The Golden Mouthed Father

St. John Chrysostom -- "the golden-mouthed" -- served as Patriarch of Constantinople and died in exile in 407.  In his early adulthood he became a hermit and learned the Bible by heart.  He was made patriarch against his will, but once in office worked fearlessly to spread the Gospel and to bring the corrupt to heel.  This made him enemies in the imperial court and he was twice exiled.  He preached and wrote prolifically and valuably, especially on the Holy Scriptures.  The following is taken from his commentary on Psalm 8:  

" 'How admirable is your name in all the earth!'  For in your name, death is thrown down and broken, demons are conquered, heaven is opened, the gates of paradise stand open, the Spirit is sent down, slaves are made free, enemies are made sons, foreigners are made heirs, men are made angels.  Why do I say that men are made 'angels'?  God was made man, and man was made God.  Heaven received nature from the earth.  Earth received the One who sits upon the Cherubim with the angelic host.  The wall that separated heaven and worth is destroyed, the barrier is overthrown.  That which was separated and divided is united.  Darkness is banished, light shines forth, death is devoured.  Knowing all this, and far more than this, the Prophet cried out, 'How admirable is your name in all the earth!'  Where now are the Jews who were unwise against the Truth?  I would willingly ask them of whom this was said.  It was said of the Almighty.  But his name was not, in fact, 'admirable' in all the earth.  Isaiah testifies to this, saying: 'Because of you, my name is blasphemed among the nations' (Isaiah 52, 5).  If those who worshipped him were the cause of why his name was blasphemed, where was his name 'admirable'?  It is clear that his nature is admirable, but it was not admirable among very many men.  Rather, it was despised and held in contempt.  But this is not the case now, for since his Son came, his name is admirable everywhere with Christ.  'From the rising of the sun to its setting, may the name of The Lord be praised' (Malachy 1, 11); 'In every place, incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice, but you yourselves have profaned it' (Malachy 1, 12).  'The whole earth is filled with the knowledge of God' (Isaiah 11, 9).  And again, 'They shall come, saying: Our fathers possessed false gods' (Jeremiah 16, 19)."