Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Seventh Sunday of Easter

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” (John 17:1–11)

“Father, glorify Me with Yourself with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.” Now, where is that glory? For, granted that He was with good reason without glory in the eyes of men because of His being clad in the flesh, why did He seek to be glorified with God? What, then, did He mean here? His words concerned the Incarnation, since His human nature had not yet been glorified, nor did it as yet enjoy incorruptibility, nor share in the royal throne. That is why He did not say “on the earth,” but “with Yourself.”

We also shall enjoy this glory in our own measure, if we are watchful. That is why Paul said: “Provided we suffer with him that we also may be glorified with him.” Therefore, since such great glory is available to us, those who act as their own enemies by laziness and torpor are deserving of infinite pity. Even if there were no hell, they would be most wretched of all because, though they could reign and be glorified with the Son of God, they are depriving themselves of these blessings.

Indeed, if it were necessary to be slain, or to die ten thousand deaths, or to give up ten thousand lives and just as many bodies every day, ought we not to endure such great sufferings for the sake of obtaining such great glory? In actual fact, however, we do not even despise our wealth, though we shall later be deprived of it, even if we are unwilling. We do not despise our riches, though they remain in this world and are not our own. For we merely have the management of things that are not our own, even if we inherit them from our ancestors.

However, since in reality hell is in store, and the worm that dies not, and unquenchable fire, and gnashing of teeth, how shall we bear these, may I ask? Why are we not clear-sighted, but instead waste all our resources in daily strife and struggles and senseless discussions; feeding the earth, fattening our bodies, and taking no care of our souls; making no account of necessary things, but taking great thought for superfluous and vain matters? We build elaborate tombs, and purchase costly houses, and trail along with us crowds of all sorts of servants; we deliberate about different overseers: placing officials in charge of fields, houses, money—and officials in charge of these officials—but we do not confer about our desolate soul.

Now, what will be the end of all this? Do we not have only one stomach to fill? Do we not have only one body to clothe? Then, why this undue bustle about business matters? What in the world is it? And why do we divide up the soul which we have been allotted and tear it into pieces for the administering of such matters, conjuring up a harsh slavery for ourselves?

John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John 80