John Chrysostom, On the Letter to the Colossians

with spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. Either he says this, that God gave us these things through grace, or with songs in grace, or admonishing and teaching yourselves in grace, or that they had these charisms in grace, or it is an explanation. From the grace of the Spirit, he says. Singing in your hearts to God. Not simply, he says, with the mouth, but with attention. For this is to sing to God, but that is to sing to the air; for the voice is simply diffused. Not for display, he says. Even if you are in the marketplace, you can collect yourself and sing to God, with no one hearing. Since Moses also prayed this way, and was heard; for He says, "Why do you cry to me?" And yet he said nothing, but cried out in his mind with a contrite heart; which is why God alone heard. For it is not forbidden even while walking around to pray in the heart, and to be on high. And whatever you do, he says, in word or in deed, do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him. For if we do so, nothing will be defiled, nothing unclean, wherever Christ is invoked. If you eat, if you drink, if you marry, if you travel, do all in the name of God; that is, calling upon him as a helper; praying to him first in all things, then undertake your affairs. Do you wish to say something? Put this first. For this reason we also place the name of the Lord before our letters. Wherever the name of the Lord is, all things are auspicious. For if the names of consuls make documents secure, much more the name of Christ. Or he says this: Both say and do all things according to God; do not bring in the angels. Do you eat? Give thanks to God, both before and after. Do you sleep? Give thanks to God, both before and after. Do you enter the marketplace? Do the same; nothing worldly, nothing of this life. Do all things in the name of the Lord, and all things will prosper for you. Wherever the name of God is invoked, all things are auspicious. If it casts out demons, if it drives away diseases, much more will it make matters easy. And what is it to do in word, or in deed? Either asking, or doing anything whatsoever. Hear how Abraham sent his servant in the name of God, how David in the name of God struck down Goliath. Wonderful and great is his name. Again Jacob sending his sons, says, "And may my God grant you favor in the sight of the man." For he who does this has God as an ally, without whom he dared to do nothing. Therefore, having been honored by being called upon, he will honor in return by making matters easy. Call upon the Son, give thanks to the Father. For when the Son is called upon the Father is called upon, and when he is thanked the Son is thanked. Let us learn these things not only up to words, but also to fulfill them through deeds. Nothing is equal to this name; it is marvelous everywhere; Your name, he says, is ointment poured out. He who said this was immediately filled with fragrance. No one can say "Jesus is Lord," he says, except in the Holy Spirit. This name works such great things. If you say, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and 62.365 of the Holy Spirit," with faith, you have accomplished all things. See how many things you have done: you have created a man, and have wrought all the other things from baptism. So formidable is the name when commanded against diseases. For these reasons the devil introduced the things of the angels, envying us our honor. Such are the incantations of demons. Even if it be an angel, or an archangel, or the Cherubim, do not tolerate it; since not even these powers will accept it, but will also shake it off, when they see the Master dishonored. I honored you, he says, and said, "Call upon me;" and do you dishonor him? If you sing this incantation with faith, you will drive out both 62.366 diseases and demons; and even if you do not drive out the disease, it is not due to weakness, but because it is beneficial. According to your greatness, he says, so also is your praise. Through this name the world was converted, the tyranny

ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς ἐν τῇ χάριτι ᾄδοντες ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Ἢ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι διὰ χάριν ἡμῖν ταῦτα ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἢ ταῖς ἐν τῇ χάριτι ᾠδαῖς, ἢ νουθετοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ διδάσκοντες ἐν χάριτι, ἢ ὅτι ἐν χάριτι εἶχον ταῦτα τὰ χαρίσματα, ἢ ἐπεξήγησίς ἐστιν. Ἀπὸ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Πνεύματος, φησίν. Ἄδοντες ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Μὴ ἁπλῶς, φησὶ, τῷ στόματι, ἀλλὰ μετὰ προσοχῆς. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τῷ Θεῷ ᾄδειν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ τῷ ἀέρι· διαχεῖται γὰρ ἁπλῶς ἡ φωνή. Μὴ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν, φησίν. Κἂν ἐν ἀγορᾷ ᾖς, δύνασαι συστρέψαι σαυτὸν καὶ ᾄδειν τῷ Θεῷ, μηδενὸς ἀκούοντος. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Μωϋσῆς οὕτως ηὔχετο, καὶ ἠκούσθη· φησὶ γάρ· Τί βοᾷς πρός με; Καίτοι γε οὐδὲν εἶπεν ἀλλ' ἐβόα κατὰ διάνοιαν μετὰ καρδίας συντετριμμένης· διὸ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἤκουσε μόνος. Οὐ κεκώλυται γὰρ καὶ περιπατοῦντα εὔχεσθαι κατὰ καρδίαν, καὶ ἄνω εἶναι. Καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν ποιῆτε, φησὶν, ἐν λόγῳ, ἢ ἐν ἔργῳ, πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ δι' αὐτοῦ. Ἐὰν γὰρ οὕτω ποιῶμεν, οὐδὲν ἔσται μιαρὸν, οὐδὲν ἀκάθαρτον, ἔνθα ἂν ὁ Χριστὸς καλῆται. Ἐὰν ἐσθίῃς, ἐὰν πίνῃς, ἐὰν γαμῇς, ἐὰν ἀποδημῇς, πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Θεοῦ πρᾶττε· τουτέστιν, αὐτὸν καλῶν βοηθόν· ἐπὶ πάντων πρότερον αὐτῷ εὐχόμενος, ἅπτου τῶν πραγμάτων. Βούλει τι φθέγξασθαι; τοῦτο πρότασσε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς τῶν ἐπιστολῶν προτάσσομεν τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου. Ἔνθα ἂν ᾖ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, πάντα αἴσια. Εἰ γὰρ ὑπάτων ὀνόματα ἀσφαλῆ τὰ γραμματεῖα ποιεῖ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ ὄνομα. Ἢ τοῦτό φησι· Κατὰ Θεὸν πάντα καὶ λέγετε, καὶ πράττετε· μὴ τοὺς ἀγγέλους ἐπεισάγετε. Ἐσθίεις; εὐχαρίστησον τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ μέλλων, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα. Καθεύδεις; εὐχαρίστησον τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ μέλλων, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα. Εἰς ἀγορὰν ἐμβάλλεις; ταυτὸν ποίει· μηδὲν κοσμικὸν, μηδὲν βιωτικόν. Πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου ποίει, καὶ πάντα σοι εὐοδωθήσεται. Ὅπου ἂν ἐπιτεθῇ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ, πάντα αἴσια. Εἰ δαίμονας ἐκβάλλει, εἰ νόσους ἀπελαύνει, πολλῷ μᾶλλον εὐκολίαν πραγμάτων ποιήσει. Καὶ τί ἐστι ποιῆσαι ἐν λόγῳ, ἢ ἐν ἔργῳ; Ἢ ἀξιοῦντα, ἢ ὁτιοῦν ποιοῦντα. Ἄκουσον πῶς ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἐν ὀνόματι Θεοῦ τὸν οἰκέτην ἀπέστειλεν, ὁ ∆αυῒδ ἐν ὀνόματι Θεοῦ τὸν Γολιὰθ καθεῖλε. Θαυμαστὸν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ μέγα. Πάλιν ὁ Ἰακὼβ τοὺς υἱοὺς πέμπων, φησίν· Ὁ δὲ Θεός μου δῴη ὑμῖν χάριν ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Ὁ γὰρ τοῦτο ποιῶν, ἔχει σύμμαχον τὸν Θεὸν, οὗ χωρὶς οὐδὲν ἐτόλμησε ποιῆσαι. Ἅτε οὖν τιμηθεὶς τῷ κληθῆναι, ἀντιτιμήσει τῷ ἐξευμαρίσαι τὰ πράγματα. Κάλει τὸν Υἱὸν, εὐχαρίστει τῷ Πατρί. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καλουμένου ὁ Πατὴρ καλεῖται, καὶ αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστουμένου ὁ Υἱὸς εὐχαριστεῖται. Ταῦτα μανθάνωμεν μὴ μέχρι ῥημάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων πληροῦν. Οὐδὲν τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου ἴσον· τοῦτο πανταχοῦ θαυμάσιον· Μύρον, φησὶν, ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομά σου. Ὁ τοῦτο εἰπὼν εὐθέως εὐωδίας ἐνεπλήσθη. Οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, φησὶν, εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. Τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα τοσαῦτα ἐργάζεται. Ἐὰν εἴπῃς· Ἐν ὀνόματι Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ 62.365 ἁγίου Πνεύματος, μετὰ πίστεως, πάντα ἤνυσας. Ὅρα πόσα ἐποίησας· ἐδημιούργησας ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τἄλλα πάντα ἀπὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος εἰργάσω. Οὕτω ταῖς νόσοις ἐπιτασσόμενον φοβερὸν τὸ ὄνομα. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα ὁ διάβολος τὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐπεισήγαγε, βασκαίνων ἡμῖν τῆς τιμῆς. Τῶν δαιμόνων τοιαῦται αἱ ἐπῳδαί. Κἂν ἄγγελος ᾖ, κἂν ἀρχάγγελος, κἂν τὰ Χερουβὶμ, μὴ ἀνέχου· ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ αὗται αἱ δυνάμεις καταδέξονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποσείσονται, ὅταν ἴδωσι τὸν ∆εσπότην ἀτιμαζόμενον. Ἐγώ σε ἐτίμησα, φησὶ, καὶ εἶπον· Ἐμὲ κάλει· καὶ σὺ ἀτιμάζεις αὐτόν; Ἂν ταύτην ᾄδῃς τὴν ἐπῳδὴν μετὰ πίστεως, καὶ 62.366 νόσους καὶ δαίμονας ἀπελάσεις· κἂν μὴ ἀπελάσῃς τὴν νόσον, οὐ παρὰ ἀσθένειαν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὸ συμφέρον. Κατὰ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην σου, φησὶν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ αἴνεσίς σου. ∆ιὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου ἡ οἰκουμένη ἐπεστράφη, ἡ τυραννὶς