THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
"But put on our Lord Jesus Christ." He did not say, "put on works," but lifted his hearers higher. Indeed, when he speaks of vices, he also spoke of works.
But when he began speaking of virtue, he no longer speaks of works, but of armor. By this he shows that virtue places its possessor in complete safety and full splendor.
He did not even stop there. Rising higher, instead of a garment he gives us, what arouses great awe, the Master Himself, the King Himself. Whoever is clothed in Him fully contains every virtue within himself.
When he says, "Put on," he commands us to surround ourselves with Him on every side. He expresses the same in other places: "if Christ is in us" (Rom 8:10).
Again: "that Christ may dwell in our inner man" (Eph 3:16-17). The Apostle desires that our soul be the house of Christ.
He desires that Christ cover us like a garment and be everything to us, both within and without. Christ is our fullness, since He is "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph 1:23).
He is the way. He is the spouse and bridegroom: "I have betrothed you to one husband, as a pure virgin" (2 Cor 11:2).
He is root and drink, food and life: "It is no longer I who live," Paul says, "but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20).
He is Apostle, High Priest, and Teacher, Father, Brother, and co-heir, sharer in the tomb and the Cross. "We were buried with Him," it is said, and "we were planted together in the likeness of His death" (Rom 6:4-5).
He is intercessor: "we are ambassadors on Christ's behalf" (2 Cor 5:20). He is our defender before the Father, because, as Paul says, He "intercedes for us" (Rom 8:34).
He is house and indweller: "He abides in Me, and I in him" (Jn 6:56). He is friend: "You are My friends" (Jn 15:14).
He is foundation and cornerstone, while we are His members and field, His building, branches, and fellow workers. What does He not desire to become for us, so that in every way He may bind and unite us to Himself?
All this belongs to One who loves without measure. Therefore submit to Him, and, rising from sleep, put Him on. Having put Him on, keep your flesh also in obedience before Him.
This is what the Apostle meant when he said: "Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."
As above he forbade not the use of wine, but drunkenness, not married life, but debauchery, so now he forbids not care for the flesh, but care extending to lusts, that is, beyond need.
That he himself commands care for the flesh, hear what he says to Timothy: "Take a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities" (1 Tim 5:23).
Likewise in everything else, have care for the flesh, but for the preservation of health, not for the satisfaction of sensuality. For it is certainly not care when you add fuel and kindle the furnace.
To know more precisely when care for the flesh extends to lust, and to avoid such care, imagine people given to drunkenness and overeating.
Imagine those attached to finery and amusements, leading a soft and luxurious life. Then you will understand what the Apostle said.
Such people do everything not for the preservation of health, but in order to make merry and inflame lust. But you, having put on Christ and rejected all this, strive for one thing only: to have a healthy body.
Care for it as much as is needed for this, and do not extend care beyond that. Devote all your concern to spiritual things.
In this way, not being weighed down by these various lusts, you will be able to rise from sinful sleep. Truly, the present life is a sleep, and what happens in this life differs in no way from dreams.
As sleepers speak with themselves and often see something entirely unreal, so we also act, and even much worse. One who has done or said something unseemly in sleep is usually freed from shame when he awakes.
He is also not subjected to punishment. It will not be so with us after this life. Shame and punishment will be eternal.
Likewise, those who become rich in sleep learn at daybreak that they flattered themselves with wealth in vain. In the present life, however, this realization often comes even before daybreak.
Before we depart from here, these dreams are already scattered. Therefore let us finally shake off this evil sleep. If the day finds us sleeping, we shall become the prey of death that does not die.
Even before that day arrives, all the enemies here, both men and demons, will easily attack us. If they even wish to kill us, no one will hinder them.
If there were many who kept watch, there would not be such danger. But now, here and there, one or another keeps watch with a lamp lit.
All the rest, as in deep night, are sunk in sleep. Therefore we need perfect watchfulness and complete caution, lest we suffer terrible misfortunes.
But does it not seem to us that it is now clear day? Do we not think that we are all awake and sober? Perhaps you will laugh at my words, but I will certainly speak.
We are all like those sunk in sleep and snoring in the deep night. If it were possible to see incorporeal being, I would show you that very many are given to heavy sleep.
Meanwhile the devil undermines the walls, kills the sleepers, and steals the inner treasures, doing everything without fear, as in deep darkness.
Or rather, although it is impossible to see this with the eyes, let us describe it in words and reflect. How many people are weighed down by evil passions?
How many are possessed by the heavy darkening of sensual pleasure and have extinguished the light of the Spirit within themselves? Therefore they look and listen at one thing instead of another.
They pay no attention to anything being set forth here. If I speak falsely, and you are now standing in a state of watchfulness, tell me what happened here today, if you truly heard all this not as a dream.
I know that some will answer me, and I am not saying this about everyone. But you who are guilty of what has been said here, you who came here in vain, tell me: what prophet, what apostle spoke with us today, and about what?
You cannot say. At that time you were speaking much with yourself, as if in sleep, and you did not hear what was actually taking place outside you.
I must say the same to women, because they too remain in deep sleep. It would be good if it were only sleep.
For one who sleeps says nothing, either evil or good. But one awake, like you, utters many words to the misfortune of his own head.
He calculates interest, values pledges, remembers shameless profits, and sows many thorns in his own soul. He does not allow the good seed to put forth even a small shoot.
But rise from sleep. Tear out these thorns by the root. Sober up from the intoxication that causes sleep.
Here I mean intoxication not only from wine, but also from worldly cares, and together with these, from wine. In this I admonish not only the rich, but also the poor.
I especially admonish those who arrange friendly feasts. For this is neither pleasure nor rest, but punishment and torment. Pleasure consists not in shameful talk, but in seemly conversation.
It is not in excess, but in being satisfied. If you consider this pleasure, then show me this pleasure lasting through the evening, but you cannot.
I am not yet speaking of the harm that comes from it. For now I am speaking with you about the pleasure that immediately occurs. As soon as the feast ends, the merriment usually flies away at once.
But if I also mention vomiting, heaviness in the head, countless illnesses, and the captivity of the soul, what will you say to me?
Must we behave shamefully because we are poor? In saying this, I do not forbid you to gather and dine together. I forbid you to disgrace yourselves.
I desire that your pleasure be true pleasure, and that it not turn into punishment, torment, drunkenness, and wild merriment.
Let the pagans know that Christians know better than all how to rejoice, but to rejoice seemly. For it is said: "Rejoice in the Lord with trembling" (Ps 2:11).
How, then, should one rejoice? By crying out hymns, offering prayers, and singing psalms instead of those shameful songs.
In this way Christ Himself will be present at your table and will fill the whole feast with blessing. This will happen when you pray, when you sing spiritual songs, and when you invite the poor to share what you set forth.
It will happen when, at your feast, you observe complete good order and moderation. In this way you will make the place of assembly a church.
Instead of improper shouting and clapping, you will hymn the Master of all. Do not tell me that another custom has now been established. Correct what is bad.
"Whether you eat," says the Apostle, "or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31).
From your feasts evil desires are born among you. From them come licentious deeds. From them your wives are despised, and prostitutes are honored.
From them come the ruin of households and countless calamities. Everything falls into disorder, and, abandoning the pure spring, you rush toward a filthy swamp.
That the body of a corrupt woman is precisely such a swamp, I ask no one else but you yourself, who wallowed in that swamp.
Are you not ashamed of yourself? Do you not consider yourself unclean after sin? Therefore, I beseech you, flee fornication and the mother of fornication, drunkenness.
Why do you sow where you cannot reap? Or rather, even if you reap, the very fruit will cover you with greater dishonor.
If a child is born, there will be shame for you, and he too will suffer through your fault, as illegitimate and of base birth.
Even if you leave him thousands, one born of a prostitute or a slave is dishonored in the house, dishonored in the city, and dishonored before the court.
You yourself are dishonored, both during life and after death, because even when you die, monuments of your shame will remain after you.
Why, then, do you dishonor everything? Why do you sow where the very field strives to destroy the fruit?
Why sow where there are many causes of barrenness, where murder is committed before birth? Thus you not only allow the prostitute to remain a prostitute, but also make her a murderess.
Do you see how fornication comes from drunkenness, adultery from fornication, and murder from adultery? Or more correctly, something worse than murder comes. I do not even know what to call it.
Here, what has been born is not killed. Rather, birth itself is prevented. What then? Does this not mean that you insult the gift of God and fight against divine laws?
Do you not seek, as though it were a blessing, what is a curse? Do you not make the treasury of birth a treasury of murder?
Do you not dispose a woman, created for childbearing, toward murder? To be always pleasing and attractive to her lovers and to draw more money from them, a corrupt woman does not refuse to do this also.
In doing so she gathers a great fire upon your head. For although the decision to commit the crime belongs to her, you are the principal cause.
From this comes idol worship also. Many women, in order to become pleasing, use charms, libations, love potions, and countless other means.
Yet despite such great disgrace, murder, and idol worship, this matter appears indifferent to many. It appears so even to many who have their own wives. Here there is the greatest convergence of vices.
Here medicines are prepared not only against the fruit in the womb of the prostitute, but also against the offended wife.
Here there are thousands of plots, invocation of demons, and calling up of the dead. From this arise daily quarrels, irreconcilable strife, and constant collisions.
Therefore Paul, after saying, "not in debauchery and licentiousness," added, "not in strife and envy" (Rom 13:13), because he knew that enmity follows the former.
So do the ruin of households, wrongs against lawful children, and thousands of evils. To avoid all this, let us put on Christ and always abide with Him.
To put on Christ means never to remain without Him, but always to manifest Him in oneself by holiness and uprightness.