What is it to be a fool for Christ? It is to control one's thoughts when they stray out of line. It is to make the mind empty and free. Saint John Chrysostom More Quotes by Saint John Chrysostom More Quotes From Saint John Chrysostom Paul commands: 'Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the Traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.' From this it is clear that they did not hand down everything by letter, but there is much also that was not written. Like that which was written, the unwritten too is worthy of belief. So let us regard the Tradition of the Church also as worthy of belief. Is it a Tradition? Seek no further. Saint John Chrysostom church letters hands Many can give money to those in need, but to personally serve the needy readily, out of love, and in a fraternal spirit, requires a truly great soul. Saint John Chrysostom soul giving needs As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy consume a man. Saint John Chrysostom gratitude inspirational men For Christians above all men are forbidden to correct the stumblings of sinners by force...it is necessary to make a man better not by force but by persuasion. We neither have authority granted us by law to restrain sinners, nor, if it were, should we know how to use it, since God gives the crown to those who are kept from evil, not by force, but by choice. Saint John Chrysostom christian law men You can set up an altar to God in your minds by means of prayer. And so it is fitting to pray at your trade, on a journey, standing at a counter or sitting at your handicraft. Saint John Chrysostom journey prayer mean Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved. Saint John Chrysostom virtue mercy christianity Nothing will divide the church so much as the love of power. Saint John Chrysostom divides church Therefore, not only are their passions satanic, but their lives are diabolic. So I say to you that these are even worse than murderers, and that it would be better to die than to live in such dishonor. A murderer only separates the soul from the body, whereas these destroy the soul inside the body..... There is nothing, absolutely nothing more mad or damaging than this perversity. Saint John Chrysostom mad passion soul What greater work is there than training the mind and forming the habits of the young? Saint John Chrysostom training mind education Mercy imitates God and disappoints Satan. Saint John Chrysostom disappoint satan mercy What is dying? Just what it is to put off a garment. For the body is about the soul as a garment; and after laying this aside for a short time by means of death, we shall resume it again with more splendor. Saint John Chrysostom dying soul mean The primary goal in the education of children is to teach, and to give the example of, a virtuous life. Saint John Chrysostom goal giving children Every family should have a room where Christ is welcome in the person of the hungry and thirsty stranger. Saint John Chrysostom saint should-have rooms Is it not excessively ridiculous to seek the good opinion of those whom you would never wish to be like? Saint John Chrysostom ridiculous opinion wish No one has ever been accused for not providing ornaments, but for those who neglect their neighbour a hell awaits with an inextinguishable fire and torment in the company of the demons. Do not, therefore, adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother, for he is the most precious temple of all. Saint John Chrysostom church brother fire You see how many are the benefits of baptism, and some think its heavenly grace consists only in the remission of sins, but we have enumerated ten honors [it bestows]! For this reason we baptize even infants, though they are not defiled by [personal] sins, so that there may be given to them holiness, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood with Christ, and that they may be his [Christ's] members Saint John Chrysostom adoption grace thinking Laughter has been implanted in our soul, that the soul may sometime be refreshed. Saint John Chrysostom laughter soul may Of all the afflictions that burden the human race, there is not one, whether spiritual or bodily, that cannot be healed by the Holy Scriptures. Saint John Chrysostom spiritual christian inspirational A friend is more to be longed for than the light; I speak of a genuine one. And wonder not: for it were better for us that the sun should be extinguished, than that we should be deprived of friends; better to live in darkness, than to be without friends Saint John Chrysostom light darkness sun The test of sincerity of one's prayer is the willingness to labor on its behalf. Saint John Chrysostom sincerity tests prayer