Sacred Calendar

Fourth Lesson - St. John Chrysostom on Complicity in Sin

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons of St John Chrysostom, Patriarch [of Constantinople.] (Hom. 25 on the Epistle to the Romans.) Let us not dream that we are ourselves to be held less guilty, when we find that we have not been alone in sin. On the contrary, such fellowship addeth to our punishment. The serpent was more heavily punished than Eve, and Eve than Adam, and Jezebel suffered more than Ahab, who took the vineyard of Naboth. She it had been that planned the whole matter, and opened the way for her husband's crime. Even so thou also, who shalt have caused another's perdition, shalt suffer more grievously than shall they, whom thou hast ruined. Since, for a man to commit sin himself is less wicked than to lead others into sin.

Fifth Lesson - St. John Chrysostom on the Judgment of God

If, therefore, we should see others sinning, let us not only not help them, but let us do what in us lieth to draw them out of the bottomless pit of destruction, lest we should suffer as accomplices in their trespass. Let our memory never forget that right awful judgment-seat, the river of fire, the chains that can never be unlocked, the darkness that cannot be pierced, the sound of teeth gnashing, the deadly worm. But thou sayest: God is good. Are then all these things but idle words? Is there no punishment for the rich man which giveth no heed to Lazarus? (Luke xvi. 20-26.) Doth the bridegroom open to the foolish virgins the door of the marriage-chamber? (Matth. xxv. 1-12.) They that have denied to Christ the necessaries of life, are they not to depart from Him into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels? (Matth. xxv. 41-46.) The man that cometh in to the marriage-supper, not having a wedding garment, shall he, or shall he not, be bound hand and foot, and taken away, and cast into outer darkness? (Matth. xxii. 11-13.) The servant that hath no compassion on his fellow-servant, which oweth him an hundred pence, shall he, or shall he not, be delivered to the tormentors? (Matth. xviii. 23-35.) It is said, concerning such as commit adultery, that their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched? (Mark ix. 44.) Is that not true?

Sixth Lesson - Conclusion of St. John Chrysostom's Sermon

But these are perhaps only threats on God's part? No doubt, quoth thou. I ask thee: How darest thou say such a thing out loud, and deliver this judgment from thine own imagining? For sooth, I can prove to thee, from the things which God hath done, that thou art wrong. If thou wilt not believe for things to come, at least believe for things past. Of them at least it cannot be said that they are nought but threats and mere words, for they have happened, and actually been realised in fact. Who was He which brought in a great flood, until the whole land was standing water, and our whole race perished, save eight persons? Who was He which rained upon Sodom brimstone and fire out of heaven? (Gen. xix. 24.) Who was He which overthrew all the host of Egypt in the Red Sea? (Ex. xiv. 27.) Who was He which sent out a fire and consumed them that were of the faction of Abiram? (Num. xvi. 35.) Who was He which sent a pestilence upon Israel, because David had sinned, and, from the morning even to the time appointed, there died of the people seventy thousand men? (2 Kings xxiv.) Was it not God, and none other, Which brought upon them all these things, and more also.