Instructions to
Catechumens
By St. John Chrysostom
3. In order, therefore,
that we return not to our former vomit, let us henceforward discipline
ourselves. For that we must repent beforehand, and desist from our
former evil, and so come forward for grace, hear what John says, and
what the leader of the apostles says to those who are about to be
baptized. For the one says, "Bring forth fruit worthy of
repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to
our Father;" and the other says again to those who question him,
"Repent ye and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ." Now he who repents, no longer touches the same
matters of which he repented. On this account, also, we are bidden to
say, "I renounce thee, Satan," in order that we may never more
return to him? As therefore happens in the case of painters from life,
so let it happen in your case. For they, arranging their boards, and
tracing white lines upon them, and sketching the royal likeness in
outline, before they apply the actual colors, rub out some lines, and
change some for others, rectifying mistakes, and altering what is amiss
with all freedom. But when they put on the coloring for good, it is no
longer in their power to rub out again, and to change one thing for
another, since they injure the beauty of the portrait, and the result
becomes an eyesore. Consider that thy soul is the portrait; before
therefore the true coloring of the spirit comes, wipe out habits which
have wrongly been implanted in thee, whether swearing, or falsehood, or
insolence, or base talking, or jesting, or whatever else thou hair a
habit of doing of things unlawful. Away with the habit, in order that
thou mayest not return to it, after baptism. The layer causes the sins
to disappear. Correct thy habits, so that when the colors are applied,
and the royal likeness is brought out, thou mayest no more wipe them out
in the future; and add damage and scars to the beauty which has been
given thee by God. Restrain therefore anger, extinguish passion. Be not
thou vexed, be sympathizing, be not exasperated, nor say, "I have
been injured in regard to my soul." No one is injured in regard to
the soul if we do not injure ourselves in regard to the soul; and how
this is, I now say. Has any one taken away thy substance? He has not
injured thee in regard to thy soul, but thy money. But if thou cherish
ill-will against him, thou hast injured thyself in regard to thy soul.
For the money taken away has wrought thee no damage, nay has even been
profitable, but thou by not dismissing thine anger wilt give account in
the other world for this cherishing of ill-will. Has any one reviled
thee and insulted thee. He has in no way injured thy soul, and not even
thy body. Hast thou reviled in return and insulted? Thou hast injured
thyself in regard to thy soul, for for the words which thou hast Said
thou art about to render account there; and this I wish you to know
chiefly of all, that the Christian, and faithful man, no one is able to
injure in regard to the soul, not even the devil himself; and not only
is this wonderful, that God hath made us inaccessible to all his
designs, but that he has constituted us fit for the practice of virtue,
and there is no hinderance, if we will, even though we be poor, weak in
body, outcast, nameless, bondservants. For neither poverty, nor
infirmity, nor deformity of body, nor servitude, nor any other of such
things could ever become a hinderance to virtue; and why do I say, poor,
and a bondservant, and nameless? Even if thou art a prisoner, not even
this would be ever any hinderance to thee as regards virtue. And how
this is I proceed to say. Has any of thy household grieved thee and
provoked thee? dismiss thy wrath against him. Have bonds, and poverty,
and obscurity been any hinderance to thee in this respect? and why do I
say hinderance? They have both helped and contributed to restrain pride.
Hast thou seen another prospering? do not envy him. For not even in this
case is poverty a bar. Again, whenever thou needest to pray, do so with
a sober and watchful mind, and nothing shall be a bar even in that case.
Show all meekness, forbearance, self-restraint, gravity. For these
things need no external helps. And this especially is the chief point
about virtue, that it has no necessity for wealth, power, glory, nor
anything of that kind, but of a sanctified soul alone, and it seeks for
nothing more. And behold, also, the same thing happening in respect of
grace. For if any one be lame, if he has had his eyes put out, if he be
maimed in body, if he has fallen into the last extremity of weakness,
grace is not hindered from coming by any of these things. For it only
seeks a soul receiving it with readiness, and all these external things
it passes over. For in the case of worldly soldiers, those who are about
to enlist them for the army seek for stature of body and healthy
condition, and it is not only necessary that he who is about to become a
soldier should have these alone, but he must also be free. For if
anybody be a slave, he is rejected. But the King of Heaven seeks for
nothing of this kind, but receives slaves into his army, and aged
people, and the languid in limb, and is not ashamed. What is more
merciful than this? What could be more kind? For he seeks for what is in
our own power, but they seek for what is not in our power. For to be a
slave or free is not our doing. To be tall, again, or short is not in
our own power, or to be aged, or well grown, and such like. But to be
forbearing and kind, and so forth, are matters of our own choice; and
God demands of us only those things of which we have control. And quite
reasonably. For He does not call Us to grace because of his own need,
but because of doing us kindness; but kings, because of services
required by them; and they carry men off to an outward and material
warfare, but He to a spiritual combat; and it is not only in the case of
heathen wars, but in the case of the games also that one may see the
same analogy. For they who are about to be brought into the theatre, do
not descend to the contest until the herald himself takes them beneath
the gaze of all, and leads them round, shouting out and saying,
"Has any one a charge against this person?" although in that
case the struggle is not concerned with the soul, but with the body.
Wherefore then dost thou demand proofs of nobleness? But in this case
there is nothing of the kind, but all is different, our contest not
consisting of hand locked in hand, but in philosophy of soul, and
excellence of mind. The president of our conflicts does the opposite.
For he does not take us, and lead us round and say, "Has any one a
charge against this man?" but cries out, "Though all men,
though demons, stand up with the devil and accuse him of extreme and
unspeakable crimes, I reject him not, nor abhor him, but removing him
from his accusers, and freeing him from his wickedness, thus I bring him
to the contest. And this is very reasonable. For there indeed the
president contributes nothing towards the victory, in the case of the
combatants, but stands still in the midst. But here, the President of
the contests for holiness becomes a fellow-combatant, and helper,
sharing with them the conflict against the devil.
