Excerpt from the Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew (24:16-31, Homily 76) by St. John Chrysostom
Ἐγὼ πατὴρ,
ἐγὼ ἀδελφὸς,
ἐγὼ νυμφίος,
ἐγὼ οἰκία,
ἐγὼ τροφὴ,
ἐγὼ ἱμάτιον,
ἐγὼ ῥίζα,
ἐγὼ θεμέλιος,
πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν θέλῃς ἐγώ·
μηδενὸς ἐν χρείᾳ καταστῇς.
Ἐγὼ καὶ δουλεύσω·
ἦλθον γὰρ διακονῆσαι, οὐ διακονηθῆναι.
Ἐγὼ καὶ φίλος,
καὶ μέλος,
καὶ κεφαλὴ,
καὶ ἀδελφὸς,
καὶ ἀδελφὴ,
καὶ μήτηρ,
πάντα ἐγώ·
μόνον οἰκείως ἔχε πρὸς ἐμέ.
Ἐγὼ πένης διὰ σέ·
καὶ ἀλήτης διὰ σέ·
ἐπὶ σταυροῦ διὰ σὲ,
ἐπὶ τάφου διὰ σέ·
ἄνω ὑπὲρ σοῦ ἐντυγχάνω τῷ Πατρὶ,
κάτω ὑπὲρ σοῦ πρεσβευτὴς παραγέγονα παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός.
Πάντα μοι σὺ,
καὶ ἀδελφὸς,
καὶ συγκληρονόμος,
καὶ φίλος,
καὶ μέλος.
Τί πλέον θέλεις; Αμην.
I am your father,
I am your brother,
I am your bridegroom,
I am your home,
I am your sustenance,
I am your clothing,
I am your root,
I am your foundation,
Everything you want, I am.
You have need for nothing.
I will work for you,
I have come to serve and not be served.
I am your friend,
I am your members,
I am the head,
I am your brother,
I am your sister,
I am your mother,
I am all things.
Only abide in Me.
I have died for you.
I have been rejected for you.
I have been placed on the Cross for you,
I have been placed in the Tomb for you,
Above, I am before the Father for you,
Below, upon the Earth, I intercede for you before the Father.
You are everything to Me:
My brother,
My co-heir,
My friend,
My member.
What more do you want?
Amen.
