truly a royal feast do we celebrate today; a royal visitation do we receive, and all things must be prepared in a royal manner, for where there is the presence of a king, there also preparation, order, and reception must be worthy both of the greatness of the feast and of the high dignity of the royal visitor.

To such a magnificent — indeed, one might say, God-fitting — preparation and reception, we are called from the depths of the ages by the ancient voices of the Prophets, which are also repeated by the innocent children, who, holding palm branches in their hands, today receive the coming King of the New Jerusalem, crying aloud and saying: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; proclaim, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your King comes, meek and bringing salvation.” And, raising their voices still more, they cry out: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.”

The Prophets call us to see what they desired to see and did not see, to hear what they longed to hear and did not hear — to behold that salvation and grace have appeared, that the King has come, and that the Conqueror of death is present.

On the Second Coming of the Lord (St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

On the Second Coming of the Lord

By the Holy Hieromartyr Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Smyrna

The discourse concerns the Second Coming of the Lord.

But does the Second Coming of the Lord truly exist?

Is there immortality and a life everlasting to come?

Is there a future judgment?

Is there recompense after death?

Or do all things cease at the grave in this present life, and is the grave the final end — where together with the body life itself is buried and forever extinguished — and beyond the grave there exists nothing but the void?

This question is among the most serious of all and bears the highest importance for every earthly human being.

Homily on the Burial of Jesus and the Courage of Joseph (St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

The Burial of Jesus and the Courage of Joseph

By the Holy Hieromartyr Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Smyrna

The death and burial of the Lord are very important events in Christianity; and they are so because they are the basis and foundation of the Resurrection of the Lord, which in turn is the basis and foundation of our entire Faith, for if Christ did not die, our faith is futile and vain (1 Corinthians 15:17).

The hopes of all Christians depend on the event of the Death and the event of the Resurrection of the Lord, both in the present and in eternity.

This is the rock on which Christianity, the foundation of the whole world, rests. The Resurrection and the events that took place on that beautiful morning and after it have been spoken of eloquently, and the discourse today deals with those fearful events that occurred at the burial, from which the reality of the Lord's death is believed, and this is placed above all discussion, truly causing astonishment in our fearful soul.

The Ascension of Christ (St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

The Ascension of Christ

By St. Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Smyrna

"Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He was blessing them, He withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven" (Luke 24:50-51).

The great and high mystery, which is hidden on the Fortieth day of Pascha, Thursday, in celebrating the festival of the Lord's Ascension to the heavens as a great and glorious day, is enclosed in the few but profound meanings and high teachings included in these final words, with which the Evangelist Luke closes his sacred Gospel: "Then he led them out as far as Bethany" etc.

According to these words, the last act on earth of our God-man Redeemer was to collect His disciples from Jerusalem, bring them out far from the Christ-killing city of Jerusalem, to lead them to the grace-filled Mount of Olives, and there, where the immaculate feet of the Most High touched the earth, He extended and stretched forth His hands to the length and height of the Apostles and gave them His great despotic blessing.

On the Beauty of the Feast of the Annunciation (St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

 

By St. Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Smyrna

"Rejoice, you who are full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!... for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus" (Lk. 1:28, 31).

Though few, these words of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary are radiant and immortal, proclaiming the whole lofty and wonderful mystery, which is hidden beneath the present feast, which with great joy and gladness the Orthodox Christian world celebrates today.

These words contain the radiant and joyful announcement of the highest and most wonderous event, which has ever happened in the world since the world came into existence.

This event of the Annunciation is in the religious and moral world the center of a certain spiritual gravity for all creation; all the great world-historical events before it were nothing but a preparation for it, and all the subsequent global changes in the universe were nothing but the result of this. And for this reason, celebrating today this greatest and most wonderful historical event of the Annunciation, which is the radiant prelude of salvation and joy and happiness for the whole human race, let us study it at the same time with respect and admiration, mixed with affection and deep gratitude. And for this let us turn our thoughts backwards; let us return mentally and come to the first March 25th, which is nine months before the beginning of the new chronology from when Christ dawned upon earth. Let us go to Nazareth, and see what this saying is, because the Angel is evangelizing.

Homily on Holy Theophany (St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

Theophany in Smyrna in 1922 with Metropolitan Chrysostomos

 

By St. Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Smyrna (+ 1922) 

 

"When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'” (Matthew 3:16-17).

Bright and glorious, pious and beloved Sacred Polycarp readers, was the past celebration of the Nativity of the Lord; however, brighter and more glorious, is the present day of Theophany.

Then, when Jesus was born, the heavens cracked and opened and revealed all their divine majesty and joy; and then there was a star, leading the magi from the East "and stood over where the Child was;" and then an angel appeared to the shepherds, he said to them: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, for unto you is born this day a Savior." An angelic choir, "a multitude of heavenly hosts," emerging from the heavens, glorified our God-man, our Redeemer, chanting "Glory to God in the Highest, and on the earth peace among those whom He is pleased."

On the Sunday After the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross (Metr. Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

 By Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Smyrna

(Published on September 17, 1911)

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." (Mark 8:34-38; 9:1)