His Ordination

So then! The things that have happened to us – are they true? Have these things really occurred? Or is it all an illusion?

Sermons from the Life of St John Chrysostom, Translation and Introduction by David C. Ford

This book contains nine homilies that were all preached at key moments in John’s life – beginning with this one, upon his ordination in 386 and culminating with one in Constantinople after his very brief exile. An elder in Russia, Hierodeacon Benedict, at the end of the Soviet era offered:

“He who wants to cleanse his mind from the poison of misunderstandings should read all ten volumes of St. John Chrysostom.”

I don’t know about ten volumes, but this is now my second book of sermons of his.

Shortly after his ordination as priest, Archbishop Flavian made him the principal preacher at the Great Church of Antioch. John would hold this position for twelve years. As will be seen in this sermon, John held his archbishop in very high regard.

John opens the sermon humbly, as can be seen in the opening quote. He refers to himself as a lad of no high regard. Don’t expect to hear something noble, he warns his listeners. Further, he announces that he was violently and tyrannically compelled to take this position! It should be noted, he was asked earlier to be ordained, as priest, but he refused; he saw this role as the most important position in the church, and he did not feel prepared for it.

As he is speaking for the first time at the church, he considers his first words as the firstfruits given to God. He notes that words are seen as the highest gift one an offer to God:

Psalm 69: 30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.

But it isn’t just the words that need to be godly; the same goes for the soul offering the words. We see many examples of this in the heavens: the archangels, the cherubim and seraphim, the angels – all giving glory to God with their words. There are no sinners here.

Yet we are sinners. So, what of us? What of our words? For us, we can praise our like-minded servants, and in doing so, the glory redounds entirely to the Master!

Matthew 5: 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

And in this way, John praises his like-minded servant. Do not focus on me – John. Consider the Archbishop Flavian. We see a vast ocean of his good works. More than this: we see self-control, moderation in all things, how he despises luxury despite being born into it. Wealth makes it difficult to attain heaven, but we see in Flavian one who has overcome. He guides the entire populace there.

Conclusion

So, to cleanse my mind through the preaching of John….

He is offered a position to lead, first rejecting it then finally accepting it. He does so humbly, honoring the one to whom he owes this position. He recognizes that both he and his archbishops are servants of the Lord, yet John is also servant to Flavian.

John, now the primary preacher in the main Church of the first Christian city – Antioch. He could have been prideful about this; instead, he recognizes from where he came and to whom he owes this honor.

Think of all of the so-called self-made men of today. How many of these will be remembered 1700 years from now as we remember John Chrysostom. And this might never have been the case if not for his Archbishop Flavian.