The Cathedral Close

In the context of the saint’s day and the latest scandal involving the abuse of children by clergy as well as those in power who promote anti-life agendas, we have solemn admonitions in an “Homily by St. John Chrysostom” for August 27th (emphasis added).  The saint says to us:

Take heed that ye despise not one of these least little ones, saith the Lord, for their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. It was as though he had said: it was for them that I came, because this is the will of my Father. Thus doth he make it our duty to be full of thought and care for the protection and safety of these little ones.

Yea, he pronounceth extreme penalties on them that despise them; and for them that undertake to care wholeheartedly for them he promises most high rewards. In all these things of his teaching, he doth further enforce by his own example and by the example of the eternal Father himself.

Let us therefore take to heart what he saith, and imitate his example. Let us neglect nothing which is in our power to do for these our little brothers and sisters. Let us be ready to undertake any work on their behalf, even the most homely and mean, (that is, homely and mean in the eyes of men).

And if there should be some further need of our assistance, even to the point of self-denying and laborious effect on our part, let us render it graciously; and let us do these things the more so when our help is required for one that is tiny and unloved and unwanted.

And let us practice ourselves in these things until they become tolerable to us, and even easy, because we do them for the sake of one who is our little brother or sister in Christ.

For God hath made evident that every soul is worthy of so much diligent care that he spared not his own son for the sake of such.

-From The Anglican Breviary