The Fifth Sunday after Easter
Rogation Sunday
Augustine on Pslam CXXXII
Rogation Sunday Home
O LORD, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Source: Sacramentary of Gelasius [ca 464 AD]. The collect refers to James 1:17 which is appointed for the 4th Sunday after Easter. Known as Rogation Sunday for the Latin "Rogare" means to ask, (earnestly petition), and the Gospel says, "ask, and ye shall receive." The three days following this Sunday are Rogation Days with prayer and fasting good crops and industry. This Sunday in latter times was also when folk in England would go out in procession around the parish boundaries and pray for protection.
, Psalm 146, 147 | 132, 133, 134; St. James i. 22, St. John xvi. 23
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CXXXII
I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
Psalm 146, 147 | 132, 133, 134
St. James i. 22
BE ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
St. John xvi. 23
VERILY, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Augustin
Psalm CXXXII
Psalm CXXXII. [5585]
1. It was right indeed, most beloved, that we should rather hear our
Brother, [5586] my colleague, when present before all of us. And just
now he refused not, but put us off; for he extorted from me that he
might now listen to me, on the condition that I also may listen to him,
for in charity itself we are all listening unto Him, who is our One
Master in heaven. Attend therefore to the Psalm, entitled A Song of
Degrees; considerably longer than the rest under the same title. Let us
not therefore linger, save where necessity shall compel us: that we
may, if the Lord permit, explain the whole. For ye also ought not to
hear everything as men untaught; ye ought in some degree to aid us from
your past listenings, so that it may not be needful that everything
should be declared to you as though new. [5587]
2. "Lord, remember David, and all his meekness" (ver. 1). David
according to the truth of history was one man, king of Israel, son of
Jesse. He was indeed meek, as the Divine Scriptures themselves mark and
command him, and so meek that he did not even render evil for evil to
his persecutor Saul. He preserved towards him so great humility, that
he acknowledged him a king, and himself a dog: and answered the king
not proudly nor rudely, though he was more powerful in God; but he
rather endeavoured to appease him by humility, than to provoke him by
pride. Saul was even given into his power, and this by the Lord God,
that he might do to him what he listed: but since he was not commanded
to slay him, but had it only placed in his power (now a man is
permitted to use his power), he rather turned towards mercy what God
gave him....The humility of David is therefore commended, the meekness
of David is commended; and it is said to God, "Lord, remember David,
and all his meekness." For what purpose? "How he sware unto the Lord,
and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob" (ver. 2). Therefore
remember for this, that he may fulfil what he hath promised. David
himself vowed as though he had it in his power, and he prayeth God to
fulfil his vow: there is devotion in the vow, but there is humility in
the prayer. Let no one presume to think he fulfilled by his own
strength what he hath vowed. He who exhorteth thee to vow, Himself
aideth thee to fulfil. Let us therefore see what he vowed, and hence we
comprehend how David should be understood in a figure. "David" is
interpreted, "Strong of hand," for he was a great warrior. Trusting
indeed in the Lord his God, he despatched all wars, he laid low all his
enemies, God helping him, according to the dispensation of that
kingdom; prefiguring nevertheless some One strong of hand to destroy
His enemies, the devil and his angels. These enemies the Church warreth
against, and conquereth....What then doth he mean, "How he sware,"
etc.? Let us see what vow is this. We can offer God nothing more
pleasing than to swear. [5588] Now to swear is to promise firmly.
[5589] Consider this vow, that is, with what ardour he vowed what he
vowed, with what love, with what longing; nevertheless, he prayeth the
Lord to fulfil it in these words, "O Lord, remember David, and all his
meekness." In this temper he vowed his vow, and there should be a house
of God: "I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, nor climb
up into my bed" (ver. 3). "I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor
mine eyelids to slumber" (ver. 4). This seemeth not enough; he adds,
"Neither the temples of my head to take any rest, until I find out a
place for the Lord; an habitation for the God of Jacob" (ver. 5). Where
did he seek a place for the Lord? If he was meek, he sought it in
himself. For how is one a place for the Lord? Hear the Prophet: "Upon
whom shall My Spirit rest? Even upon him that is poor and of a contrite
spirit, and trembleth at My words." [5590] Dost thou wish to be a place
for the Lord? Be thou poor in spirit, and contrite, and trembling at
the word of God, and thou wilt thyself be made what thou seekest. For
if what thou seekest be not realized in thyself, what doth it profit
thee in another....
3. How many thousands believed, my brethren, when they laid down the
price of their possessions at the Apostles' feet! But what saith
Scripture of them? Surely they are become a temple of God; not only
each respectively a temple of God, but also all a temple of God
together. They have therefore become a place for the Lord. And that ye
may know that one place is made for the Lord in all, Scripture saith,
They were of one heart and one soul toward God. [5591] But many, so as
not to make a place for the Lord, seek their own things, love their own
things, delight in their own power, are greedy for their private
interests. Whereas he who wisheth to make a place for the Lord, should
rejoice not in his private, but the common good....
4. Let us therefore, brethren, abstain from the possession of private
property; or from the love of it, if we may not from its possession;
and we make a place for the Lord. It is too much for me, saith some
one. But consider who thou art, who art about to make a place for the
Lord. If any senator wished to be entertained at your house, I say not
senator, the deputy of some great man of this world, and should say,
something offends me in thy house; though thou shouldest love it, thou
wouldest remove it, nevertheless, lest thou shouldest offend him, whose
friendship thou wast courting. And what doth man's friendship profit
thee?...Desire the friendship of Christ without fear: He wishes to be
entertained at thy house; make room for Him. What is, make room for
Him? Love not thyself, love Him. If thou love thyself, thou shuttest
the door against Him; if thou love Him, thou openest unto Him: and if
thou open and He enter, thou shalt not be lost by loving thyself, but
shalt find thyself with Him who loveth thee....
5. "Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata" (ver. 6). What? A place for
the Lord. "We heard of it at Ephrata: and found it in the plains of the
forests." [5592] Did he hear it where he found it? or did he hear it in
one place, find it in another? Let us therefore enquire what Ephrata
is, where he heard it; let us also enquire what mean the plains of the
forests, where he found it. Ephrata, a Hebrew word, is rendered in
Latin by Speculum, [5593] as the translators of Hebrew words in the
Scriptures have handed down to us, that we might understand them. They
have translated from Hebrew into Greek, and from Greek we have versions
into Latin. For there have been who watched in the Scriptures. If
therefore Ephrata meaneth a mirror, that house which was found in the
woodland plains, was heard of in a mirror. A mirror hath an image: all
prophecy is an image of things future. The future house of God,
therefore, was declared in the image of prophecy. "We have found it in
the plains of the forests." What are the "plains of the forests"?
[5594] Saltus is not here used in its common sense, as a plot of ground
of so many hundred acres; [5595] saltus properly signifies a spot as
yet untilled and woody. For some copies read, in the plains of the
wood. What then were the woodland plains, save nations yet untilled?
what were they, save regions yet covered with the thorns of idolatry?
Thus, though there were thorns of idolatry there, still we find a place
for the Lord there, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. What was
declared in the image to the Jews, was manifested in the faith of the
Gentiles.
6. "We will go into His tabernacles" (ver. 7). Whose? Those of the Lord
God of Jacob. They who enter to dwell therein, are the very same who
enter that they may be dwelt in. Thou enterest into thy house, that
thou mayest dwell therein; into the house of God, that thou mayest be
dwelt in. For the Lord is better, and when He hath begun to dwell in
thee, He will make thee happy. For if thou be not dwelt in by Him, thou
wilt be miserable. That son who said, "Father, give me the portion of
the goods," etc., [5596] wished to be his own master. It was well kept
in his father's hands, that it might not be wasted with harlots. He
received it, it was given into his own power; going to a far country,
he squandered it all with harlots. At length he suffered hunger, he
remembered his father; he returned, that he might be satisfied with
bread. Enter therefore, that thou mayest be dwelt in; and mayest be not
thine own, so to speak, but His: "We will go into His tabernacles. We
will worship on the spot where His feet stood." Whose feet? The Lord's,
or those of the house of the Lord itself? For that is the Lord's house,
wherein he saith He ought to be worshipped. Beside His house, the Lord
heareth not unto eternal life; for he belongeth to God's house, who
hath in charity been built in with living stones. But he who hath not
charity, falleth; and while he falls, the house stands....
7. But if ye incline to understand it of the house itself, where the
feet of that house have stood; let thy feet stand in Christ. They will
then stand, if thou shalt persevere in Christ. For what is said of the
devil? "He was a murderer from the beginning, and stood not in the
truth." [5597] The feet of the devil therefore stood not. Also what
saith he of the proud? "O let not the foot of pride come against me;
and let not the hand of the ungodly cast me down. There are they
fallen, all that work wickedness: they are cast down, and were not able
to stand." [5598] That then is the house of God, whose feet stand.
Whence John rejoicing, saith: what? "He that hath the bride is the
bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom standeth and heareth him."
If he stand not, he heareth him not. Justly he standeth, because "he
rejoiceth on account of the bridegroom's voice." Now therefore ye see
why they fell, who rejoice because of their own voice. [5599] That
friend of the Bridegroom said, "The same is He which baptizeth." [5600]
Some say, We baptize: rejoicing in their own voice, they could not
stand; and belong not to that house of which it is said, "where His
feet stood."
8. "Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place" (ver. 8). He saith unto the
Lord sleeping, "Arise." Ye know already who slept, and who rose
again...."Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctification:" that is, Arise,
that the ark of Thy sanctification, which Thou hast sanctified, may
arise also. He is our Head; His ark is His Church: He arose first, the
Church will arise also. The body would not dare to promise itself
resurrection, save the Head arose first. The Body of Christ, that was
born of Mary, hath been understood by some to be the ark of
sanctification; so that the words mean, Arise with Thy Body, that they
who believe not may handle.
9. "Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints
sing with joyfulness" (ver. 9). When Thou risest from the dead, and
goest unto Thy Father, let that royal Priesthood be clothed with faith,
since "the righteous liveth by faith;" [5601] and, receiving the pledge
of the Holy Spirit, let the members rejoice in the hope of
resurrection, which went before in the Head: for to them the Apostle
saith, "Rejoicing in hope." [5602]
10. "For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of Thine
Anointed" (ver. 10). These words are addressed unto God the Father.
"For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of Thine
Anointed." The Lord was crucified in Judaea; He was crucified by the
Jews; harassed by them, He slept. He arose to judge those among whose
savage hands He slept: and He saith elsewhere, "Raise Thou Me up again,
and I shall reward them." [5603] He both hath rewarded them, and will
reward them. The Jews well know themselves how great were their
sufferings after the Lord's death. They were all expelled from the very
city, where they slew Him. What then? have all perished even from the
root of David and from the tribe of Judah? No: for some of that stock
believed, and in fact many thousands of men of that stock believed, and
this after the Lord's resurrection. They raged and crucified Him: and
afterwards began to see miracles wrought in the Name of Him Crucified;
and they trembled still more that His Name should have so much power,
since when in their hands He seemed unable to work any; and pricked at
heart, at length believing that there was some hidden divinity in Him
whom they had believed like other men, and asking counsel of the
Apostles, they were answered, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." [5604] Since then Christ arose
to judge those by whom He had been crucified, and turned away His
Presence from the Jews, turning His Presence towards the Gentiles; God
is, as it seemeth, besought in behalf of the remnant of Israel; and it
is said unto Him, "For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away the
presence of Thine Anointed." If the chaff be condemned, let the wheat
be gathered together. May the remnant be saved, as Isaiah saith, "And
the remnant hath" clearly "been saved:" [5605] for out of them were the
twelve Apostles, out of them more than five hundred brethren, to whom
the Lord showed Himself after His Resurrection: [5606] out of their
number were so many thousands baptized, [5607] who laid the price of
their possessions at the Apostles' feet. Thus then was fulfilled the
prayer here made to God: "For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away
the presence of Thine Anointed."
11. "The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He shall not
repent" (ver. 11). What meaneth, "hath made an oath"? Hath confirmed a
promise through Himself. What meaneth, "He shall not repent"? He will
not change. For God suffereth not the pain of repentance, nor is He
deceived in any matter, so that He would wish to correct that wherein
He hath erred. But as when a man repents of anything, he wisheth to
change what he hath done; thus where thou hearest that God repenteth,
look for an actual change. God doth it differently from thee, although
He calleth it by the name of repentance; for thou dost it, because thou
hadst erred; while He doth it, because He avengeth, or freeth. He
changed Saul's kingdom, when He repented, as it is said: and in the
very passage where the Scripture saith, "It repented Him;" it is said a
little after, "for He is not a man that He should repent." [5608] When
therefore He changeth His works through His immutable counsel, He is
said to repent on account of this very change, not of His counsel, but
of His work. But He promised this so as not to change it. Just as this
passage also saith: "The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a
Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec;" [5609] so also since
this was promised so that it should not be changed, because it must
needs happen and be permanent; he saith, "The Lord hath made a faithful
oath unto David, and He shall not repent; Of the fruit of thy body
shall I set upon thy seat." He might have said, "of the fruit of thy
loins," wherefore did He choose to say, "Of the fruit of thy body"? Had
He said that also, it would have been true; but He chose to say with a
further meaning, Ex fructu ventris, because Christ was born of a woman
without the man.
12. What then? "The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He
shall not shrink from it; Of the fruit of thy body shall I set upon thy
seat. If thy children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that I
shall learn them, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for
evermore" (ver. 12). If thy children keep My covenant, their children
also shall sit for evermore. The parents establish a desert on behalf
of their children. What if his children should keep the covenant, and
their children should not keep it? Why is the happiness of the children
promised in relation to their parents' deservings? For what saith He,
"If thy children will keep My covenant, their children also shall sit
for evermore"--He saith not, if thy children keep My covenant, they
shall sit upon thy seat; and if their children keep My covenant, they
also shall sit upon thy seat: but he saith, "If thy children keep My
covenant, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for
evermore"--except because He here wished their fruit to be understood
by their children? "If thy children," He saith, "will keep My covenant,
and if thy children shall keep My testimonies that I shall learn them;
their children also shall sit upon thy seat:" that is, this will be
their fruit, that they sit upon thy seat. For in this life, brethren,
do all of us who labour in Christ, all of us who tremble at His words,
who in any way endeavour to execute His will, and groan while we pray
His help that we may fulfil what He commandeth; do we already sit in
those seats of bliss which are promised us? No: but holding His
commandments, we hope this will come to pass. This hope is spoken of
under the figure of sons; because sons are the hope of man living in
this life, sons are his fruit. For this reason also men, when excusing
their avarice, allege that they are reserving for their children what
they hoard up; and, unwilling to give to the destitute, excuse
themselves under the name of piety, because their children are their
hope. For all men who live according to this world, declare it to be
their hope, to be fathers of children they may leave behind them. Thus
then He describes hope generally under the name of children, and saith,
"If thy children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that I shall
learn them, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore:"
that is, they shall have such fruits, that their hope shall not deceive
them, that they may come there where they hope to come. At present
therefore they are as fathers, men of hope for the future; but when
they have attained what they hope, they are children; because they have
brought forth and produced in their works that which they gain. And
this is preserved unto them for the future, [5610] because futurity
[5611] itself commonly signifieth children.
13. Or if thou understand actual men to be meant by children, the
words, "If thy children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that I
shall teach them," may mean, "If thy children will keep My covenant and
testimonies that I shall teach them, and their children also;" that is,
if they too keep My covenant; so that here thou must make a slight
pause, and then infer that "they shall sit upon thy seat for evermore;"
that is, both thy children and their children, but all if they keep My
covenant. What then, if they keep it not? Hath the promise of God
failed? No: but it is said and promised for this reason, that God
foresaw: what, save that they would believe? But that no man should as
it were threaten God's promises, and prefer to place in his own power
the fulfilment of what God promised: for this reason he saith, "He made
an oath:" whereby he showeth that it will without doubt take place. How
then hath He said here, "If they will keep My covenant"? Glory not in
the promises, and leave out thy failing to keep the covenant. Then wilt
thou be the son of David, if thou shalt keep the covenant; but if thou
dost not keep it, thou wilt not be David's son. God promised to the
sons of David. Say not, I am David's son if thou degenerate. If the
Jews, who were born of this very stock, say not this (nay, they say it,
but they are under a delusion. For the Lord saith openly, "If ye were
Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." [5612] He
thereby denied them to be children, because they did not the works),
how do we call ourselves David's children, who are not of his race
according to the flesh? It follows then that we are not children, save
by imitating his faith, save by worshipping God, as he worshipped. If
therefore what thou hopest not through descent, thou wilt not endeavour
to obtain by works; how shall the sitting upon David's seat be
fulfilled in thee? And if it shall not be fulfilled in thee, thinkest
thou that it shall not be fulfilled at all? And how hath He found it in
the woodland tracts? and how did His feet stand? Whatsoever then thou
mayest be, that house will stand.
14. "For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for Himself"
(ver. 13). Sion is the Church Herself; She is also that Jerusalem unto
whose peace we are running, who is in pilgrimage not in the Angels, but
in us, who in her better part waiteth for the part that will return;
whence letters have come unto us, which are every day read. This city
is that very Sion, whom the Lord hath chosen.
15. "This shall be My rest for ever" (ver. 14). These are the words of
God. "My rest:" I rest there. How greatly doth God love us, brethren,
since, because we rest, He saith that He also resteth! For He is not
sometimes Himself disturbed, nor doth He rest as we do; but He saith
that He resteth there, because we shall have rest in Him. "Here will I
dwell: for I have a delight therein."
16. "I will bless her widow with blessings, and will satisfy her poor
with bread" (ver. 15). Every soul that is aware that it is bereft of
all help, save of God alone, is widowed. For how doth the Apostle
describe a widow? "She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in
God." [5613] He was speaking of those whom we all call Widows in the
Church. He saith, "She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she
liveth;" and he numbereth her not among the widows. But in describing
true widows, what saith he? "She that is a widow indeed and desolate,
trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and
day." Here he addeth, "but she that liveth in pleasure, is dead while
she liveth." What then makes a widow? That she hath no aid from any
other source, save from God alone. They that have husbands, take pride
in the protection of their husbands: widows seem desolate, and their
aid is a stronger one. The whole Church therefore is one widow, whether
in men or in women, in married men or married women, in young men or in
old, or in virgins: the whole Church is one widow, desolate in this
world, if she feel this, if she is aware of her widowhood: for then is
help at hand for her. Do ye not recognise this widow in the Gospel, my
brethren, when the Lord declared "that men ought always to pray and not
to faint"? "There was in a city a judge," He said, "which feared not
God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city; and she
came unto him day by day, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary." The
widow, by daily importunity, prevailed with him: for the judge said
within himself, "Though I fear not God; neither regard man, yet because
this woman troubleth me, I will avenge her." [5614] If the wicked judge
heard the widow, that he might not be molested; heareth not God His
Church, whom He exhorteth to pray?
17. Also, "I will satisfy her poor with bread;" what meaneth this,
brethren? Let us be poor, and we shall then be satisfied. Many who
trust in the world, and are proud, are Christians; they worship Christ,
but are not satisfied; for they have been satisfied, and abound in
their pride. Of such it is said, "Our soul is filled with the scornful
reproof of the wealthy, and with the despitefulness of the proud:"
[5615] these have abundance, and therefore eat, but are not satisfied.
And what is said of them in the Psalm? "All such as be fat upon the
earth have eaten and worshipped." [5616] They worship Christ, they
venerate Christ, they pray unto Christ; but they are not satisfied with
His wisdom and righteousness. Wherefore? Because they are not poor. For
the poor, that is the humble in heart, the more they hunger, the more
they eat; and the more empty they are of the world, the more hungry
they are. He who is full refuseth whatsoever thou wilt give him,
because he is full. Give me one who hungereth; give me one of whom it
is said, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they shall be filled:" [5617] and these will be the poor of whom he
hath just said, "And will satisfy her poor with bread." For in the very
Psalm where it is said, "All such as be fat upon the earth have eaten
and worshipped;" this is said of the poor also, and exactly in the same
manner as in this Psalm, "The poor shall eat, and be satisfied: they
that seek after the Lord shall praise Him." [5618] Where it is said,
"All such as be fat upon earth have eaten and worshipped:" it is said,
"the poor shall eat, and be satisfied." Why, when the rich are said to
have worshipped, are they not said to be satisfied; yet when the poor
are mentioned, they are said to be satisfied? And whence are they
satisfied? What is the nature, brethren, of this satisfying? God
Himself is their bread. The bread came down upon the earth, that He
might become milk unto us; and said to His own, "I am the Living Bread
which came down from heaven." [5619] Hence these words in the Psalm,
"The poor shall eat, and be satisfied." From what source shall they be
satisfied? Hear what followeth: "And they that seek after the Lord
shall praise Him."
18. Be ye therefore poor, be ye among the members of that widow, let
your help be solely in God alone. Money is nought; not thence will ye
have aid. Many have been cast headlong down for money's sake, many have
perished on account of money; many for the sake of their riches have
been marked out by plunderers; they would have been safe, had they not
had what made men hunt for them. Many have presumed in their more
powerful friends: they in whom they presumed have fallen, and have
involved in their ruin those who trusted in them. Look back upon the
instances to be seen in the human race. Is it anything singular that I
am telling you? We speak these things not only from these Scriptures;
read them in the whole world. Take heed that ye presume not in money,
in a friend, in the honour and the boasting of the world. Take away all
these things: but if thou hast them, thank God if thou despisest them.
But if thou art puffed up by them; think not when thou wilt be the prey
of men; already art thou the Devil's prey. But if thou hast not trusted
in these things, thou wilt be among the members of that widow, who is
the Church, of whom it is said, "I will bless her widow with
blessings;" thou wilt also be poor, and one of those of whom it is
said, "And will satisfy her poor with bread."
19. Sometimes, however, and we must not pass over this without mention,
thou findest a poor man proud, and a rich man humble: we daily endure
such persons. Thou hearest a poor man groaning beneath a rich man, and
when the more powerful rich man presseth upon him, then thou seest him
humble: sometimes not even then, but even then proud; whence thou seest
what he would have been, had he any property. God's poor one is
therefore poor in spirit, not in his purse. Sometimes a man goeth forth
having a full house, rich lands, many estates, much gold and silver; he
knoweth that he must not trust in these, he humbleth himself before
God, he doth good with them; thus his heart is raised unto God, so that
he is aware that not only do riches themselves profit him nothing, but
that they even impede his feet, save He rule them, and aid them: and he
is counted among the poor who are satisfied with bread. Thou findest
another a proud beggar, or not proud only because he hath nothing,
nevertheless seeking whereby he may be puffed up. God doth not heed the
means a man hath, but the wish he hath, and judgeth him according to
his wish for temporal blessings, not according to the means which it is
not his lot to have. Whence the Apostle saith of the rich, "Charge them
that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in
uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all
things to enjoy." What therefore should they do with their riches? He
goeth on to say: "That they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
willing to communicate." And see that they are poor in this world:
"Laying up in store for themselves," he addeth, "a good foundation
against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."
[5620] When they have laid hold of eternal life, then will they be
rich; but since they have it not as yet, they should know that they are
poor. Thus it is that God counteth among His poor all the humble in
heart, who are established in that twofold charity, [5621] whatever
they may have in this world--among His poor, whom He satisfieth with
bread.
20. "I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall
rejoice and sing" (ver. 16). We are now at the end of the Psalm; attend
for a short space, Beloved. "I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her saints shall rejoice and sing." Who is our salvation, save our
Christ? What meaneth, therefore, "I will clothe her priests with
salvation"? "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put
on Christ." [5622] "And her saints shall rejoice and sing." Whence
shall they rejoice and sing? Because they have been clothed with
salvation: not in themselves. For they have become light, but in the
Lord; for they were darkness before. [5623] Therefore he hath added,
"There will I raise up the horn of David" (ver. 17): this will be
David's height, that trust be put in Christ. For horn signifieth
height: and what sort of height? Not carnal. Therefore, while all the
bones are wrapped up in flesh, the horn goeth beyond the flesh.
Spiritual altitude is a horn. But what is spiritual loftiness, save to
trust in Christ? not to say, It is my work, I baptize; [5624] but, "He
it is who baptizeth." [5625] There is the horn of David: and that ye
may know that there is the horn of David, heed what followeth: "I have
ordained a lantern for mine Anointed." What is a lantern? Ye already
know the Lord's words concerning John: "He was a burning and a shining
light." [5626] And what saith John? "He it is who baptizeth." Herein
therefore shall the saints rejoice, herein the priests shall rejoice:
because all that is good in themselves, is not of themselves, but of
Him who hath the power of baptizing. Fearlessly therefore doth every
one who hath received baptism come unto His temple; because it is not
man's, but His who made the horn of David to flourish.
21. "Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish" (ver. 18). Upon whom?
Upon Mine Anointed. For when He saith, "Mine anointed," it is the voice
of the Father, who saith, "I will bless her widow with blessings, and
will satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe her priests with
salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing." He who saith, "There
will I raise up the horn of David," is God. He Himself saith, "I have
ordained a lantern for Mine Anointed," because Christ is both ours and
the Father's: He is our Christ, when He saveth us and ruleth us, as He
is also our Lord: He is the Son of the Father, but both our Christ and
the Father's. For if He were not the Father's Christ, it would not be
said above, "For Thy servant David's sake, turn not Thou away the
presence of Thine Anointed." "Upon Him shall My sanctification
flourish." It flourisheth upon Christ. Let none of men assume this to
himself, that he himself sanctifieth: otherwise it will not be true,
"Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish." The glory of
sanctification shall flourish. The sanctification of Christ therefore
in Christ Himself, is the power of the sanctification of God in Christ.
In that he saith, "shall flourish," he refers to His glory: for when
trees flourish, then are they beautiful. Sanctification therefore is in
Baptism: thence it flourisheth, and is brightened. Why hath the world
yielded to this beauty? Because it flourisheth in Christ; for, put it
in man's power, and how doth it then flourish? since "all flesh in
grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the grass."
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:
[5585] Lat. CXXXI. A sermon to the common people.
[5586] Ed. Ben. supposes this to be Severus, Bishop of Milevis; and
refers to Exp. of Ps. xcvi. S: 1, p. 470, supra.
[5587] [On this principle, I have been forced to sacrifice many
repetitions excellent in themselves.--C.]
[5588] Ben. thinks these words are repeated by mistake from above, in
some mss.; but they are also in our copies, and come in very much after
the manner of St. Augustin.
[5589] [This sufficiently modifies and expounds what he means.--C.]
[5590] Isa. lxvi. 2.
[5591] Acts iv. 4, 32, 35.
[5592] Oxf. mss. add these words: "We hear those things in Ephrata, we
find them in the woodland plains." [Note 1 Kings vi. 7.--C.]
[5593] Mirror.
[5594] Saltuum.
[5595] Centuriarum--then 200 acres. See Isid. Etym. xv. c. 15, S: 7.
[5596] Luke xv. 12-20.
[5597] John viii. 44.
[5598] Ps. xxxvi. 11, 12.
[5599] Donatists.
[5600] John i. 33.
[5601] Rom. i. 17.
[5602] Rom. xii. 12.
[5603] Ps. xli. 10.
[5604] Acts ii. 38.
[5605] Isa. x. 21, 22.
[5606] 1 Cor. xv. 6.
[5607] Acts ii. 41.
[5608] 1 Sam. xv. 11, 29.
[5609] Ps. cx. 4.
[5610] In posterum.
[5611] Posteritas.
[5612] John viii. 39.
[5613] 1 Tim. v. 5, 6.
[5614] Luke xviii. 1-8.
[5615] Ps. cxxiii. 4.
[5616] Ps. xxii. 29.
[5617] Matt. v. 6.
[5618] Ps. xxii. 29, 26.
[5619] John vi. 51.
[5620] 1 Tim. vi. 17-19.
[5621] Matt. xxii. 37-39.
[5622] Gal. iii. 27.
[5623] Eph. v. 8.
[5624] Donatists.
[5625] John i. 33.
[5626] John v. 35.
HOME