THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
When observing a meadow from afar, one can appreciate a splendid assortment of flowers; yet their true beauty reveals itself only upon closer inspection, enabling one to personally gather them. Likewise, dear friends, this parallels our experience with the church, where the sacred Scriptures serve as blossoms available to those who seek them. Marvelous sights abound in these spiritual gardens: joyful prophets, governing apostles, victorious martyrs, angels aiding humanity, and teachers devoting themselves to holiness. Here, we encounter the generous grace of the Spirit, the flocks of words sanctified by the Lord's blood, and ultimately, the pinnacle of blessings — the fulfillment of our hopes, the essence of joy — which are the Gospels of Christ, presenting the ideal of our existence.
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Let us, therefore, direct our attention to our Lord Christ, who bestows every delight upon His followers. In these narratives, we witness infirmities vanishing, storms calming, winds falling still, death being denied, hell released from its captives, demons expelled, and sinners turning to their Redeemer. Christ has bestowed these blessings within the divine gospels, which reveal how the righteous shine brighter than the sun, how the members of the weak gain strength, how those who cannot walk rise from their beds, how tax collectors transform into evangelists, how leprosy falls away at His command, how fever retreats before the words of the Master, how the dead are resurrected, and how coffins relinquish their captives. Here, the arrogance of the Pharisee is brought low, and the humility of the tax collector is exalted. With such an outpouring of grace, it is not hard to partake of even the smallest favors. I trust that today you will receive my words with the usual kindness, enriching your souls with the abundance found in these teachings. And should you, with God's grace, share in this modest offering, I too, inspired by your goodwill, am prepared to undertake this teaching. Allow me to recall what I have recently shared: to all you affluent ones, I am the humble one here to offer you this spiritual banquet.
The Evangelist tells us, “Two men went into the temple to pray: one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector." The Pharisee, a prideful champion of righteousness, harvested the early fruits of virtue, finding wealth in arrogance rather than in true riches, casting aside the genuine fruits of virtue, a proud possessor who condemned all of creation, a harsh critic, ready to disrupt the tax collector’s prayer. The Lord urges us to reflect on this message, conveying through the parable: “Two men went into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.” Though they entered the same place to pray, they did not depart in the same spirit: the Pharisee clearly departed from the path. He stepped forth with boldness, while the tax collector approached with trepidation — yet it was the one who lingered behind who ultimately prevailed over the first. The Pharisee rushed to proclaim his deeds of righteousness; the tax collector, in contrast, hurried to confess his wrongdoings. They entered to pray; one stood in pride, the other in supplication. The Pharisee thought to himself: I owe no debts to the Law, I am not bound by the prophets, I do not require Moses' teachings, for I have transgressed none of them; I come merely to fulfill the customs of my ancestors. So, O Pharisee, you honor the temple for your forebears’ sake without truly offering prayer? Your ancestors offered thanks in faith, yet you seek to showcase your gratitude for praise? And thus shall David's words come upon you: “Let his prayer be counted as sin and his position taken from him” (Psalm 108:7-8).
What about the tax collector? He approached the temple, self-aware and deeming himself unworthy to pray. He acknowledged his unworthiness — and it was precisely this humility that Christ accepted. He confessed his guilt before the Lord, and Christ recognized him as an instrument of righteousness, granting him forgiveness in return for his true offering, liberating him from sin to serve in righteousness. Oh, the chains with which we are liberated from other evils to gain the freedom found in Christ! Oh, the servitude that grants us light burdens, ultimately rewarding us with eternal life! This servitude, deemed as such merely in this life, leads to everlasting life in the future! Let us embrace this servitude, dear brethren, that we might grasp the true liberty of our souls. If anyone serves well, the Lord will reveal him as His true son, fulfilling the prophetic words: "I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High’” (Psalm 81:6). Blessed are those who enjoy such honor. Blessed are those who strive to shun vice. Blessed are those who attain freedom through servitude, as we find liberation in the redemption Christ has offered us, crying out, “Let us stand at the foot of the cross on which Christ was crucified! Let us call upon Christ: Good Shepherd, receive us among the lost sheep; test our hearts and, should we seem lost and in danger of falling into the enemy's grasp, gather us into your fold. Regard us as a solitary drachma, and draw us near to the warmth of Thy divinity, rejoicing alongside the saints and angels in Your pure presence when we are found. Accept us as tax collectors, that in prayer we may learn humility while renouncing pride, rejecting the root of sin — arrogance — and donning the garments of repentance — modesty. Let us shed the old self with its deeds and embrace the new self, characterized by righteousness and grace. When we pray, may our hearts weep sincerely, driving our adversary into the depths of hellfire. For in our anguish, we expose him to blows; when we strike our chests, we wound him; when we suffer blows, we annihilate him. Thus the tax collector, striking his breast, did not self-harm but rather struck down the Pharisee's pride, condemning the conceit which clouded his spirit.