A Sign Of Virtue

Ἔγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον σου, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν έκ τοῦ κόσμου, καθὼς ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου.  Ὅταν ἐνάρετοι γενόμενοι διωκώμεθα παρὰ τῶν πονηρῶν, καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐφιέμενοι χλευαζώμεθα παρ' ἐκείνων, μὴ ἀλύωμεν, μηδὲ δυσχεραίνωμεν. Τοιαύτην γὰρ τὸ πρᾶγμα τὴν φύσιν ἔχει, καὶ πανταχοῦ μῖσος εἴωθε τίκτειν ἡ ἀρετὴ παρὰ τοῖς πονηροῖς. Φθονοῦντες γὰρ τοῖς ἐπιεεικῶς βιοῦν βουλομένοις, καὶ οἰόμενοι παρασκευάζειν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολογίαν, ἐὰν τὴν ἑτέρων δόξαν καταβάλωσι, μισοῦσί τε ὡς τὰ ἐναντία μετιόντας, καὶ πάντα πράττουσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καταισχύνειν τὸν βίον τὸν ἐκείνων. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀλγῶμεν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀρετῆς σημεῖον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστός φησιν· Εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἦτε, ὁ κόσμος ἄν τὸ ἲδιον ἐφίλει· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ πάλιν, Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὅταν καλῶς ὑμᾶς εἴπωσι πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησι· Τὸν λόγον σου δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτούς. Πάλιν λέγει τὴν αἰτίαν, δι' ἤν ἄξιοί εἰσι πολλῆς παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐπιμελείας τυχεῖν. Διὰ γὰρ σὲ ἐμισήθησαν, φησὶ, καὶ τὸν λόγον τὸν σόν· ὥστε δίκαιοι πάσης ἂν εἴεν ἀπολαῦσαι προνοίας. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος , Ὁμιλια ΠΒ', Ὑπομηνμα Εἰς Τὸν Ἅγιον Ἰωάννην Τὸν Ἀπόστολον Καὶ Εὑαγγελιστήν.

'I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.'  1 When having become virtuous we are persecuted by the wicked, and when wishing for virtue we are mocked by them, let us not be troubled or vexed. For this is the nature of it, that everywhere virtue often elicits hatred from the wicked. For envying those who wish to live well and thinking to prepare for themselves an excuse if they can overthrow the repute of others, they hate them as having pursuits opposed to their own, and do everything to bring dishonour to their lives. But let not us be distressed, for this is a sign of virtue. Because of this Christ also says, 'If you were of the world, the world would love its own.' 2 And again in another place, 'Woe unto you when all men speak well of you.'  3 And so He also says here, 'I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them.' Again He tells the reason for which they were worthy to obtain much care from the Father; For Your sake they have been hated, He says, and for Your word, so that they might benefit from your all encompassing providence. Saint John Chrysostom, Homily 82 on The Gospel of John 1 Jn 17:14 2 Jn 15:19  3 Lk 6:26