THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Do you see with what one must begin and end everything? The Apostle placed this very thing at the foundation of his epistle, and with it he also covered the whole building. At the same time he asks God for grace for the Romans, the mother of all blessings, and reminds them of all God's benefactions.
This is the special mark of a valiant teacher: to help his disciples not only by word, but also by prayer. Therefore it is said, "We will devote ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4).
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Who, then, will pray for us, now that Paul has departed from us? The imitators of Paul will do so, if only we make ourselves worthy of this intercession. Then we will not only hear Paul's voice here, but after our departure there we will be counted worthy to see Christ's athlete.
Or rather, if we listen to him here, we will certainly see him there. Even if we do not stand close beside him, we will certainly see him in all his splendor near the royal throne, where the cherubim offer praise and the seraphim soar.
There we will see Paul together with Peter, as chief and foremost in the choir of the saints. There we will fully enjoy his love. If in this life he so loved men that, although desiring to depart and be with Christ, he preferred to remain in the flesh (Phil 1:23), he will show still more burning love there.
For this reason I also love Rome. Many things in it could be praised: its size, antiquity, beauty, multitude of people, power, wealth, and military prowess. But, leaving all this aside, I glorify it because Paul wrote to the Romans during his life, loved them greatly, spoke with them in person, and ended his life in Rome.
The city of Rome is more renowned for this than for everything else. Like a great and mighty body, Rome has two bright eyes: the bodies of these holy apostles. The heavens are not so brilliant when the sun pours forth its rays, as the city of the Romans is brilliant, illumining all ends of the world by these two lights.
From there Paul will be caught up; from there Peter will be caught up. Think and tremble at the sight Rome will present when Paul and Peter rise there from their tombs and are caught up to meet Christ. What a rose Rome will offer to Christ! What two crowns adorn that city!
What golden chains gird it! What springs it possesses! Therefore I marvel at Rome, not at its abundance of gold, nor at its columns, nor at its other adornments, but at these pillars of the Church.
Who will grant me now to touch Paul's body, to cling to his tomb, and to see the dust of that body which filled up in itself what was lacking in the sufferings of Christ? It bore the marks of Christ and sowed the preaching everywhere.
I long to see the dust of that body in which Paul traversed the world. It was the dust of the body through which Christ spoke. Through it a light shone more brilliant than any lightning, and a voice thundered more terrible to demons than any thunder.
With that voice Paul uttered those beloved words: "I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren" (Rom 9:3). In that body he spoke before kings and was not ashamed. Through him we came to know Paul and Paul's Master Himself.
Thunder is not as fearful to us as his voice is fearful to demons. If the demons trembled at his garments, how much more at his voice. This voice brought demons bound, cleansed the world, ended diseases, drove out vice, and established truth.
In this voice Christ Himself was present and journeyed everywhere with it. Paul's voice was like the cherubim. As Christ sits upon the heavenly powers, so He sat upon Paul's tongue.
That tongue was truly worthy to receive Christ, for it spoke only what was pleasing to Christ. Like the seraphim, it soared to an ineffable height. What is more exalted than such a voice, which declares, "I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8:38-39)?
How many wings, do you think, did this voice have? How many eyes? For this reason he said, "We are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor 2:11). For this reason the demons fled not only when they heard Paul's words, but even when they saw his clothing, though Paul himself was far away.
I would like to see the dust of those lips through which Christ uttered great and ineffable mysteries, even greater than those He Himself proclaimed. As He accomplished more through the disciples, so He also spoke more through them. I long to see the dust of those lips by which the Spirit gave His wondrous proclamations to the world.
What did Paul's good lips not accomplish? They cast out demons, delivered from sins, stopped the mouths of tormentors, bound the tongues of philosophers, brought the world to God, persuaded barbarians to become philosophers, and transformed everything on earth.
They also ordered things in heaven as Paul desired, because by the authority given to him he bound and loosed whom he wished.
I would like to see the dust not only of Paul's lips, but also of his heart. One may rightly call it the heart of the world, the spring of countless thousands of blessings, the beginning and element of our life.
From this heart the Spirit of life flowed out to all and was transmitted to the members of Christ. It was communicated not through veins, but through voluntary good deeds. This heart was so broad that it contained whole cities, tribes, and nations.
"Our heart is enlarged," the Apostle says (2 Cor 6:11). Yet even this broad heart was often compressed and oppressed by the very love that enlarged it. Paul himself says, "Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you" (2 Cor 2:4).
I would like to see this heart, now dissolved, which was kindled against every one of those who were perishing. It again suffered the pains of childbirth for children born imperfect. It sees God, as it is written: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
This heart became a sacrifice, for "a sacrifice to God is a broken spirit" (Ps 50:19). It was higher than the heavens, broader than the world, brighter than a ray of the sun, hotter than fire, harder than diamond, and it poured forth rivers.
As it is written, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (Jn 7:38). In this heart there was a spring flowing and watering, not the face of the earth, but human souls. From it, by night and by day, there flowed not simple rivers, but fountains of tears.
It lived a new life, not this life of ours. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20), Paul says. Therefore his heart was Christ's heart, a tablet of the Holy Spirit, and a book of grace.
It trembled for the sins of others: "I am afraid," the Apostle says, "lest I have labored over you in vain" (Gal 4:11). And again: "Lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness" (2 Cor 11:3). And: "Lest when I come, I may not find you as I wish" (2 Cor 12:20).
For itself, this heart both feared and had boldness. "I am afraid," the Apostle says, "lest, after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor 9:27). Yet also: "I am sure that neither angels nor principalities will be able to separate us" (Rom 8:38).
It was counted worthy to love Christ as no one else loved Him. It despised death and Gehenna. It was broken by the tears of the brethren. "What are you doing," Paul says, "weeping and breaking my heart?" (Acts 21:13)
This heart was most patient, yet it could not endure even briefly the separation from the Thessalonians.
I would like to see the dust of the hands that were in chains. Through the laying on of these hands, Paul gave the Spirit. With them he wrote these words: "See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand" (Gal 6:11). And again: "The greeting is in my own hand, Paul's" (1 Cor 16:21). When the viper saw these hands, it fell into the fire.
I would like to see the dust of the eyes that did not lose their sight in vain. They recovered sight for the salvation of the world and, while still in the body, were counted worthy to see Christ. They looked at earthly things and did not see them.
They contemplated the invisible, knew no sleep, kept vigil through the nights, and did not suffer what belongs to the envious.
I would like to see the dust of those feet that traversed the world and did not grow weary. They were fastened in the stocks when the prison shook. They went around the inhabited and uninhabited earth, and traveled through it many times (Acts 16:24, 26).
But why speak in detail? I would like to see the tomb in which the weapons of righteousness were laid, the weapons of light. They are members now alive, yet dead when Paul was alive. They are members in which Christ lived, members crucified to the world.
They are members of Christ, clothed in Christ, a temple of the Spirit, a holy building. They are members bound by the Spirit, nailed fast by the fear of God, and bearing on themselves the marks of Christ.
This body guards Rome. It is more secure than any fortress and countless walls. And with it is the body of Peter, for Paul honored Peter even during life. "I went to see Peter" (Gal 1:18), he says. Therefore grace counted him worthy, even after death, to be under one roof with Peter.
I would like to see this spiritual lion. Like a lion breathing flame upon herds of foxes, he fell upon the assembly of demons and philosophers. Like swift lightning, he burst into the devil's ranks.
The devil could not stand against him directly and openly. He so feared and trembled that as soon as he noticed Paul's shadow and heard his voice, he fled far away. Thus Paul, though absent, delivered the fornicator to Satan, and then again snatched him from Satan's hands (1 Cor 5:3-5).
He acted the same way with others, so that they might learn not to blaspheme. See how Paul encourages, arouses, and strengthens those under him. Thus he says to the Ephesians, "Our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers" (Eph 6:12).
Then he points to the reward in heaven, saying that we struggle not for earthly things, but for heaven and heavenly things. To others he writes, "Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life?" (1 Cor 6:3)
Therefore, after considering all this, let us be courageous. Paul too was a man. He had the same nature as we do, and everything else was common to him and to us. But because he showed great love for Christ, he ascended above the heavens and stood with the angels.
Thus, if we too wish to rise even a little and kindle this fire within ourselves, we will be able to imitate the holy Apostle. If this were impossible, Paul would not have cried, "Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor 4:16).
Therefore let us not merely admire him, nor merely marvel at him, but let us also imitate him. Then, when we depart from here, we may be counted worthy to behold him and to share in ineffable glory. May we all attain this 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.