ACC ~ Philippians 3 v19

PUT BOUNDARIES ON THE BELLY. CHRYSOSTOM: Your belly is given to you so that you may nourish it, not so that it may burst. Your body is given you that you may rule it, not so that you may have it as a mistress. It is given that it may serve you for the nourishment of the other members, not so that you may serve it. Do not exceed these bounds. The sea in flood does not so much harm to the boundaries as our belly does to our bodies and our souls. The flood overwhelms only part of the land. The god of the belly overwhelms the whole body. Set self-constraint as a bound to it as God sets the sand to the sea. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 14.3.18-21.

THEY GLORY IN THEIR SHAME. CHRYSOSTOM: Those who “glory in their shame” some think is a reference to circumcision. I disagree. To “glory in their shame” means to take pride in what they ought to conceal. For it is bad enough to do shameful things. But if the doer is ashamed, it is only half so terrible. When, however, someone preens himself on his own shame, that is the extreme of shamelessness. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 14.3.18-21.

WHOSE GOD IS IN THEIR BELLY. CHRYSOSTOM: Let us build houses: where? On earth. Let us procure fields: on earth again. Let us get power: on earth again. Let us get glory: on earth again. Let us be rich: always on earth. These are the ones “whose god is their belly.” HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 14.3.18-21.

Phil