Vigils Reading – 23rd Sunday

A reading from

ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

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The Apostle says: Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all

for the glory of God. You will be doing everything for the glory of God if, when

you leave this place, you make yourselves responsible for saving a brother or

sister, not just by accusing and rebuking him or her, but also by advising and

encouraging, and by pointing out the harm done by worldly amusements, and

the profit and help that come from our instruction. You will also be preparing

for yourself a double reward, since as well as greatly furthering your own

salvation, you will be endeavoring to heal a fellow member of Christ’s body. It is

the Church’s pride, it is the Savior’s command, not to be concerned only about

our own welfare, but about our neighbor’s also.

Think to what high honor you raise yourself when you regard someone

else’s salvation as a matter of extreme importance. As far as is humanly possible

you imitate God Himself, for listen to what he says through the prophet:

“Whoever leads another from wrong to right will be as my own mouth.” In other

words, “Whoever tries to save those that are negligent, and to snatch them from

the jaws of the devil, is imitating me as far as a human being can.” What other

work can equal this? Of all good deeds this is the greatest; of all virtue this is the

summit.

And this is perfectly reasonable. Christ shed his own blood for our

salvation; and Paul, speaking of those who give scandal and wound the

consciences of people seeing them, cried out: Because of your knowledge a

weak brother or sister is destroyed – someone for whom Christ died! So if your

Lord shed his blood for that person, surely it is right for each of us to offer at

least some words of encouragement and to extend a helping hand to those who

through laxity have fallen into the snares of the devil.

But I am quite certain that you will do this out of the tender love you bear

your own members, and that you will make every effort to bring your neighbors

back to our common Mother, because I know that through the grace of God you

are able to admonish others with wisdom.