Advice On Starting The Study Of Scripture

Διὰ γὰρ τοὺτο τοσαῦτα προειπὼν, οὐδέπω καθῆκα εἰς τὰς ῥήσεις ταὺτας, ἵνα ἔκαστος πάντα ἀποθέμενος ἀῥῥωστίας τρόπον, ὥσπερ εἰς αὐτὸν εἰσιὼν τὸν οὐρανὸν, οὕτως εἰσίῃ καθαρὸς καὶ θυμοῦ, καὶ φροντίδος, καὶ ἀγωνίας βιωτικῆς, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπηλλαγμένος παθῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐτερως κερδᾶναι τι μὲγα ἐντεῦθεν, μὴ πρότερον οὕτως ἀνακαθάραντα τὴν ψυχήν. Καὶ μὴ μοι λεγέτω τις ὅτι βραχὺς ὁ καιρὸς ὁ μεταξὺ τῆς συνάξεως τῆς μελλούσης. Ἔξεστι γὰρ οὐχι ἐν πέντε μόνον ἡμέραις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν μιᾷ ῥοπῇ μεταθέσθαι τὸν βίον ἄπαντα. Τί γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, λῃστοῦ καὶ ἀνδροφόνου χεῖρον; οὐχὶ τὸ ἔσχατόν τοῦτο τῆς κακίας εἶδός ἐστιν; Ἀλλ’ ὅμως εἰς τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ἀρετῆς εὐθέως ἔφθασε, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐχώρησε τὸν παράδεισον· οὐχ ἡμερῶν δεηθεὶς, οὐχ ἡμίσους ἡμέρας, άλλὰ βραχείας ῥοπῆς. Ὥστε ἔξεστιν ἄφνω μεταθέσθαι, καὶ γενέσθαι χρύσεον ἀντὶ πηλίνου.  Ὁμῖλία Α' ,Ὑπόμνημα Εἰς την προς Ἁγιον Ἰωάννην, Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος

For addressing such things, I have not yet in an way mediated on the words of the Gospel of John in order that everyone may put aside all manner of infirmities, as though one were entering into heaven, so that one may enter upon this matter guiltless, distant from anger and the cares and struggles of this life, and all other passions. For it is not otherwise that one may profit greatly from this text, except that first a soul be cleansed. And let it not be said to me that the time to the future communion is short. For it is possible, not only in five days, but in one moment, to change a whole life. Tell me what is worse than a thief and a murderer? Is not this final kind of wickedness? Yet such a man came quickly to the height of virtue, and went forward into Paradise itself, not needing days, nor half a day, but one short moment. So it is that a man may change suddenly, and become gold instead of clay. Saint John Chrysostom, from the First Homily on John