A Homily for the Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Prince of Peace Catholic Church – 8:00 Mass
1 Timothy 1:15-17; Psalm 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5 and 6-7; Luke 6:43-49
Audio Recording
Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, whose name means “Golden-Mouthed.” He is remembered as one of the greatest preachers in the Church’s history. Yet his greatness was not in polished words alone, but in the fact that his life was firmly rooted in Christ.
In the first reading, St. Paul gives us one of the most hope-filled lines in Scripture: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost.” Paul never denied his past or the fact that, like all of us, he was a sinner. He turned his story into a witness of God’s mercy. That is the first lesson for us: Christianity is not about proving our goodness but revealing God’s mercy. When our hearts are filled with gratitude for that mercy, our lives begin to bear fruit.
This brings us to today’s Gospel, where Jesus asks us to consider what fills our hearts and what foundation we are building our lives upon. Jesus says in the Gospel: “Every tree is known by its own fruit… from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” This is a challenging truth. We may say the right words, but if our actions don’t follow, then something is wrong at the root.
Think of a fruit tree. It can’t pretend. If the roots are healthy, the fruit will show it. If the roots are diseased, that too will be obvious. So it is with us. If pride, anger, or selfishness fills our hearts, it will show in our behavior. But if our hearts are rooted in Christ — through prayer, Scripture, and the sacraments — then patience, kindness, forgiveness, and generosity will be the fruit of our lives. What we say and how we act reveals what has taken root inside us.
Jesus also gives us the parable of the two builders in today’s gospel — one who built on rock, the other on sand. Both houses faced the storm, but only one stood firm. Notice that both endured floods. Faith does not spare us from hardship. The storms will come — illness, grief, struggles in family or work. The difference is whether our lives are anchored on Christ.
To build on rock is not only to hear Jesus’ words but to act on them. It means forgiving when we’d rather hold a grudge. It means praying when it feels dry. It means choosing honesty, kindness, and patience when anger or shortcuts would be easier. Every act of faithfulness adds another stone to that solid foundation.
So, what do these Gospel images ask of us today? First, to examine our hearts: what is filling them — Christ’s love or something else?
Second, we must honestly examine the foundation of our lives: when the storms come, will we stand firm in Christ or collapse because we only admired His words but never really lived them?
St. John Chrysostom is honored today not only for his preaching but because his life bore fruit, rooted in Christ. Let us ask his intercession, that we, too, be known by good fruit and having a solid foundation. That our hearts may be filled with Christ, our lives built on the Rock, and our words and actions bring glory to God.
Saint John Chrysostom…pray for us.
Learn more about Saint John Chrysostom