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Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

Today, July 25, as our church celebrates the Feast of James, Apostle, our treasure is from a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop.

Saint James, son of Zebedee and brother of St. John the apostle, was born at Bethsaida. He was present at most of the miracles performed by Christ and was put to death by Herod around the year 42. He is especially honored at Compostella in Spain were a famous church is dedicated to his name.

The position of the Gospel according to Matthew as the first of the four gospels in the New Testament reflects both the view that it was the first to be written, a view that goes back to the late second century A.D., and the esteem in which it was held by the church; no other was so frequently quoted in the noncanonical literature of earliest Christianity. In his gospel Matthew presents his story of Jesus, the demands of Christian discipleship, and the breaking-in of the new and final age through the ministry but particularly through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Saint John Chrysostom was an important, fourth century, early Church Father who served as Archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, and for his denunciation of abuse of authority of both ecclesiastical and political leaders. He was among the most prolific authors in the early Christian church. The word ’Chrysostom’ means ‘golden-mounted’. This name was given to him after he died because all his sermons were eloquent and lovely to hear.