Reflection on the commemoration of Saint John Chrysostom

It is difficult to overstate the importance of St. John Chrysostom for the holy Tradition of the Church: in many monasteries and cathedrals, his Anaphora is used to offer the holy oblation to the Lord nearly every day, on around 319 mornings out of the year. In our prayer books, his compositions feature prominently at Morning, Evening, and Communion prayers. This is to say nothing of his Paschal homily, his voluminous sermons, and his many letters, or to speak of his life, which is a paradigm of Christian courage. The saint was just about sixty years of age when he died, but it would take us sinners many lifetimes to complete the labors for the Lord that he did in those few short years. Holy great hierarch John Chrysostom, pray to God for us!