Day 9 -- Saint John Chrysostom

Saint John Chrysostom was young when his father died and he was raised by a very pious mother. He was a monk, preacher and priest. It was while he was in Syria that he developed a stomach ailment that bothered him the rest of his life. It was from his sermons that he earned the title Chrysostom which means golden-mouthed. His sermons were always on point, explaining the Sacred Scriptures with clarity and could have gone on for hours. He was made bishop of Constantinople in 398, which got him involved in politics. He He criticized the rich for not sharing their wealth, fought to reform the clergy prevented the sale of ecclesiastical offices, called for fidelity in marriage and encouraged practices of justice and charity. Then as archbishop he revised the Greek liturgy. Since his sermons advocated change in people's lives, some people-even bishops-tired to remove him from his diocese. With success, he was exiled two times from his diocese being banished to Pythius and died on the road. He is on the doctors of the Church. (c.347 to 407) He is the patron of preachers and speakers, and against epilepsy.

I have been wanting to find a prayer to recite before receiving communion and it looks like I may have found it from today's saint.

Prayer to Jesus before Holy Communion
O Lord, my God, I am not worthy that you should come into my soul, but I am glad that you have come to me because in your loving kindness you desire to dwell in me. You ask me to open the door of my soul, which you alone have created, so that you may enter into it with your loving kindness and dispel the darkness of my mind. I believe that you will do this for you did not turn away Mary Magdalene when she approached you in tears. Neither did you withhold forgiveness from the tax collector who repented of his sins or from the good thief who asked to be received into your kingdom. Indeed, you numbered as your friends all who came to you with repentant hearts. O God, you alone are blessed always, now, and forever.

"If we wish to know a man's moral habits, we have only to observe the character of the friends with whom he associates; because friendship finds or makes him like his friends."