Lest I ever Confuse the Two Again (II)

(edited re-post from the end of July, because hanging out with beautiful children takes precedence over blog originality right now...)

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Saint Peter Chrysologus is decidedly not the same as Saint John Chrysostom. But I must admit, I get the two mixed up rather easily. It's a good thing I have the Patron Saint Index to get me un-confused. Here's what I've learned (hopefully some of it will stick):

Today's saint is John Chrysostom
 He lived from 347 until 407
In 398 he was appointed bishop of Constantinople
Because of his beautiful sermons, people gave him the nickname "Chrysostom" or "Golden tongue" (now you see why I get the two mixed up so easily?!)
In 451 he was recognized as a Doctor of the Church
He is the patron saint of Constantinople/Istanbul, orators, preachers, and speakers
He is also invoked against epilepsy

Peter Chrysologus is remembered on July 30.
He lived from 406 until 450
In 433 he became the Bishop of Ravena, Italy
Fought Monopyhsitism, which is the heresy that Jesus only had one nature
Because of his beautiful sermons, people gave him the nickname "Chrysologus" or "Golden word"
However, he was not proclaimed a Doctor of the Church until 1729
He is the patron saint against fever and against mad dogs.

Here's a quote from John Chrysostom:

"God asks little, but He gives much." 

And another one, from today's Office of Readings:

"If God wants something, let it be done! If he wants me to stay here, I am grateful. But wherever he wants me to be, I am no less grateful." (from a homily by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop)

Amen! Blessed be God forever, in all His angels and all His saints! Amen!

Lest I ever confuse the two again

Saint Peter Chrysologus is decidedly not the same as Saint John Chrysostom. But I must admit, I get the two mixed up rather easily. It's a good thing I have the Patron Saint Index to get me un-confused. Here's what I've learned (hopefully some of it will stick):

Today's saint is Peter Chrysologus
He lived from 406 until 450
In 433 he became the Bishop of Ravena, Italy
Fought Monopyhsitism, which is the heresy that Jesus only had one nature
Because of his beautiful sermons, people gave him the nickname "Chrysologus" or "Golden word"
However, he was not proclaimed a Doctor of the Church until 1729
He is the patron saint against fever and against mad dogs.

John Chrysostom is remembered on September 13
 He lived from 347 until 407
In 398 he was appointed bishop of Constantinople
Because of his beautiful sermons, people gave him the nickname "Chrysostom" or "Golden tongue" (now you see why I get the two mixed up so easily?!)
In 451 he was recognized as a Doctor of the Church
He is the patron saint of Constantinople/Istanbul, orators, preachers, and speakers
He is also invoked against epilepsy

Earlier, I posted a quote from Saint Peter Chrysologus; here's one from his brother bishop John Chrysostom:

"God asks little, but He gives much." 

Amen! Blessed be God forever, in all His angels and all His saints! Amen!

St. Peter Chrysologus asks...

"Why then, man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God?"

This line from the Office of Readings for the feast of St. Peter Chrysologus surprises me every year.

Why am I so hard on myself? Some would say that it is because I have an inordinate sense of self, a self-love that hates to admit of failure or weakness and yet constantly accuses me of them anyway. This is not the way to honor the wonder of my being, which is only God's free gift from start to finish. He created me, He redeemed me, He loves me, and therein lies my dignity, a dignity that can never be annulled or effaced by anything that I do or fail to do.

Here is the quote cited above in its fuller context: "He who made man without generation from pure clay made man again and was born from a pure body. The hand that assumed clay to make our flesh deigned to assume a body for our salvation. That the Creator is in his creature and God is in the flesh brings dignity to man without dishonor to him who made him.
Why then man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God? Why render yourself such dishonor when you are honored by him? Why do you ask how you were created and do not seek to know why you were made?" (From a sermon by Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop).

I am precious to God. I have not earned His love, nor could I ever. For if love can be earned, then it is not love. When will I learn to live freely in the light of this truth? It is easy to think in my mind and say with my lips but hard to live with my heart. In fact, one of my yellow stars with ugly red words carries this blatant lie: 
"Love must be earned." And its partner says, "You are not worthy."  I have lived in the shadow of lies long enough. Love cannot be earned, but I am precious to God and honored by God. It may be true that I am not worthy of Him, it is true, but He is worthy of me, as He said to one of His saints (I believe it was St. Catherine of Siena). And so I hope in God's love.

Sweet Jesus, Jesus Love, I trust in You!