I wonder how many people you have encountered who go by the name of John?
Perhaps your name is John, or maybe someone in your family is. Perhaps you went to school with someone called John or you have a work colleague who goes by that name. Or maybe, after all that, you’ve managed to never meet anyone called John!
Well, today (the day on which the church remembers him) I thought I would introduce you someone who goes by the name of John Chrysostom, but for now we’ll just call him John.
Now this John may or may not be someone who you have encountered before, but nevertheless his story is one worth knowing about. John was born in Antioch in about 347, and his surname quite literally translates as ‘Golden mouth’.
For those around him he was known best for his skills in preaching, and he became known by his surname because it was seen to be so fitting in relation to his preaching. And yet, it was not just the words he spoke within his sermons which came to hold significance, but it is said that when he died his final words were ‘Glory be to God for everything’.
What beautiful words to finish an earthly life with. Words of surrender, and of praise.
I wonder if it begs the question, what might our final words be?
Now, we may want to think of that in relation to approaching death, or perhaps in relation to coming to the end of a day or time spent with someone.
Because our words hold significance and power. They can quite literally speak of what is going on in our inner most being, in the deepest parts of our hearts and minds.
Indeed, in Chapter 9 of the Rule of St Benedict those who follow it are encouraged to begin each day with the words ‘O Lord, open thou our lips’. Words which similar to John’s final ones, seek to draw us back to the living God.
And so, depending on when you read this, at the beginning of a new day or the ending of one, I wonder if we may give thought and prayer as to how our words may speak of God at work in us.
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