"So long as we are sheep, we conquer: though ten thousand wolves prowl around, we overcome and prevail. But if we become wolves, we are worsted, for the help of our Shepherd departs from us: for He feeds not wolves, but sheep."

A towering figure among the Early Church Fathers, St. John Chrysostom (c. 347-407 AD) is one of the greatest preachers the Church has ever produced. Most of Chrysostom's extant writings, in fact, are sermons.

This is the thirty-third of the nearly one hundred exegetical homilies by Chrysostom on the Gospel of Matthew, in which Chrysostom emphasizes Christ's command that his followers be as "sheep in the midst of wolves... wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

Links

Homily 33 on the Gospel According to St. Matthew Full Text: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=2009

Learn more about St. Chrysostom on Way of the Fathers:

Ep. 41—Chrysostom (Part 1) | Golden Mouth & Golden Mysteries: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/42chrysostom-part-1-golden-mouth-golden-mysteries/

Ep. 42—Chrysostom (Part 2) | Triumph, Tragedy & Glory: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/42chrysostom-part-2-triumph-tragedy-glory/

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