What are you saying, man? It's not your business to pay attention to the Bible because you are distracted by thousands of concerns? Then Bible reading belongs more to you than to the monks! For they do not make as much use of the help of the divine Scriptures as those who always have a great many things to do. ... But you are always standing in the line of battle and are constantly being hit, so you need more medicine. For not only does your spouse irritate you, but your son annoys you, and a servant makes you lose your temper. An enemy schemes against you, a friend envies you, a neighbor insults you, a colleague trips you up. Often a lawsuit impends, poverty distresses, loss of possessions brings sorrow. At one moment success puffs you up; at another failure deflates you. Numerous powerful inducements to anger and anxiety, to discouragement and grief, to vanity and loss of sense surround us on every side. A thousand missiles rain down from every direction. And so we constantly need the whole range of equipment supplied by Scripture. ...
Since many things of this kind besiege our soul, we need the divine medicines, so that we might treat the wounds we already have, and so that we might check beforehand the wounds that are not yet, but are going to be, from afar extinguishing the missiles of the devil and repelling them through the constant reading of the divine Scriptures. for it is not possible, not possible for anyone to be saved who does not constantly have the benefit of spiritual reading.
St. John Chrysostom
via The New Jerusalem Bible Saints Devotional Edition
This quote above is only part of a longer piece. It is down to earth, pithy, and full of common sense. I always like seeing things that show our lives are not as different in the basic as we think they are. This one's full of reminders.
I really love this Saints Devotional Bible. It's got quotes that I
haven't seen elsewhere but which are perfectly matched to the scripture
being commented upon. I also really love Saint John Chrysostom. Every
time I read something he's written, no matter where I come across it, I
can see why he's called "Golden Tongue." I'm going to have to find a
longer work and settle down to taking in his writing.
