De sacerdotio lib 7

Of the Same Chrysostom, On the Priesthood, Seventh Discourse. O paradoxical wonder! O ineffable power! O awe-inspiring mystery of the priesthood: a spiritual and holy, august and blameless thing, which Christ bestowed upon the worthy when he came. I prostrate myself and beseech with tears and groans, that I might gaze into this treasury of the priesthood, for those who guard it worthily and piously. For it is a bright and invincible shield, and an unshakable tower, an indivisible wall; for it is a firm foundation reaching from the earth to the heavenly vault. And what shall I say, brethren? That it touches the highest arches, it comes unhindered to the very heavens of heavens, and walks brightly and easily among the angels, together with the bodiless ones. And what shall I say, among the higher powers? It becomes a companion of the very Lord of the angels, the Creator and Light-giver, and as much as it wishes, it immediately receives its petitions with great boldness. I do not cease, brethren, hymning and glorifying the rank of this office, which the Trinity gave to the sons of Adam, through which the world has been saved, and creation has been illuminated, through which mountains and hills and glens and ravines have been filled with the radiant and august way of life of the blessed race—I mean the monks—as Isaiah, the most clear-voiced, said, that "From the tops of the mountains men will give their voices for doxology"; through which also lawlessness has been removed from the earth, through which also temperance dwells on the earth, through which the devil, having fallen, has been brought to naught, the licentious have become sanctified vessels, the fornicators chaste and undefiled, the foolish have become guides of righteousness.

through which the power of death has been abolished, and Hades has lost its strength, and the curse of Adam has been undone, and the heavenly bridal chamber has been prepared; through which the nature of human beings is transformed into the power of the incorporeal beings. What shall I say, or what shall I praise? For the gift of the rank of the priesthood surpasses both speech and thought. And, I think, this is what Paul, struck with amazement, hints at when he says: O the depth of the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments, and how unsearchable are his ways! It soars from earth to heaven, most swiftly conveying our petitions to God; it intercedes with the Master on behalf of the servants. And let us attend, brothers, clearly to this mystical and awe-inspiring account, that without the holy priesthood, remission of sins is not granted to mortals. Set your minds, brothers, for you are lovers of piety, illuminating the light of the teachings. What is it that we said earlier concerning the mystery of the priesthood? The vine branch, and the grain of wheat, and the priesthood share a concord; the vine branch and the grain are handmaidens, but the priesthood is free by nature. When, therefore, the three are gathered to dwell upon the treasures, each offers to the king the power of its own fruits for fragrance.

the vine produces the blood, and likewise the wheat the bread, while the priesthood, with full freedom of speech, soars high from earth to heaven, until it beholds the invisible one himself, and, having prostrated itself before the high throne, standing, it intercedes on behalf of the servants with the Master, bearing the tears and groans of the fellow servants and offering them to the Master; likewise seeking both intercession and repentance, asking forgiveness and mercy from the compassionate king, that the Paraclete Spirit may come and sanctify the gifts laid upon the earth. And when the awesome mysteries, full of immortality, are brought forward, through the presiding priest making intercession on behalf of all, then indeed souls approach, receiving purification from stains through the mysteries. See, lovers of God, how the two do not operate on earth unless the heavenly vote arrives and sanctifies the gifts. Have you seen, O man, this radiant miracle? Have you seen how the sacred order easily cleanses the stains of souls? The Savior is blessed, who wrought this most brilliant and cleansing gift on earth, illuminating the priests with grace, so that they shine as luminaries in the world. The people before us received a horn of oil, they attained advancement; but we, the worthless servants of the blessed one, have received neither horn nor sensible oil; but the one who is the skull, the high and awesome one, came down from heaven and bestowed upon us, through the laying on of hands, his own Spirit, which came like fire upon the apostles. O ineffable power that has deigned to dwell in us through the laying on of hands by the priests! O what a great rank the awesome priesthood holds!

Blessed is the one who lives in it purely and blamelessly. Peter, called Cephas, who was netted by the shore of the sea, who was testified to by the great shepherd that "Upon this rock I will build my Church," through the priesthood received also the keys of the heavens. Likewise also Paul, once a persecutor, having been deemed worthy of this, winged ran through proclaiming on land and sea the resurrection from the dead. Let us return to Abel the righteous, who became a priest at the beginning of creation, and let us learn from him that he performed the priesthood at the beginning, offering his sacrifice to God. Did not fire come down from heaven and consume his sacrifice? When he offered the firstfruits to God, as Scripture says, "God looked upon the sacrifice of Abel, but upon that of Cain he did not look with favor." Again, Noah, saved in the ark, when the water subsided and he settled upon the mountains of Ararat, immediately partook of this priesthood and offered sacrifice sincerely to God as a sweet fragrance. Hence God made a covenant with him, never again to bring a flood upon the earth, and gave him a blessing to increase and multiply. Have you seen the wonder-working of the priesthood? Have you beheld the first priest Abel in the first creation, how he brought down fire from heaven to earth through his blameless whole burnt offering? Have you seen again Noah, the venerable priest in the second creation, how God made a covenant with him? Abraham was deemed worthy to partake of this, and he offered Isaac to God, and performed the sacred rites with his own entrails.

There God shows him a great wonder: the birth of the Lord in the plant Sabek, its growth in an instant, and the blessing with which he himself blessed: "In your seed all nations shall be blessed." Moses also was deemed worthy of this, when he went up Mount Sinai to God and received the law from him; whence his face was glorified, so that it was seen as brighter than the sun. Likewise Aaron was deemed worthy of this, when he became an intercessor before God for the sins of the people. For Moses and Aaron are among his priests. Likewise Phinehas, by this most holy office, prevented death from that people; and Elijah again, clothed with this, was heard in fire and slew the priests of shame. Let us learn, therefore, brothers, that the dignity of the priesthood is great and exalted. Glory to the Only-begotten and only good one, who granted it to his apostles through his new and holy covenant, so that they might show us an example in the laying on of their hands upon the worthy. Therefore let us all sincerely honor those who hold the rank of the priesthood, knowing that if one loves the friends of the king, the king loves him much more. Let us love the priests of God, since they are friends of God and always intercede for us; honor the priests, fulfilling the commandment of Christ which says, "He who receives

he will receive the name of a prophet as a prophet, and the reward of a prophet. But if you are ignorant of a particular priest, whether he is worthy of the rank or unworthy, do not disregard him because of the commandment of Christ. For just as gold is not harmed when mixed with clay, nor is a bright pearl altered when joined with some unclean forms, in the same way neither is the priesthood stained by anything, even if the one receiving it is unworthy. If someone is deemed worthy to attain this dignity and conducts himself in it worthily and blamelessly, it procures for him life and an imperishable crown; but if someone dares to enter it unworthily, it procures for him the outer darkness and merciless judgment. I give you another example, O man, so that you may not dare in your arrogance to receive the rank of the priesthood unworthily, since God does not take pleasure in those who are ordained arrogantly. Know, then, what those wretches suffered who once opposed Moses and Aaron, and shamelessly and presumptuously dared to offer incense to God: did not fire consume them all, because they dared to assume a rank for which they were not worthy? Again, Miriam the prophetess of God, when she reproached Moses with a brief word concerning the priesthood, the Most High appointed such a blemish for her that she was leprous and isolated outside the camp for seven days. And now, brothers, conduct yourselves purely in it, imitating Moses and Aaron and Eleazar. Consider these pious priests, how they repelled the encampments of enemies in it. Having this, Moses stretched out his hands to God and struck Amalek with an incurable wound.

Girded with this, Abraham routed the kings; taking it up, Melchizedek blessed Abraham with a special blessing. Have you, brother, been deemed worthy to obtain the rank of priesthood? Be zealous to please the one who enlisted you, in purity, in righteousness, in spiritual wisdom, and in radiant virginity. Become a fervent zealot like Elijah, a guardian like Jeremiah, temperate like Joseph, and chaste like Jesus, hospitable like Abraham, affectionate like David, and gentle like Moses. Gather the one who has gone astray, bind up the lame, raise up the fallen, support the sick, and all such things. I am amazed, beloved, at what some of the foolish are accustomed to dare, and how they shamelessly and rashly attempt to receive the priesthood, not having been called by the grace of Christ, ignorant that they heap fire and death upon themselves, the wretches. I do not tell you, man, only not to obtain the priesthood rashly, but not even to touch any other of the vessels of the most holy service, if indeed you have read what Oza suffered when he touched the ark of God.

Always remember this, beloved brother, the divine utterance of the Most High spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "Upon whom shall I rest, if not upon the one who is meek and humble and trembles at my words?" Always remember this commandment, and acquire the treasure of a meek disposition, so that you may be able to ascend in spirit to the heavenly Jerusalem and offer spiritual sacrifices to the King and God upon the heavenly altar, where crowns of incorruption are woven. And there, before the angels, Christ will place upon you a crown of immortality, and together with the heavenly hosts you will sing a hymn of victory to the holy Trinity, for ever and ever. Amen.