Saint John Chrysostom is one of the giants of early Christian leadership and teaching, essentially the Eastern Greek-speaking counterpart to the Western Latin-speaking Augustine of Hippo.  John was born in 349, after Christianity was legalized, and he lived through the last imperial persecution under the last pagan Emperor, Julian the Apostate.  Thus John’s generation saw a transition from the greatest Saints being martyrs to being ascetics, confessors, and teachers of the faith.

As an ascetic, John was happy living as a monk.  He desired a simple life, away from the temptations of power and prestige, and (serving as a model for many bishops across the world after) he continued to live as a monk even after his consecration as a bishop.  His preaching often carried strong messages about communion with Christ and holy living – two of the subjects nearest to the heart of the monastic life.  He was especially…