John Chrysostom quotes - page 3

Prayer is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings. (John Chrysostom)
If repentance is neglected for an instant, one can lose the power of the Resurrection as he lives with the weakness of tepidity and the potential of his fall. View quote
John Chrysostom
Dost thou wish to receive mercy? Show mercy to thy neighbor. View quote
John Chrysostom
He loved us when we hated Him, and also continues to love us... And how comes it, some will say, that one who is our Friend threatens hell, and punishment, and vengeance? It is owing to His loving us alone. For all He does and is busied with, is with a view to strike out your wickedness, and to refrain with fear, as with a kind of bridle, your inclinableness to the worse side, and by blessings and by pains recovering you from your downward course, and leading you up to Him, and keeping you from all vice, which is worse than hell. View quote
John Chrysostom
For the Master is gracious and receives the last even as the first; He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first. He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one He gives, and to the other He is gracious. He both honors the work and praises the intention. View quote
John Chrysostom
No matter how just your words may be, when you speak with anger, you ruin all: no matter how boldly you speak, how fairly reprove, or what not. View quote
John Chrysostom
The desire to rule is the mother of heresies. View quote
John Chrysostom
Men have the power of thinking that they may avoid sin. View quote
John Chrysostom
For what advantage is it, that the world enjoys profound peace, if thou art at war with thyself? This then is the peace we should keep. If we have it, nothing from without will be able to harm us. And to this end the public peace contributes no little: whence it is said, ‘That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life.' But if any one is disturbed when there is quiet, he is a miserable creature. Seest thou that He speaks of this peace which I call the third (inner, ed.) kind? Therefore when he has said, ‘that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life,' he does not stop there, but adds ‘in all godliness and honesty.' But we cannot live in godliness and honesty, unless that peace be established. For when curious reasonings disturb our faith, what peace is there? or when spirits of uncleanness, what peace is there? View quote
John Chrysostom
A comprehended god is no god. View quote
John Chrysostom
It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life. (John Chrysostom)
Is it not excessively ridiculous to seek the good opinion of those whom you would never wish to be like? View quote
John Chrysostom
The rich man is not one who is in possession of much, but one who gives much. View quote
John Chrysostom
An insult is either sustained or destroyed, not by the disposition of those who insult, but by the disposition of those who bear it. View quote
John Chrysostom
O most grateful burden, which comforts them that carry it! The burdens of earthly masters gradually wear out the strength of those who carry them; but the burden of Christ assists the bearers of it, because we carry not grace, but grace us. View quote
John Chrysostom
Nothing does so much turn our life upside down, as delay and procrastination in the performance of our good works. Nay, this has often caused us to lose all. View quote
John Chrysostom
Him who is dead and gone honor with remembrance, not with tears. View quote
John Chrysostom
Do you wish to honor the Body of the Savior? Do not despise it when it is naked. Do not honor it in church with silk vestments while outside it is naked and numb with cold. He who said, "This is my body,” and made it so by his word, is the same that said, "You saw me hungry and you gave me no food. As you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me.” Honor him then by sharing your property with the poor. For what God needs is not golden chalices but golden souls. View quote
John Chrysostom
Things themselves do not remain, but their effects do. Therefore we should not be mean and calculating with what we have but give with a generous hand. Look at how much people give to players and dancers-why not give just as much to Christ? View quote
John Chrysostom
Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness. View quote
John Chrysostom
Only those who do not fight are never wounded. (John Chrysostom)
If the Lord should give you power to raise the dead, He would give much less than He does when he bestows suffering. By miracles you would make yourself debtor to Him, while by suffering He may become debtor to you. And even if sufferings had no other reward than being able to bear something for that God who loves you, is not this a great reward and a sufficient remuneration? Whoever loves, understands what I say. View quote
John Chrysostom
Nothing is more powerful than meekness. For as fire is extinguished by water, so a mind inflated by anger is subdued by meekness. By meekness we practice and make known our virtue, and also cause the indignation of our brother to cease, and deliver his mind from perturbation. View quote
John Chrysostom
If you knew how quickly people would forget you after your death, you would not seek in your life to please anyone but God. View quote
John Chrysostom
No one can harm the man who does himself no wrong. View quote
John Chrysostom