Word for the New Year

“Word for the New Year” (6 chapters) spoken by St. John Chrysostom in Antioch, probably January 1, 388. The saint denounces pagan superstitions associated with the celebration of the New Year (unbridled joy, drunkenness, disorderly conduct, etc.). It is unreasonable to think that in order to spend the coming year cheerfully and happily, you need to spend its first day cheerfully and happily. On the contrary, both on the first and on the remaining days of the year one should strive to do what is pleasing to God. Joy should not come from drunkenness and wine, but from prayer and edifying words. If you perform prayers and alms every day, you will be happy all year. On the contrary, if one does not care about virtue, then nothing good will happen. “So, whether we pray or fast, whether we accuse or forgive, ... we are silent or we talk, ... we will do everything for the glory of God; and what does not serve the glory of God, we will neither do nor say...” *The title of the work in Greek is Λόϒος ἐν ταῖς καλάνδαις. *The title of the work in Latin is In Kalendas. This word was spoken by Saint John Chrysostom in Antioch on January 1, 387 A.D., as can probably be concluded from its very content, and therefore is placed between his words spoken in 386 and 387. Its full title is as follows: The Word at Kalends, in the absence of the Bishop of Antioch, Flavian, was spoken against those observing the new moon and celebrating rejoicings in the city, and in response to the words of the Apostle: “Do all things for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). 1. Just as a choir needs a leader and a society of seafarers needs a helmsman, so a host of priests today would like to be together with their bishop and common father. But in the choir and on the ship, in the absence of superiors, much is often lacking for order and safety; but that’s not the case here; because, although (the bishop) is not present here in body, he is present in spirit; and now he is with us, although he sits at home, just as we are with him, although we stand here. The power of love is such that it usually copulates and unites those who are at a far distance from each other. We imagine the one we love every day, even if he lived in a foreign land and was separated from us by vast seas; just as we often don’t see someone we don’t like, even if he’s close to us. So, where there is love, the distance of place does not harm at all; and where it is not there, there is no benefit from the proximity of places. Recently, when I spoke in praise of Blessed Paul, you were so delighted, as if you had seen him himself present with us, although his body lies in the royal city of Rome, and his soul in the hand of God; “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will touch them” (Wis. 3:1); however, the power of love presented it before your eyes. I would like to deal with the same subject today, but my word tends to other urgent subjects, to today’s errors of the entire city. Those who wish to hear Paul's praises must first become imitators of Paul's virtues and are worthy to hear about them. So, although our father is not with us, but, encouraged by his prayers, I will offer you a lesson. So Moses, although his body was not with those who fought (the Israelites), but no less, but much more than those who fought, contributed to the victory, by stretching out his hands, strengthening his own and trembling his opponents (Ex. 17). Just as the power of love is not stopped by the distance of places, so is the action of prayer; but just as love unites those who are separated from each other, so prayer can bring the greatest benefit to those who are far from each other. So, let us boldly enter into the struggle; for now we also have to fight not with the Amalekites who attacked, as at that time, and not with any other barbarians who raided, but with the demons who walk solemnly around the square. The devilish all-night festivities, jokes, swearing cries, night dances and funny fun taking place today have captivated our city worse than any enemy; and then, as one should lament, cry, be ashamed, both those who have sinned and those who have not sinned, some looking at their sins, and others looking at the outrages of their brethren, our city rejoices, flaunts itself and is crowned: the square, like a woman who loves clothes and is luxurious, is carefully decorated today, clothed in gold and precious clothes, shoes and the like; Every artisan, displaying his work, tries to outdo his comrade. Such competition, although it shows a childish mind and a soul incapable of great and sublime thoughts, does not entail too much harm: there is only some kind of reckless zeal that brings ridicule on the competitors. If you want to decorate, then decorate not the workshop, but your soul - not the square, but the mind, so that the Angels will marvel, and the Archangels will approve of your work, and the Lord of the Angels will reward you with His gifts, and the boasting that is happening now arouses both laughter and envy - laughter in those who think somewhat higher, and envy and great hatred in those who are subject to the same diseases. 2. But, as I said above, such competition deserves a little blame; and most of all, the most deplorable are the competitions that take place today in hotels and are filled with debauchery and great wickedness: wickedness because those who engage in them notice the days, guess and think that if they spend the first day of this month in pleasure and joy, then the same will happen throughout the whole year; and debauchery because at dawn both women and men, having filled their glasses and cups with wine, get drunk with great immoderation. This is inconsistent with our wisdom, whether you do it yourself or allow others to do it, servants or friends or neighbors. Have you not heard the words of Paul: “You look at the days, and the months, and the seasons, and the years. I fear for you, because we labored in vain for you” (Gal. 4:10–11)? It is extremely crazy to expect the same thing for the whole year based on one lucky day; and not only from madness, but also from the devilish influence comes the idea that in the affairs of your life you need to rely not on your own zeal and activity, but on the daily circulation of time. The year will be happy for you in everything, not if you get drunk on the first day, but if on the first and every day you do what is pleasing to God. A day is bad or good not by its nature, because nothing differs from day to day, but by our zeal or carelessness. If you have done good, then the day is good for you, but if you have sinned, then it is bad and inseparable from punishment. If you think like this and set yourself up like this, performing prayers and alms every day, then the whole year will be happy for you; and if you, not caring about virtue, expect joys for your soul from the beginning of months and the numbering of days, then nothing good will happen to you. The devil, knowing this and trying to divert us from deeds of virtue and suppress spiritual jealousy, taught people to attribute happiness and unhappiness to days. Anyone who is convinced that there are happy and unhappy days will not engage in good deeds on an unhappy day, thinking that all his work will remain futile and useless due to the fatal nature of the day; likewise, on a happy day he will not do those things, thinking that his negligence will not harm him at all, due to the good nature of the day itself, and thus in both cases he will lose his salvation, and, considering his labors either useless or unnecessary, he will lead an inactive and vicious life. Knowing this, we must avoid the wiles of the devil, remove such conviction from our souls, not observe the days, not neglect one day and not become attached to another. The evil demon contrives against us in this way not only in order to plunge us into negligence, but also to slander the creatures of God, and to draw souls into negligence and together into wickedness. We must move away from this and clearly know that there is no evil except sin alone, and there is no good except virtue alone and pleasing God in everything. Joy comes not from drunkenness, but from spiritual prayer, not from wine, but from an edifying word. Wine produces a storm, but a word produces silence; wine causes noise, but a word stops confusion; wine darkens the mind, but the word enlightens the darkened; wine instills sorrows that were not, but the word drives away those that were. Nothing usually leads to peace and joy as much as the rules of wisdom - to despise the present, strive for the future, not to consider anything human permanent - neither wealth, nor power, nor honors, nor patronage. If you have learned to be wise in this way, then you will not be tormented by envy when you see a rich man, and when you fall into poverty, you will not be humbled by poverty; and thus you will be able to celebrate constantly. It is common for a Christian to celebrate not in certain months, not on the first day of the month, not on Sundays, but to spend his whole life in a celebration appropriate to him. What kind of celebration is appropriate for him? Let us listen to Paul about this, who says: “Let us therefore celebrate, not with leavened leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened purity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8). So, if you have a clear conscience, then you have a constant holiday, feeding on good hopes and being comforted by the hope of future blessings; if you are not calm in your soul and are guilty of many sins, then even during thousands of holidays and celebrations you will feel no better than those who cry. What good does a bright day benefit me when my soul is darkened by reproaches of conscience? So, if you want to benefit from the beginning of new months, then do this: at the end of the year, thank the Lord for preserving you until this limit of years; Contrite your heart, count the time of your life and say to yourself: “The days run and pass; the years are ending; We have already completed a lot of our journey; what good have we done? Are we really going to leave here without everything, without any virtue? The court is at the door, the rest of life is heading towards old age.” 3. So be wise at the beginning of new months; Bring this to memory during annual circulations; Let us begin to think about the future, lest someone say about us the same thing that the prophet said about the Jews: “Their days have perished in vanity, and their years in vanity” (Ps. 77:33). Such a holiday as I have spoken about, permanent, not awaiting the rotation of the years, not limited to certain days, can be celebrated equally by both rich and poor; because what is needed here is not money, not wealth, but one virtue. Don't you have money? But there is the fear of God, a treasure better than all riches, which is not damaged, does not change and is not exhausted. Look at the sky, at the heavens of heavens, at the earth, the sea, the air, the various animals, the various plants, the whole of human nature; thoughts about Angels, Archangels, higher powers; remember that all this is the wealth of your Master. It is impossible for the servant of such a rich Lord to be poor if his Lord is merciful to him. Observing the days is inconsistent with Christian wisdom, but this is a matter of pagan error. You have been assigned to the highest city, accepted into the local citizenship, entered into the society of Angels, where there is no light turning into darkness, no day ending in night, but always day, always light. We will strive there continuously. “Seek those on high,” says (the apostle), “where Christ is, sitting on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). You have nothing in common with the earth, where there is the flow of the sun and the rotation of the seasons and days; but if you live righteously, then the night becomes day for you, just as for those who spend their lives in debauchery, drunkenness and intemperance, the day turns into the darkness of night, not because the sun has darkened, but because their mind is darkened by drunkenness. Noticing the days, finding special pleasure in them, lighting lamps in the square, weaving wreaths, is a matter of childish senselessness; and you have already emerged from this weakness, reached manhood and are inscribed in heavenly citizenship; Do not illuminate the square with sensual fire, but illuminate your mind with spiritual light. “Let your light shine before men,” said (the Lord), “so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Such light will bring you great reward. Do not decorate the doors of your house with wreaths, but lead such a life as to receive the crown of righteousness on your head from the hand of Christ. Nothing should be done in vain, without purpose; Paul commanded to do everything for the glory of God. “Whether you eat or drink,” he says, “do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). But how can you say, eat and drink for the glory of God? Call the poor, make Christ a participant in your meal; and thus you ate and drank to the glory of God. And not only did the apostle command to do this for the glory of God, but also everything else, such as: going out into the street and staying at home; both must be for God. How is it possible for both to be for God? When you come to church, when you participate in prayer and spiritual teaching, then leaving the house is for the glory of God. You can also stay at home for God. How and in what way? When you hear that noise, riots, devilish celebrations, vicious and dissolute people have filled the square, stay at home, get away from this noise, and you will remain at home for the glory of God. Just as you can stay at home and leave the house for God, so you can (for the glory of God) both praise and reprove. How can you say, praise someone or reproach someone for the glory of God? Sometimes you sit in workshops and see bad and worthless people passing by, with frowning brows, with an arrogant look, accompanied by many parasites and flatterers, in expensive clothes and magnificent jewelry, people who steal other people's property and are covetous; then, if anyone says: how enviable their condition is, how happy they are! - rebuke such a person, rebuke him, stop his mouth, have pity, cry: this means reproaching for God. Such a reproach for those sitting with you will be a lesson in wisdom and virtue about not being carried away by the things of this world. Ask the one who said this: why do you consider him happy? Is it because he has a wonderful horse, with a gilded bridle, that he has many servants, that he is dressed in light clothes, and is immeasurably drunk and luxurious every day? But therefore he is unhappy and pitiful and worthy of copious tears. I see that you cannot praise anything in him, but praise everything outside of him: the horse, the bridle, the clothes; and all this is not him. What, tell me, could be more sad than that when his horse, the horse’s bridle, the beauty of his clothes and the bodily beauty of his servants arouse surprise, but there is nothing praiseworthy in himself? Who could be poorer than that person who has no property of his own and nothing with which he could depart from here into (eternity), but is adorned with everything that belongs to others? Our own wealth and adornment are not servants, clothes and horses, but the virtue of the soul, the wealth of good deeds and boldness before God. 4. On the contrary, when you see a beggar, neglected, despised, living in poverty, but virtuously, and when those sitting with you call him pitiful: praise him; and your praise to those passing by will be an instruction and exhortation to an honest and virtuous life. If they say: how unhappy and pathetic he is! - you say that he is the most blessed of all; because he has God as his friend, lives virtuously, has acquired wealth that never fails, and has a clear conscience. What is the loss for him that there is no money when he will inherit Heaven and heavenly blessings? If you yourself practice this wisdom and instruct others, you will receive great retribution for both reproach and praise; since you did both for the glory of God. That I am not saying this in vain, that a great reward is prepared from God for those who think this way, and that such a judgment about those who lead such a life constitutes great virtue, listen to what the prophet says and how he lists among the virtues the denunciation of wicked people and the glorification of those who fear God. Having counted the other virtues of a person who has to receive honor from God, and said what kind of person should be who dwells in His holy habitation; that he must be “blameless...do righteousness...not deceitful”; and having also said: “Whoever deceives with his tongue, neither do evil to his sincere,” then he adds: “The wicked one is humiliated before him; he who fears the Lord glorifies” (Ps. 14:1-4); By this he shows that the number of virtues includes despising the vicious and praising and pleasing the virtuous. He speaks about the same thing in another place: “I was greatly honored by Your friends, O God, since their dominion was greatly established” (Ps. 139:17). Whom God praises, do not blame; and He praises the one who lives righteously, even if he is poor. Whom God abhors, do not praise; and He abhors the one who lives wickedly, even if he abounds in wealth. Whether you praise or blame someone, do both in accordance with the will of God. One can also reproach for the glory of God. How? We are often annoyed with our servants; how can one blame them for God? If you see that a servant, or a friend, or anyone else close to you gets drunk, steals, goes to shows, neglects his soul, swears, breaks oaths, lies; then be indignant, punish, reason, correct him, and you will do all this for God. If you see that he is guilty against you, being careless in serving you, then forgive him; and you will forgive for God. But now many do the opposite both to their friends and to their servants. When someone sins against themselves, then they become cruel and unforgiving judges; and when someone insults God and destroys his soul, they do not pay any attention to it. Do you still need to make friends? Buy for God. Do you need to make enemies? Buy for God. But how can you make friends and enemies for God? If we seek friendship not in order to get money, to participate in a meal, to find human protection, but we will look for and make our friends such people who can always admonish our soul, give appropriate advice, reproach us for sins, reprove us for misdeeds, restore us after a fall and, with the help of advice and prayers, lead us to God. You can also make enemies for God. If you see a dissolute, worthless, vicious person, infected with unclean opinions, threatening to cause you to fall and harm, then step away, run away from him, as Christ commanded, saying: “If ... the eye of your right hand causes you to sin, remove it and turn away from you” (Matthew 5:29), commanding also such friends who are dear to us, like eyes, and are necessary in business. everyday ones, eliminate and reject if they harm the salvation of our soul. If you are in society and make a long speech, do it for God; and if you are silent, be silent for God. How can you be in society for God? If you, sitting there, talk not about everyday affairs, not about empty, vain and not at all related to us, but about our wisdom: about Gehenna, about the Kingdom of Heaven, and not about something superfluous and useless, for example: who achieved power, who was deprived of power, why so-and-so was punished, from what so-and-so received a profit and became rich, what so-and-so left to so-and-so after death, why he was deprived of an inheritance so and so who thought of being among the first heirs? - and other things like that. We ourselves will not talk about this, and we will not allow others to do so, but we will pay attention to what deeds or words can please God. It is also possible to remain silent for God when they offend you, revile you and cause you thousands of griefs, but you endure everything generously and do not slander with a single word the one who does this to you. Not only can you praise and reproach, stay at home and go out, speak and be silent, but you can also cry, and grieve, and rejoice, and have fun for the glory of God. When you, seeing that your brother is sinning, or you yourself have fallen into sin, you sigh and grieve, then through such sorrow you will gain salvation, which you will not repent of, as Paul says: “Sorrow... as according to God, unrepentant repentance works toward salvation” (2 Cor. 7:10). If, seeing that another is prosperous, you do not envy him, but for this, as if for your own good, you thank God, who has made your brother so glorious, then for this joy you will receive a great reward. 5. What could be, tell me, more sad than the state of envious people who, having the opportunity to rejoice and receive retribution for their joy, instead indulge in sorrow for the well-being of others and with such sorrow also incur punishment from God and unbearable torment? But what can we say about praises and reproaches, about sorrows and joys, when even from the most unimportant and base deeds we can receive very great benefits if we do them for the glory of God? What's more important than cutting your hair? But this can also be done for God. If you do not elegantly wear your hair, do not decorate your face, do not dress up to tempt and deceive those looking at you, but dress simply, as happens, and as only need requires; then you will do it for God and without a doubt you will receive a reward for curbing vicious lust and taming inappropriate vanity. Truly, if the one who gives “a cup of cold water” to God inherits the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 10:42), then imagine what kind of retribution the one who does everything for God will receive! You can walk for God and look for God. How can you look and walk for God? When you do not strive for wickedness, you do not occupy yourself with someone else’s beauty; when, seeing a woman coming towards you, you hold your sight, shield your face with the fear of God, then you will do it for God; also when we dress not in expensive and pampering clothes, but in those that can only cover us. This rule can be extended to shoes as well. Many have reached such delicacy and luxury that they even decorate their shoes and dot them in every possible way no less than others do their faces; this is a sign of an unclean and depraved soul. Although this seems of little importance, yet in both men and women it is a sign and proof of great intemperance. So, shoes can also be used for God if we always satisfy only the need to set them as a measure when using things. And that one can glorify God with one’s walk and one’s attire, listen to what a wise man says: “The attire of a man and the laughter of a man’s teeth and feet will tell what is known about him” (Sir.19:27). If we observe decency and sedateness in our dress and show great modesty in everything, then the unfaithful, the intemperate, and the violent, no matter how insensitive he may be, will be surprised at him at the first meeting with such a person. When we get married, we must do this too for God, meaning not to receive rich property, but to find in a wife nobility of soul, not a lot of money and famous ancestors, but virtue and meekness of morals; we should take a companion in life, not a participant in feasts. But why count everything? We can, like the above, trace every event and deed, and do everything for God. Just as merchants sailing on the sea and landing in cities do not leave the pier for the market until they learn that they can make a profit from their goods, so do not do or say anything that will not benefit the glory of God. Don't tell me it's impossible to do everything for God. If shoes, hair cutting, clothing, gait, looks, conversations and meetings, entrances and exits, jokes and praises, reproaches and approvals, friendship and enmity can be for God, then what else remains that cannot be done for God if we want? What is worse than being a prison guard? Is not his life esteemed lower than any other? However, he can, if he wants, spend this life with benefit for himself, when he will spare prisoners, serve prisoners unjustly, and not trade in the misfortunes of others, when he will be a common refuge for all who need it. This is how the “jailman” assigned to Paul was saved (Acts 16:27–31). From this it is clear that we can benefit from everything, if we want. 6. What, tell me, is worse than murder? But it was once imputed to the truth of those who dared to commit it; it is so important to do something for God. How could the murder be attributed to the truth? The Midianites, wishing one day to arouse the wrath of God against the Jews and hoping to overcome them when they were deprived of the Lord's favor, dressed up their daughters, placed them in sight of the troops and, seducing the Jews, led them first to fornication, and then to wickedness. Seeing this, Phinehas took a sword and, catching two fornicators in the very act of sin, pierced them both and thereby turned away the wrath of God from fulfillment (vengeance) (Num. 25). Thus, although this action was murder, its consequence was the salvation of all those who perished, and therefore it was imputed to the one who did it as righteousness. Such a murder not only did not defile his hands, but made them cleaner, and quite rightly: because he did it not out of hatred for the murdered, but for the salvation of others; killed two, but saved many thousands. He did what doctors do when, by cutting off rotting members, they preserve the health of the whole body. That is why the psalmist says: “And propitiate the hundred Phinehas, and stop scourging, and credit him with righteousness, for generations and generations forever” (Ps. 105:30-31). The memory of such an act remains immortal. The other, on the contrary, prayed and angered God; it is so dangerous to do anything not for God; I mean the Pharisee (Luke 18). Phinehas committed murder and gained God's favor; and this one, while praying, angered God, of course, not by prayer, but by the disposition of spirit with which he prayed. Thus, a spiritual action can cause great harm when it is not done for God; on the contrary, everyday work can bring great benefit to those who do it out of love for God. What could be worse and more serious than murder? However, it also made the one who dared to commit it righteous. What justification will we have for asserting that it is impossible to receive benefit from everywhere and do everything for God, when someone was found who benefited even from murder? If we want to be attentive, then throughout our lives we can conduct such spiritual trade - both in buying and selling; for example, when we do not demand an illegal price, when we do not wait for the time of high prices, so that we can then sell to those in need. “Sell your wheat sparingly,” says the Scripture, “and the people are cursed” (Proverbs 11:26). But why talk about everything separately when you can present everything in one example? Just as those who are building a house, intending to build a wall, stretch a dimensional string from corner to corner, and thus erect a building in which the surface has no unevenness, so we, instead of this measurement, will use the apostolic saying: “Whether ... you eat, or drink, or do anything else, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). So, whether we pray or fast, accuse or forgive, praise or reproach, enter or exit, sell or buy, remain silent or talk, or whatever else we do, we will do everything for the glory of God; and what does not serve the glory of God, we will neither do nor say, and, wherever we are, we will carry with us, instead of a great rod, instead of weapons, protection and countless treasures, the spoken saying, inscribing it in our minds, so that by doing and speaking, and undertaking everything for the glory of God, we will receive glory from Him both here and after we depart from here. “Those who glorify Me,” says the Lord, “I will glorify” (1 Samuel 2:30). So, not only in words, but also in deeds, let us glorify Him unceasingly with Christ our God; To Him is due all glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: