The First Sunday after Easter
ALMIGHTY Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source of Collect: Archbishop Cranmer [1549 AD]. This was originally used for the second communion, if any, on Easter. Lost in the 1552 revision, and restored in 1662. From 1 Cor v. 8 "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." [Barbee and Zahl]
1 St. John v. 4.; Psalms 110, 111 | 2, 57; John xx19
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CX
Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
READINGS
Isaiah xliii. 1.
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
1 St. John v. 4.
WHATSOEVER is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three tht bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
St. John xx. 19.
THE same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Augustine
Psalm CX
1. ...This Psalm is one of those promises, surely and openly
prophesying our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; so that we are utterly
unable to doubt that Christ is announced in this Psalm, since we are
now Christians, and believe the Gospel. For when our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ asked of the Jews, whose Son they alleged Christ to be,
and they had replied, "the Son of David;" He at once replied to their
answer, "How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord
said unto My Lord?" etc. "If then," He asked, "David in the spirit call
Him Lord, how is He his son?" [4956] With this verse this Psalm
beginneth.
2. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make
Thine enemies Thy footstool" (ver. 1). We ought, therefore, thoroughly
to consider this question proposed to the Jews by the Lord, in the very
commencement of the Psalm. For if what the .Jews answered be asked of
us, whether we confess or deny it; God forbid that we should deny it.
If it be said to us, Is Christ the Son of David, or not? if we reply,
No, we contradict the Gospel for the Gospel of St. Matthew thus
beginneth, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of
David." [4957] The Evangelist declareth, that he is writing the book of
the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David. The Jews, then, when
questioned by Christ, whose Son they believed Christ to be, rightly
answered, the Son of David. The Gospel agreeth with their answer. Not
only the suspicion of the Jews, but the faith of Christians, doth
declare this...."If then David in the spirit called Him Lord, how is He
his son?" The Jews were silent at this question: they found no further
reply: yet they did not seek Him as the Lord, for they did not
acknowledge Him to be Himself that Son of David. But let us, brethren,
both believe and declare: for, "with the heart we believe unto
righteousness: but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation;"
[4958] let us believe, I say, and let us declare both the Son of David,
and the Lord of David. Let us not be ashamed of the Son of David, lest
we find the Lord of David angry with us.
3. ...We know that Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father,
since His resurrection from the dead, and ascent into heaven. It is
already done: we saw not it, but we have believed it: we have read it
in the Scripture, have heard it preached, and hold it by faith. So that
by the very circumstance that Christ was David's Son, He became His
Lord also. For That which was born of the seed of David was so
honoured, that It was also the Lord of David. Thou wonderest at this,
as if the same did not happen in human affairs. For if it should
happen, that the son of any private person be made a king, will he not
be his father's lord? What is yet more wonderful may happen, not only
that the son of a private person, by being made a king, may become his
father's lord; but that the son of a layman, by being made a Bishop,
may become his father's father. So that in this very circumstance, that
Christ took upon Him the flesh, that He died in the flesh, that He rose
again in the same flesh, that in the same He ascended into Heaven, and
sitteth on the right hand of His Father, in this same flesh so
honoured, so brightened, so changed into a heavenly garb, He is both
David's Son, and David's Lord....
4. Christ, therefore, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Son is on
the right hand of the Father, hidden from us. Let us believe. Two
things are here said: that God said, "Sit Thou on My right hand;" and
added, "until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool;" that is, beneath Thy
feet. Thou dost not see Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father:
yet thou canst see this, how His enemies are made His footstool. While
the latter is fulfilled openly, believe the former to be fulfilled
secretly. What enemies are made His footstool? Those to whom imagining
vain things it is said, "Why do the heathen so furiously rage together:
and why do the people imagine a vain thing?" etc. [4959] ...He
therefore sitteth at the right hand of God, till His enemies be placed
beneath His feet. This is going on, this is taking place: although it
is accomplished by degrees, it is going on without end. For though the
heathen rage, will they, taking counsel together against Christ,
prevent the fulfilment of these words: "I will give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy
possession"?..."Their memorial is perished with a cry;" but, "The Lord
shall endure for ever:" [4960] as another Psalm, but not another
Spirit, saith.
5. And what followeth? "The Lord shall send the rod of Thy power out of
Sion" (ver. 2). It appeareth, brethren, it most clearly appeareth, that
the Prophet is not speaking of that kingdom of Christ, in which He
reigneth for ever with His Father, Ruler of the things which are made
through Him: for when doth not God the Word reign, who is in the
beginning with God? [4961] For it is said, "Now unto the King eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever
and ever." [4962] To what eternal King? To one invisible,
incorruptible. For in this, that Christ is with the Father, invisible
and incorruptible, because He is His Word, and His Power, and His
Wisdom, and God with God, through whom all things were made; He is
"King eternal;" but, nevertheless, that reign of temporal government,
by which, through the mediation of His flesh, He called us into
eternity, beginneth with Christians; but of His reign there shall be no
end. His enemies therefore are made His footstool, while He is sitting
on the right hand of His Father, as it is written; this is now going
on, this will go on unto the end....
6. When therefore He hath sent the rod of His power out of Sion: what
shall happen? "Be Thou ruler, even in the midst among Thine enemies."
First, "Be Thou ruler in the midst of Thine enemies:" in the midst of
the raging heathen. For shall He rule "in the midst of His enemies" at
a later season, when the Saints have received their reward, and the
ungodly their condemnation? And what wonder if He shall then rule, when
the righteous reign with Him for ever, and the ungodly burn with
eternal punishments? What wonder, if He shall then? Now "in the midst
of Thine enemies," now in this transition of ages, in this propagation
and succession of human mortality, now while the torrent of time is
gliding by, unto this is the rod of Thy power sent out of Sion, "that
Thou mayest be Ruler in the midst of Thine enemies." Rule Thou, rule
among Pagans, Jews, heretics, false brethren. Rule Thou, rule, O Son of
David, Lord of David, rule in the midst of Pagans, Jews, heretics,
false brethren. "Be Thou Ruler in the midst of Thine enemies." We
understand not this verse aright, if we do not see that it is already
going on....
7. "With Thee the beginning on the day of Thy power" (ver. 3). What is
this day of His power, when is there beginning with Him, or what
beginning, or in what sense is there beginning with Him, since He is
the Beginning?...
8. What meaneth, "With Thee is the beginning"? Suppose anything you
please as the beginning. Of Christ Himself, it would rather have been
said, Thou art the Beginning, than, With Thee is the beginning. For He
answered to those who asked Him, "Who art Thou?" and said, "Even the
same that I said unto you, the Beginning;" [4963] since His Father also
is the Beginning, of whom is the only-begotten Son, in which Beginning
was the Word, for the Word was with God. What then, if both the Father
and the Son are the beginning, are there two beginnings? God forbid!
For as the Father is God, and the Son is God, but the Father and the
Son are not two Gods, but one God: so is the Father Beginning and the
Son Beginning, but the Father and the Son are not two, but one
Beginning. "With Thee is the beginning." Then it shall appear in what
sense the beginning is with Thee. Not that the beginning is not with
Thee here also. For hast Thou not also said, "Behold, ye shall be
scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone; but I am not
alone, because the Father is with Me"? [4964] Here therefore also, the
beginning is with Thee. For Thou hast said elsewhere also, "But the
Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth His works." [4965] "With Thee is
the beginning:" nor was the Father ever separated from Thee. But when
the Beginning shall appear to be with Thee, then shall it be manifest
unto all who are made like Thee; since they shall see Thee as Thou art;
[4966] for Philip saw Thee here, and sought the Father. [4967] Then
therefore shall be seen what now is believed: then shall "the beginning
be with Thee" in the sight of the righteous, in the sight of saints;
the ungodly being removed, that they may not see the brightness of the
Lord....
9. Explain of what power thou speakest. Because here also, as is said,
His power is mentioned, when the rod of His power is sent forth out of
Sion, that He may be Ruler in the midst of His enemies. Of what power
speakest thou, "In the splendour of the saints"? "In the splendour," he
saith, "of the saints." He speaketh of that power when the saints shall
be in splendour; not when still carrying about their earthly flesh, and
groaning in a mortal and corruptible body....
10. But this is put off, this will be granted afterwards: what is there
now? "From the womb I have begotten Thee, before the morning star."
What is here? If God hath a Son, hath He also a womb? Like fleshly
bodies, He hath not; for He hath not a bosom either; yet it is said,
"He who is in the bosom of the Father, hath declared Him." [4968] But
that which is the womb, is the bosom also: both bosom and womb are put
for a secret place. What meaneth, "from the womb"? From what is secret,
from what is hidden; from Myself, from My substance; this is the
meaning of "from the womb;" for, "Who shall declare His generation?"
[4969] Let us then understand the Father saying unto the Son, "From My
womb before the morning star have I brought Thee forth." What then
meaneth, "before the morning star"? The morning star is put for the
stars, as if the Scripture signified the whole from a part, and from
one conspicuous star all the stars. But how were those stars created?
"That they may be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years."
[4970] ...This expression also, "before the morning star," is used both
figuratively and literally, and was thus fulfilled. For the Lord was
born at night from the womb of the Virgin Mary; the testimony of the
shepherds doth assert this, who were "keeping watch over their flock."
[4971] So David: O Thou, my Lord, who sittest at the right hand of my
Lord, whence art Thou my Son, except because, "From the womb before the
morning star I have begotten Thee"?
11. And unto what art Thou born? "The Lord hath sworn, and will not
repent: Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec"
(ver. 4). For unto this wast Thou born from the womb before the morning
star, that Thou mightest be a Priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedec. For in that character in which He was born of the Father,
God with God, coeternal with Him who begot Him, He is not a Priest; but
He is a Priest on account of the flesh which He assumed, on account of
the victim which He was to offer for us received from us. "The Lord,"
then, "hath sworn." What then meaneth, the Lord hath sworn? Doth the
Lord, who forbiddeth men to swear, [4972] Himself swear? Or doth He
possibly forbid man to swear chiefly on this account, that he may not
fall into perjury, and for this reason the Lord may swear, since He
cannot be forsworn. For man, who, through a habit of swearing, may slip
into perjury, is rightly forbidden to swear: for he will be farther
from perjury in proportion as he is far from swearing. For the man who
sweareth, may swear truly or falsely: but he who sweareth not, cannot
swear falsely; for he sweareth not at all. Why then should not the Lord
swear, since the Lord's oath is the seal of the promise? Let Him swear
by all means. What then dost thou, when thou swearest? Thou callest God
to witness: this is to swear, to call God to witness; and for this
reason there must be anxiety, that thou mayest not call God to witness
anything false. If therefore thou by an oath dost call God to witness,
why then should not God also call Himself to witness with an oath? "I
live, saith the Lord," this is the Lord's oath...."The Lord sware,"
then, that is, confirmed: "He will not repent," He will not change.
What? "Thou art a Priest for ever. "For ever," for He will not repent.
But Priest, in what sense? Will there be those victims, victims offered
by the Patriarchs, altars of blood, and tabernacle, and those sacred
emblems of the Old Covenant? God forbid! These things are already
abolished; the temple being destroyed, that priesthood taken away,
their victim and their sacrifice having alike disappeared, not even the
Jews have these things. They see that the priesthood after the order of
Aaron hath already perished, and they do not recognise the Priesthood
after the order of Melchizedec. I speak unto believers. If catechumens
understand not something, let them lay aside sloth, and hasten unto
knowledge. It is not therefore needful for me to disclose mysteries
here: [4973] let the Scriptures intimate to you what is the Priesthood
after the order of Melchizedec.
12. "The Lord on Thy right hand" (ver. 5). The Lord had said, "Sit Thou
on My right hand;" now the Lord is on His right hand, as if they
changed seats....That very Christ, the "Lord on Thy right hand," unto
whom Thou hast sworn, and it will not repent Thee: what doth He, Priest
for evermore? What doth He, who is at the right hand of God, and
intercedeth for us, [4974] like a priest entering into the inner
places, and into the holy of holies, into the mysteries of heaven, He
alone being without sin, and therefore easily purifying from sins.
[4975] He therefore "on Thy right hand shall wound even kings in the
day of His wrath." What kings, dost thou ask? Hast thou forgotten? "The
kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers took counsel together
against the Lord, and against His Anointed." [4976] These kings He
wounded by His glory, and by the weight of His Name made kings weak, so
that they had not power to effect what they wished. For they strove
amain to blot out the Christian name from the earth, and could not; for
"Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken." [4977] Kings
therefore fall on this "stone of offence," and are therefore wounded,
when they say, Who is Christ? I know not what Jew or what Galilean He
may have been, who died, who was slain in such a manner! The stone is
before thy feet, lying, so to speak, mean and humble: therefore by
scorning thou dost stumble, by stumbling thou fallest, by falling thou
art wounded...."But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to
powder." [4978] When therefore any one falleth upon it, it lieth as it
were low; it then woundeth: but when it shall grind him to powder, then
it will come from above. See how in these two words, it shall wound him
and grind him to powder: he striketh upon it, and it shall come down
upon him: are distinguished the two seasons, of the humiliation and the
majesty of Christ, of hidden punishment and future judgment. He will
not crush, when He cometh, that man whom He doth not wound when He
lieth in a contemptible appearance....
13. "He shall judge among the heathen: He shall fill up what hath
fallen" (ver. 6). Whoever thou art who art obstinate against Christ,
thou hast raised on high a tower that must fall. It is good that thou
shouldest cast thyself down, become humble, throw thyself at the feet
of Him who sitteth on the right hand of the Father, that in thee a ruin
may be made to be built up. For if thou abidest in thy evil height,
thou shalt be cast down when thou canst not be built up. For of such
the Scripture saith in another passage: "Therefore shall He break down,
and not build them up." [4979] Beyond doubt he would not say this of
some, unless there were some whom He broke down so as to build them up
again. And this is going on at this time, while Christ is judging among
the heathen in such a manner as to fill up what hath fallen. "He shall
smite many heads over the earth." Here upon the earth in this life He
shall smite many heads. He maketh them humble instead of proud; and I
dare to say, my brethren, that it is more profitable to walk here
humbly with the head wounded, than with the head erect to fall into the
judgment of eternal death. He will smite many heads when he causeth
them to fall, but He will fill them up and build them up again.
14. "He shall drink of the brook [4980] in the way, therefore shall he
lift up his head" (ver. 7). Let us consider Him drinking of the brook
in the way: first of all, what is the brook? the onward flow of human
mortality: for as a brook is gathered together by the rain, overflows,
roars, runs, and by running runs down, that is, finishes its course; so
is all this course of mortality. Men are born, they live, they die, and
when some die others are born, and when they die others are born, they
succeed, they flock together, they depart and will not remain. What is
held fast here? what doth not run? what is not on its way to the abyss
as if it was gathered together from rain? For as a river suddenly drawn
together from rain from the drops of showers runneth into the sea, and
is seen no more, nor was it seen before it was collected from the rain;
so this hidden rain is collected together from hidden sources, and
floweth on; at death again it travelleth where it is hidden: this
intermediate state soundeth and passeth away. Of this brook He
drinketh, He hath not disdained to drink of this brook; for to drink of
this brook was to Him to be born and to die. What this brook hath, is
birth and death; Christ assumed this, He was born, He died. "Therefore
hath He lifted up His head;" that is, because He was humble, and
"became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross: therefore God
also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every
name; that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in
Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every
tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ the Lord is in the glory of God
the Father." [4981]
Let us pray in the words of Augustine.
Turn we to the Lord God, the Father Almighty, and with pure hearts offer to him, so far as our
meanness can, great and true thanks, with all our hearts praying his exceeding kindness, that of
his good pleasure he would deign to hear our prayers, that by his Power he would drive out the
enemy from our deeds and thoughts, that he would increase our faith, guide our understandings,
give us spiritual thoughts, and lead us to his bliss, through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, who
liveth and reigneth with him, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[A prayer which he was wont to use after his Sermons and Lectures.]
NPNF (V1-08) St. Augustine
Notes:
[4955] Lat. CIX. A sermon to the people.
[4956] Matt. xxii. 42-45.
[4957] Matt. i. 1.
[4958] Rom. x. 10.
[4959] Ps. ii. 1, etc.
[4960] Ps. ix. 7.
[4961] John i. 1.
[4962] 1 Tim. i. 17.
[4963] John viii. 25.
[4964] John xvi. 32.
[4965] John xiv. 10.
[4966] 1 John iii. 2.
[4967] John xiv. 8.
[4968] John i. 18.
[4969] Isa. liii. 8.
[4970] Gen. i. 14.
[4971] Luke ii. 7, 8.
[4972] Matt. v. 34.
[4973] [He says elsewhere on Ps. civ. ver. 3: "What is that which is
hidden, and is not public in the Church? The Sacrament of Baptism, the
Sacrament of the Eucharist. For our good works even Pagans see, but
Sacraments are hidden from them." Note the implications: two
Sacraments, and no public celebration of the Eucharist. See A.N.F. vol.
viii. Primitive Liturgies passim.--C.]
[4974] Rom. viii. 34.
[4975] Heb. ix. 12, 14, 24.
[4976] Ps. ii. 2.
[4977] Matt. xxi. 44.
[4978] Luke xx. 18.
[4979] Ps. xxviii. 5.
[4980] De torrente.
[4981] Philip. ii. 8-11.