Therefore, my dear, don’t be careless towards your earthly life, because even if you are tormented by sadness, by worldly cares or irrational passions, here in Church, they are all cast away, they vanish and fade away. On the contrary, in the gatherings from squares, theatres and other places outside Church we accumulate many cares, sorrows and spiritual weakness that we take to our home. If you constantly go to Church, you cast away all evil that you received outside it. But if you distance yourself from Church and go away, you will lose anyway all the goods acquired through the Divine Scripture, because through the meetings and conversations outside Church, your spiritual richness will fade away little by little. And, the truth is that if you observe those who left the Church you will see the difference between your wish and their sadness.

Not even the bride that remains in the wedding chamber is as beautiful and happy as it is praised the soul that goes to Church and spreads its spiritual scent. Because those who come with zeal and faith to Church, will leave after they receive precious treasures. They only have to open their mouth and will spread fragrance and spiritual richness to those who accompany them. If they will confront with evil challenges, they will endure them all with ease, since they received here, in Church, from the Divine Scripture, the strength to endure all and the philosophy* of life. And as those who sit on a cliff and don’t fear the waves, those who go to Church and take their nurture from the divine words will be as if they were sitting on the cliff of correct judgement, and will never be enslaved by anything in this world, because they placed themselves above the attacks of worldly things. Because, after they yielded spiritual enhancement not only through advice but also prayer as well as parental blessing, the church community, the love of brothers and countless other things, they leave Church bringing to their home countless treasures.

So, remember how much blessing you enjoy today and the damage of those who will suffer for not having come. Because you will leave the Church after receiving the payment of martyrs, while them, letting aside the fact that they didn’t enjoy this great achievement, they will suffer other losses as well, collecting the scraps of cares and useless concerns.

* To Saint John Chrysostom philosophy is life and spiritual struggle, or the life following God, considered by him to be the only philosophical life

(Translation from: Sfântul Ioan Gură de Aur, Două sute cincizeci de parabole, traducere de Pr. Victor Manolache, Editura Egumenița, 2011, pp. 141-142)