THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
By the words said above, "Beware of dogs," the Apostle was turning the Philippians away from evil people. Now he turns to those whom they ought to imitate.
If anyone wishes, he says, to imitate us, if anyone wishes to walk the same path, remember this: though I am not with you, you know the manner of my walk, that is, my way of life.
He taught not by words only, but also by deeds. It is like a choir or a military expedition: all must follow the leader of the choir or army, and so act in good order. Good order can be disrupted even by stopping.
Therefore the apostles were a pattern, containing within themselves traits that served as a kind of archetype. Consider how strict their life was, since they were set as archetype, example, and living laws.
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The very things Scripture said, they showed to all by their deeds. This is the best way of teaching. In this way a teacher can instruct his disciple.
But if he speaks and reasons well, yet acts badly, he is not yet a teacher. Even a disciple can easily reason in words. What is needed is instruction and guidance by deeds.
This makes the teacher honorable and disposes the disciple to obedience. How? When the disciple notices that the teacher only reasons in words, he will say that he demands impossible things.
That he demands impossible things the teacher himself first proves by not fulfilling them. But if the disciple sees virtue accomplished in deed, he can no longer say this.
Still, even if the teacher’s life is negligent, we must be attentive to ourselves and listen to the prophet, who says that all "shall be taught by the Lord" (Is 54:13).
And again, "They shall no more teach one another, brother teaching brother and saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest" (Jer 31:34).
Do you lack a virtuous teacher? But you have the true Teacher, the only One who ought to be called Teacher. Learn from Him. He said, "Learn from Me, for I am meek" (Mt 11:29).
Therefore do not attend to that teacher, but to This One and to His instructions. Take your example from Him. Here is a beautiful pattern for you. Be conformed to Him.
In Scripture there are many examples of virtuous life. Pass, if you wish, from the Teacher also to the disciples. One was glorified by poverty, another by wealth. Elijah, for example, by poverty, Abraham by wealth.
Whichever life seems to you easier and more convenient, follow that. Again, one was glorified by marriage, another by virginity. Abraham, for example, by marriage, and Elijah by virginity.
Go by whatever path you wish: both lead to heaven. One was glorified by fasting, for example John, and another without fasting, like Job.
Moreover, the latter cared for wife, sons, daughters, and household, and possessed great wealth. The former had nothing except a garment of hair.
And why do I speak of household, wealth, and money, when virtue can be acquired even while one is a king? In a royal palace there are far more affairs than in any private house.
Yet David was glorified even while being a king. Purple and diadem did not disturb him in the least.
Another was glorified while governing a whole people. I mean Moses. This is still more difficult, since there was greater authority, and therefore greater difficulty.
You have seen that people were glorified in wealth and in poverty, in marriage and in virginity. Now look also at the opposite side, at those who perished in marriage and in virginity, in wealth and in poverty.
Thus many people perished in marriage, for example Samson, though not because of marriage, but because of his own will. In virginity, the five virgins perished.
In wealth, the rich man who despised Lazarus perished. In poverty, even now very many poor people perish. I can show many who perished in royal dignity and while governing a people.
But do you wish to see whether people are saved in military rank? Look at Cornelius. Are stewards saved? Look at the eunuch of the Ethiopian woman.
Thus from all the examples it is clear that when we use wealth as we ought, it will not destroy us. If otherwise, everything will serve for destruction: royal dignity, poverty, and wealth.
For the one who is careful, nothing can do harm. Tell me, indeed, did captivity do any harm? No. Remember that Joseph preserved virtue even while in slavery.
Remember that Daniel and the three youths were in captivity, and yet were glorified still more. Virtue is glorious in every condition. It is invincible, and nothing can be an obstacle to it.
Why do I speak of poverty, captivity, and slavery? Neither hunger, nor wound, nor disease can harm virtue. Disease is harder than slavery.
Such was Lazarus, such was Job, such was Timothy, who was afflicted with frequent illnesses.
Do you see that nothing can overcome virtue: neither wealth, nor poverty, nor authority, nor subjection, nor administration of affairs, nor sickness, nor dishonor, nor exile?
Leaving all these things below on the earth, virtue hastens to heaven. Only have a noble soul, and there will be no obstacle to being virtuous.
When the one who acts is strong, nothing external hinders him. In the arts, too, when an artisan is experienced, patient, and fully knows his craft, then even if sickness overtakes him, the craft is with him.
Even if he falls into poverty, the craft is with him. Whether he has a tool in his hands or does not have one, whether he works or does not work, the craft is not diminished at all.
The knowledge is in him himself. So also the virtuous man, devoted to God, appears equally virtuous in wealth and in poverty, in sickness and in health, in glory and in dishonor.
Did the apostles not pass through all these things? "In honor," it says, "and dishonor, by evil report and good report" (2 Cor 6:8).
Readiness for everything is what makes an athlete. Such is also the property of virtue.
If you say, I cannot govern many people and must live in solitude, then you have insulted virtue. It can use everything to its own benefit and show itself in every circumstance, provided that it is in your soul.
Does hunger occur? Do injuries occur? Virtue equally manifests its power, as Paul says: "I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound" (Phil 4:12).
Was it necessary to work? He was not ashamed, but worked for two years. Was it necessary to endure hunger? He did not weaken or waver.
Was it necessary to die? He did not lose heart. In all circumstances he showed prudence, nobility, and skill.
Let us imitate him also, and for us there will be no cause for grief. And what, tell me, can grieve such a person? Nothing.
So long as no one has taken virtue from us, we shall be more blessed than all people here, not only there.
The virtuous man, even if he has wife, children, money, and great glory, remains virtuous amid all these things. Take them from him, and he will likewise remain virtuous.
He will not fall because of misfortune, nor be puffed up because of prosperity. As a rock stands equally unmoved during a storm at sea and during calm, so the firm soul remains unmoved in calm and storm.
The rock is neither shattered by waves nor suffers anything from calm. So too the firm soul remains unmoved in calm and in storm.
Although children sailing in a boat are frightened, the helmsman sits smiling and calm, watching and amused by their fear.
So the philosophic soul, with prudence as though at the stern and rudder, remains unmoved, while all the rest are disturbed or, when circumstances change, laugh out of place.
Tell me, what can disturb a prudent soul? Death? But such a soul knows that death is the beginning of a better life.
Poverty? But poverty assists it in virtue. Sickness? But it counts sickness as nothing. And why do I speak of sickness? The same is true of paralysis and sorrow, for it has already subjected itself to sorrow beforehand.
Dishonor? But for it the whole world has been crucified. Loss of children? But such a soul is a stranger to fear. If it is assured of the resurrection, what can crush it? Absolutely nothing.
Perhaps wealth puffs it up? No, for it knows that money is nothing. What of glory? It has been taught, "All flesh is grass, and all its beauty like the flower of the field" (Is 40:6).
What of pleasures? It has heard Paul’s words, that "she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives" (1 Tim 5:6).
Since it is neither exalted nor cast down, what can be compared with its well-being?
Other souls, however, are not like this, but change more often than the sea and the chameleon. Therefore it is quite laughable when one sees the same person now laughing, now weeping, now excessively occupied, now distracted.
And when Paul says, "Do not be conformed to this age" (Rom 12:2), he says it for no other reason than that our citizenship is in heaven, where there is no change (Phil 3:20).
Immutable rewards have been promised to us. Let us therefore live such a life that we may receive eternal good things.
Why should we plunge into this abyss, into these waves, into storm and whirlwind? Let us remain in stillness.
This does not depend at all on wealth or poverty, glory or dishonor, sickness or health, weakness or strength. It depends on our soul.
If it is firm and well instructed in the art of virtue, everything will be easy for it. Even here it will already see rest and a quiet harbor.
When it passes there, it will receive countless good things. May we all be counted worthy of them, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ.
With Him, to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.