De cognitione dei et in sancta theophania

1. A discourse of Saint John Chrysostom concerning the knowledge of God, and on the holy Theophany, and on the newly baptized. Just as those who have the vision of their bodies impaired need guides, lest from ignorance they fall into a pit and die, so also those who have the eyes of the soul darkened need those who guide them to piety, lest from ignorance they fall into a depth of evils and perish. And all humanity was formerly enveloped by such an evil of blindness; and just as happens to those with dim sight, who often see things that are not instead of what is, so also those who have the eyes of the soul darkened saw many things that are not instead of the one and only God. But the physician of bodies and souls sent law and prophets, healing the blindness of men and leading them to his own knowledge of God, but men turned away from the healing through law and prophets. For they shut their eyes so as not to know, and stopped their ears so as not to hear, according to the word of Isaiah, that they might not turn back and be healed.

Similar to these, another prophet, Jeremiah, cried out, saying: "We have treated Babylon, and she was not healed; no cure arose in her." Now "Babylon" is interpreted as "confusion"; for humanity is confounded by blindness. But the method of the best physicians surpasses the treatment of chronic wounds. Thus also the only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, seeing that through the Law and the prophets the impiety of men was not healed, arrives from the heavenly vaults, born of the holy Virgin Mary, first routing the devil through the cross, secondly capturing death, and through his three-day resurrection granting peace to those near and far, leading all to the knowledge of God. "Where, O death, is your sting?" From God comes blessedness. And seeing this, the prophet David says: "Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." But who is able to forgive sins, except the one God? For men, when blessing men, benefit them not at all, and often even harm them, as the prophet Isaiah says: "My people, those who bless you lead you astray, and they disturb the path of your feet"; but the one who blesses with the word also provides the grace. And take the proof of this word. The Lord said to Peter, when he was questioning the disciples, saying: "What do men say I am?" "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my heavenly Father, not the one considered earthly." You spoke the blessing; give the grace of the kingdom of heaven.

Do you see the grace that follows the word? And just now, in the beatitudes that were read to us, we have heard each of them possessing a grace appropriate to it. But let us return to the subject at hand of the present feast. For the presence of an earthly king is accustomed to bestow joy and gladness upon those present; but when a heavenly king comes from the heavens to the earth here, not only we who are present rejoice, but the whole earth is gladdened. For if when the sun rises everything beneath it is illuminated, when the sun of righteousness has risen, how shall not every soul be illuminated on this light-bearing night, concerning which the prophet David, seeing with the Holy Spirit, said: "That darkness shall not be darkened from you, and night shall be illuminated as day"; and again: "As its darkness, so also its light." Do you see that he speaks concerning the present night? For just as its darkness is seen by the eyes of the flesh, so its light appears to the eyes of the soul. O light-bearing and marvelous night, brighter than every day! Every day is followed by night, but this light-bearing night is not followed by night; for the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Do not attend to the letter, but understand the spirit. The light is the only-begotten Son of God; night is the works of darkness. Therefore, when your soul in darkness is illuminated by the present light, the works of darkness can no longer overtake you; for the light came for this reason, to banish darkness; life came, to abolish death.

And first he announces the good news to shepherds through angels, not so that they might attribute the miracles to words, but so that, having taken a starting point, the shepherds of the rational sheep might proclaim the love of God for humanity to the peoples. We hastened to the holy place of Bethlehem to offer the owed adoration to the God who is Master of us all, who deigned to become incarnate for our sake. For he himself appeared on earth, having descended from heaven for our salvation, not leaving those places bereft of his presence; for "I fill heaven and earth," says the Lord, as Isaiah declares; and again David says: "If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I descend into Hades, you are present." Not yet had he become incarnate on earth, and already the prophet indicates his presence in Hades. It is no great thing, then, if we too, having traversed this small distance from the city, came to this place to worship. Let us go again also to the Jordan, to observe the mysteries being accomplished there, how the sea beheld its own master and fled, while the Jordan turned back. Let us see again also John baptizing the one who takes away the sin of the world, and the Father above bearing witness to the extraordinary condescension of his own Son, and the kindred Spirit descending in the form of a dove and remaining upon the one being witnessed. O extraordinary miracles of an extraordinary king! How did the clay hand, having touched the crown of the whole world, not get burned? Who ever saw or heard of grass touching fire and not suffering harm from the fire?

For truly blessed, and thrice-blessed, is the branch of Zacharias and Elizabeth. Blessed are we as well, therefore, because we behold the fruits of our loins shining forth from the holy font, like stars coursing through the fullness of the Church. But O Father, and Word, and Spirit, the three-hypostatic essence, and power, and will, and energy, grant to us who confess your unconfused and undivided hypostases also the station at your right hand, when you come from the heavens to judge the world in righteousness; for glory, honor, and worship are due to you, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages.