Bearing Suffering

Ἀλλὰ μὴ νόμιζέ σοι τοῦτο ἀπολογίαν εἶναι εἰς τὸ καὶ αὐτῆς ἐπιθυμεῖν τελευτῆς, εἰ ἐκεῖνος ἐπεθύμει θανάτου, τὰς ὀδύνας οὐ φέρων. Ἐννόησον γὰρ πότε ἐκεῖνος ἐπεθύμει, καὶ πῶς τῶν πραγμάτων διακειμένων, οὐ νόμου δοθέντος, οὐ προφητῶν φανέντων, οὐ τῆς χάριτος οὕτως ἐκχυθείσης, οὐδὲ ἄλλης φιλοσοφίας μετασχών. Ὅτι γὰρ ἡμεις τῶν τότε πολιτευομένων πλείονα ἀπαιτούμεθα, καὶ μείζονα ἡμιν κεῖτα τὰ σκάμματα ἄκουσον τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος· Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ἡ δικαιοσύην ἡμῶν πλέον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐπανῶν. Μὴ τοίνυν τὸ εὐχεσθαι νῦν τὴν τελευετὴν, ἀπηλλάχθαι ἐγκλήματος νόμιζε, ἀλλ' ἄκουε τῆς τοῦ Παύλου φωνῆς τῆς λεγούσης· Τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῳ εἶναι πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον, τὸ δὲ ἐπιμεῖναι τῇ σαρκὶ ἀναγκαιότερον δι' ὑμᾶς. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἄν ἐπιτείνηται τὰ τῆς θλίψεως, τοσσούτῳ πλεονάζει καὶ τὰ τῶν στεφάνων· ὅσῳ ἂν πυρωθῇ τὸ χρυσίον, τοσούτῳ καθαρότερον γίνεται· ὅσῳ μακρότερον ἂν πλεύσῃ πέλαγος ἔμπορος, τοσούτῳ πλείονα συνάγει τὰ φορτία. Μὴ τοίνυν νομίσῃς μικρόν σοι προκεῖσθαι νῦν ἆθλον, ἀλλὰ πάντων ὦν ὑπομεμένηκς τὸν ὑψηλότερον, τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ σώματος ἀῥῥωστίᾳ λέγω.  Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομο, Ἐπιστολὴ Δ' Ὀλυμπιάδι

But do not think to yourself that this is an excuse for desiring death, since Job desired it, not being able to bear his sufferings. For consider the period when that man desired it, and the manner of his circumstances, the law not being given, the Prophets having not appeared, grace yet to flow forth, nor had he partaken of any philosophy. For that more is asked of us living in freedom now, and harder tasks are set before us, listen to Christ saying, 'Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.'1 Do not think then that to pray for death now is accounted blameless, but hear the voice of Paul saying 'To depart and to be with Christ is far better, but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.' 2 For as affliction is increased so are the crowns multiplied, as the fire is fiercer so is the gold more pure, as the voyage of the merchant is longer so the greater the goods he brings home. Do not then think that the labour now allotted to you is trivial, but rather that this affliction of the body is higher than all you have suffered. Saint John Chrysostom, from the Fourth Letter to Olympias 1 Mt 5. 20 2 Phil 1.23