The Michael Keaton version of the film was released around this time. I can recall watching the VHS copy of it over and over again until it skipped and was blurry in spots. One of the most distinct scenes of the film involved the Joker, played by Jack Nicholson, shooting down the Bat-plane. The accompanying dialogue, which is not fit for a church setting, is something like, “Come on, come on you son of a gun,” but it is not gun in the movie version. I really loved this scene.
At this time my parents were both college professors, and so one day I thought it would be good to play out this scene with my Nerf toy bow-and-arrow aimed at one of my mom’s students riding along on his bike. He would in my imagination play Batman and I would play the Joker. Well, needless to say when I let loose the very colorful language within earshot of my mom, I was snatched up very quickly and later given a mouthful of soap as a sure and certain reminder that mouth need be clean. This is about as close as I ever came to the saint whom we celebrate today.
Today we remember a man whose name is associated not with a soapy mouth, but instead with his shining and glimmering speech. John Chrysostom, whose name translates to John the golden mouth, had a way with words, and not like my five year old self did. The Patriarch of Constantinople, the center of the Eastern Church in those days, stood out as one of the best preachers that the entire Church has ever seen, and perhaps more importantly he inspired all around him to know the Word more fully.
For six years John spent his life in the desert practicing intense spiritual disciplines; however, after the grueling life of an ascetic, John became ill and had to return to Antioch where he was swiftly made a priest. When he was later made a bishop his shimmering tongue got him into a heap of trouble. Chrysostom felt the sting of the Empress Eudoxia after he allegedly called her “Jezebel.” Remember Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab, and she seduced her husband away from worshiping Yahweh. Needless to say this got John Chrysostom into more trouble than some soap in his mouth. Twice he was exiled. His fearlessness in the face of persecution gives the connection to the Gospel lesson for today (Luke 21:12-15).
John Chrysostom did not occupy his episcopal residence except for ten years, and still he left for the priesthood of all believers a road map to life in Christ. His own preaching was memorable enough that people would flock to hear him; however, more importantly he challenged those in his charge to speak to the needs of their congregations. If a priest does not have the ability to preach the Word effectively, those souls in his charge “will fare no better than ships tossed in the storms” (Holy Women, Holy Men, 578). We who follow after this golden mouthed bishop are challenged to keep alive the Word of God who guides us through the choppy seas.
Additionally John Chrysostom helped the laity to know and feel that the liturgy, especially Holy Communion, was their service, not just something a priest does. Some priests cut off the lay person from the rites because they thought too much of themselves, but Chrysostom offered a different approach. The Holy Mysteries are heaven and earth joined as one, which cannot possibly be understood or experienced through the might of one man. All of us gathered by God most certainly must marvel at the heavenly banquet to which we all are invited.
We are gifted in the Church by John Chrysostom’s life and ministry. Perhaps most commonly we know him through a prayer included in our Morning and Evening Prayer:
“Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one
accord to make our common supplication to you; and you
have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two
or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the
midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions
as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of
your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.”
(Book of Common Prayer, 102).
John Chrysostom helped us to know God calls each of us to the Holy Table. God invites each of us to eat the bread and wine, Body and Blood. God charges each of us to make alive the Incarnate Word. Some of us may have mouths of soap, while others have mouths of gold, regardless we are all to have mouths full of the Word of God. Let us be like this golden mouthed saint and share with all the living Word of God.
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