Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Luke (6: 20-26) in which Jesus shares a series of blessing and woes with his disciples’. Afterwards, Fr Paul shares a little about the life of St John Chrysostom, whose memorial we celebrate today. Fr Paul notes John was born in Antioch and after a thorough education, he took up the ascetic life. He was ordained to the priesthood and became a fruitful and effective preacher. John was elected Patriarch of Constantinople in 397 and he was energetic in reforming the ways of the clergy and the laity alike. He also incurred the displeasure of the Emperor and was twice forced into exile. When the second exile, to Armenia, had lasted three years, it was decided that he would be sent still further away, but he died on the journey, worn out by his hardships. John’s sermons and writings did much to explain the Catholic faith and to encourage the living of the Christian life: his eloquence earned him the surname “Chrystostom” (the Greek for “golden mouth”). So today, Fr Paul invites us to ask ‘St John Chrysostom… Pray for us!