The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CVII
Home of Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
GOD, which knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that for man's frailness, we cannot always stand uprightly; Grant to us the health of body and soul that all those things which we suffer for sin, by thy help we may pass and overcome, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Sacrementary of Bishop Gregory of Rome [600 AD]. This is based on the collect for the Ember Saturday in Lent. Gregory lived in a very troubled time for the Roman Empire as is indicated in this collect and aligned with the Gospel appointed for that day, Matt 8-23-27, the storm upon the sea, when the boat was so tossed that they disciples could not stand upright.
Isaiah lix. 1., Romans xiii. 1 Psalms 75, 76 | 107; St. Matthew viii. 1
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CVII
READINGS
Isaiah lix. 1-10
Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.Romans xiii. 1
LET every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.St. Matthew viii. 1
WHEN he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testi-mony unto them. And when Jesus was entered into Caper-naum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
1. This Psalm commendeth unto us the mercies of God, proved in
ourselves, and is therefore the sweeter to the experienced. And it is a
wonder if it can be pleasing to any one, except to him who has learned
in his own case, what he hears in this Psalm. Yet was it written not
for any one or two, but for the people of God, and set forth that it
might know itself therein as in a mirror. Its title needeth not now to
be treated, for it is Halleluia, and again Halleluia. Which we have a
custom of singing at a certain time in our solemnities, after an old
tradition of the Church: nor is it without a sacred meaning that we
sing it on particular days. [4872] Halleluia we sing indeed on certain
days, [4873] but every day we think it. For if in this word is
signified the praise of God, though not in the mouth of the flesh, yet
surely in the mouth of the heart. "His praise shall ever be in my
mouth." [4874] But that the title hath Halleluia not once only but
twice, is not peculiar to this Psalm, but the former also hath it so.
And as far as appears from its text, that was sung of the people of
Israel, but this is sung of the universal Church of God, spread through
the whole world. Perchance, it not unfitly hath Halleluia twice,
because we cry, Abba, Father. Since Abba is nothing else but Father,
yet not without meaning the Apostle said, "in whom we cry, Abba,
Father;" [4875] but because one wall indeed coming to the Corner Stone
crieth Abba, but the other, from the other side crieth Father; viz., in
that Corner Stone, "who is our Peace, who hath made both one."...
Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him
from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
2. "Confess unto the Lord that He is sweet, because for aye in His
mercy" (ver. 1). This confess ye that He is sweet: if ye have tasted,
confess. But he cannot confess, who hath not chosen to taste, for
whence shall he say that that is sweet, which he knoweth not. But ye if
ye have tasted how sweet the Lord is, [4876] "Confess ye to the Lord
that He is sweet." If ye have tasted with eagerness, break forth [4877]
with confession. "For aye is His mercy," that is, for ever. For here
"for aye," is so put, since also in some other places of Scripture, for
aye, that is, what in Greek is called eis aiona, is understood for
ever. For His mercy is not for a time, so as not to be for ever, since
for this purpose His present mercy is over men, that they may live with
the Angels for ever.
3. "Let them say who are redeemed of the Lord, whom He hath redeemed
from the hand of their enemies" (ver. 2). Redeemed indeed it seems was
also the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, from the hand of
slavery, from fruitless labours, from miry works; yet let us see
whether those who say these things, are they who were freed by the Lord
from Egypt. It is not so. But who are they? "Those whom He redeemed."
Still one might take it also of them, as redeemed from the hand of
their enemies, that is, of the Egyptians. Let them be expressed exactly
who they are, for whom this Psalm would be sung. "He gathered them from
the lands;" these might still be the lands of Egypt, for there are many
lands even in one province. Let him speak openly. "From the east and
the west, from the north and the sea" (ver. 3). Now then we understand
these redeemed, in the whole circle of the earth. This people of God,
freed from a great and broad Egypt, is led, as through the Red Sea,
[4878] that in Baptism it may make an end of its enemies. For by the
sacrament as it were of the Red Sea, that is by Baptism consecrated
with the Blood of Christ, the pursuing Egyptians, the sins, are washed
away...."But all these things happened to them in a figure, and were
written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come."
[4879] ...
4. "They wandered in the wilderness, in a dry place, they found not the
way of a city to dwell in" (ver. 4). We have heard a wretched
wandering; what of want? "Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in
them" (ver. 5). But wherefore did it faint? for what good? For God is
not cruel, but He maketh Himself known, in that it is expedient for us,
that He be entreated by us fainting, and that aiding us He be loved.
And therefore after this wandering, and hunger, and thirst, "And they
cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of
their distress" (ver. 6). And what did He for them, as they were
wandering? "And He led them in the right way" (ver. 7). They found not
the way of a city to dwell in, with hunger and thirst they were vexed
and faint, "and He led them into the right way, that they might go into
a city to dwell in." How He helped their hunger and thirst, He saith
not, but even this expect ye: "Let them confess unto the Lord His
mercies, and His wonders towards the children of men" (ver. 8). Tell
them, ye that are experienced, to the inexperienced; ye that are
already in the way, already directed towards finding the city, already
at last free from hunger and thirst. "Because He hath satisfied the
empty soul, and filled the hungry soul with good things" (ver. 9).
5. "Them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, fast bound
in beggary and iron" (ver. 10). Whence this, but that thou wast
attributing things to thyself? that thou wast not owning the grace of
God? that thou wast rejecting the counsel of God [4880] concerning
thee? For see what He addeth: "Because they rebelled against the words
of the Lord through pride" (ver. 11), not knowing the righteousness of
God, and wishing to establish their own, [4881] "and they were bitter
against the counsel of the Most High." "And their heart was brought low
in labour" (ver. 12). And now fight against lust; if God cease to aid
thou mayest strive, thou canst not conquer. And when thou shalt be
pressed by thine evil, thy heart will be brought low in labour, so that
now with humbled heart thou mayest learn to cry out, "O wretched man
that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" [4882]
...Freed, thou wilt confess the mercies of the Lord. "And they cried
unto the Lord when they were troubled, and He delivered them out of
their distresses" (ver. 13). They were freed from the second
temptation. There remains that of weariness and loathing. But first see
what He did for them when freed. "And He led them out of darkness and
the shadow of death, and brake their bonds asunder" (ver. 14). "Let
them confess to the Lord His mercies, and His wonders to the children
of men" (ver. 15). Wherefore? what difficulties hath He overcome?
"Because He brake the gates of brass, and snapped the bars of iron"
(ver. 16). "He took them up from the way of their iniquity, for because
of their unrighteousnesses they were brought low" (ver. 17). Because
they gave honour to themselves, not to God, because they were
establishing their own righteousness, not knowing the righteousness of
God, [4883] they were brought low. They found that they were helpless
without His aid, who were presuming on their own strength alone.
6. "Their soul abhorred all manner of meat" (ver. 18). Now they suffer
satiety. They are sick of satiety. They are in danger from satiety.
Unless perchance thou thinkest they could be killed with famine, but
cannot with satiety. See what followeth. When he had said, "Their soul
abhorred all manner of meat," lest thou shouldest think them, as it
were, safe of their fulness, and not rather see that they would die of
satiety: "And they came near," he saith, "even unto the gates of
death." What then remaineth? That even when the word of God delighteth
thee, thou account it not to thyself; nor for this be puffed up with
any sort of arrogance, and having an appetite for food, proudly spurn
at those who are in danger from satiety. "And they cried out unto the
Lord when they were in trouble, and He delivered them out of their
distresses" (ver. 19). And because it was a sickness not to be pleased,
"He sent His Word, and healed them" (ver. 20). See what evil there is
in satiety; see whence He delivers, to whom he crieth that loathes his
food. "He sent His Word, and healed them, and snatched them," from
whence? not from wandering, not from hunger, not from the difficulty of
overcoming sins, but "from their corruption." It is a sort of
corruption of the mind to loathe what is sweet. Therefore also of this
benefit, as of the others before, "Let them confess to the Lord His
mercies, and His wonders unto the sons of men" (ver. 21). "And
sacrifice the sacrifice of praise" (ver. 22). For now that He may be
praised, the Lord is sweet, "and let them tell out His works with
gladness." Not with weariness, not with sadness, not with anxiety, not
with loathing, but "with gladness."
7. ..."They who go down on the sea in ships, doing their business on
the mighty waters" (ver. 23); that is, amongst many peoples. For that
waters are often put for peoples, the Apocalypse of John is witness,
when on John's asking what those waters were, it was answered him, they
are peoples. They then who do their business on mighty waters, "they
have seen the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep" (ver.
24). For what is deeper than human hearts? hence often break forth
winds; storms of sedition, and dissensions, disturb the ship. And what
is done in them? God, willing that both they who steer, and they who
are conveyed, should cry unto Him, "He spake, and the breath of the
storm stood" (ver. 25). What is, stood? Abode, continued, still
disturbeth, long tosseth; rageth, and passeth not away. "For He spake,
and the breath of the storm stood." And what did that breath of the
storm? "They go up even to the heavens," in daring; "They go down even
into the deeps" (ver. 26), in fearing. "Their soul wasted in miseries."
"They were disturbed, and moved like a drunken man" (ver. 27). They who
sit at the helm, and they who faithfully love the ship, feel what I
say. Certainly, when they speak, when they read, when they interpret,
they appear wise. Woe for the storm! "and all their wisdom," he saith,
"was swallowed up." Sometimes all human counsels fail; whichever way
one turns himself, the waves roar, the storm rageth, the arms are
powerless: where the prow may strike, to what wave the side may be
exposed, whither the stricken ship may be allowed to drift, from what
rocks she must be kept back lest she be lost, is impossible for her
pilots to see. And what is left but that which follows? "And they cried
out unto the Lord when they were troubled, and He delivered them from
their distresses" (ver. 28). "And He commanded the storm, and it stood
unto clear air" (ver. 29), "and the waves of it were still." Hear on
this point the voice of a steersman, one that was in peril, was brought
low, was freed. "I would not," he saith, "have you ignorant, brethren,
of our distress, which befell us in Asia, that "we were pressed above
strength, and above measure" (I see all his "wisdom swallowed up"), "so
that we were weary," he saith, "even of life." [4884] ...
"And they were glad, because they were still, and He brought them into
the haven of their desire" (ver. 30). "Let His mercies confess unto the
Lord, and His wonders towards the sons of men" (ver. 31). Everywhere,
without exception, let not our merits, not our strength, not our
wisdom, "confess unto the Lord," but, "His mercies." Let Him be loved
in every deliverance of ours, who has been invoked in every distress.
8. "And let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people, and praise
Him in the seat of the elders" (ver. 32). Let them exalt, let them
praise, peoples and elders, merchants and pilots. For what hath He done
in this assembly? What hath He established? Whence hath He rescued it?
What hath He granted it? Even as He resisted the proud, and gave grace
to the humble: [4885] the proud, that is, the first people of the Jews,
arrogant, and extolling itself on its descent from Abraham, and because
to that nation "were entrusted the oracles of God." [4886] These things
did not avail them unto soundness, but unto pride of heart, rather to
swelling than to greatness. What then did God, resisting the proud, but
giving grace to the humble; cutting off the natural branches for their
pride; grafting in the wild olive for its humility?
"He made the rivers a wilderness" (ver. 33). Waters did run there,
prophecies were in course. Seek now a prophet among the Jews; thou
findest none. For "He made the outgoings of waters to be thirst." Let
them say, "Now there is no prophet more, and He will not know us any
more." [4887] "A fruitful land to be saltpools" (ver. 34). Thou seekest
there the faith of Christ, thou findest not: thou seekest a prophet,
thou findest not: thou seekest a sacrifice, thou findest not: thou
seekest a temple, thou findest none. Wherefore this? "From the
wickedness of them that dwell therein." Behold how He resisteth the
proud: hear how He giveth grace to the humble. "He made the wilderness
to be a standing water, and the dry ground to be outgoings of waters"
(ver. 35). "And He caused the hungry to dwell there" (ver. 36). Because
to Him it was said, "Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of
Melchizedec." [4888] For thou seekest a sacrifice among the Jews; thou
hast none after the order of Aaron. Thou seekest it after the order of
Melchizedec; thou findest it not among them, but through the whole
world it is celebrated in the Church. "From the rising of the sun to
the setting thereof the name of the Lord is praised." [4889] ..."And
they sowed fields, and planted vineyards, and gat fruit of corn" (ver.
37): at which that workman rejoiceth, who saith, "Not because I desire
a gift, but I seek fruit." [4890] "And He blessed them, and they were
multiplied exceedingly, and their cattle were not diminished" (ver.
38). This standeth. For "the foundation of God standeth sure; because
the Lord knoweth them that are His." [4891] They are called "beasts of
burden," and "cattle," that walk simply in the Church, yet are useful;
not much learned, but full of faith. Therefore, whether spiritual or
carnal, "He blessed them."
9. "And they became few, and were vexed" (ver. 39). Whence this? From
athwart? Nay, from within. For that they should "become few," "They
went out from us, but they were not of us." [4892] But therefore he
speaketh as of these, of whom he spake before, that they may be
discerned with understanding; because he speaketh as if of the same,
because of the sacraments they have in common. For they belong to the
people of God, though not by the virtue, yet surely by the appearance
of piety: for concerning them we have heard the Apostle, "In the last
times there shall come grievous times, for there shall be men lovers of
themselves." [4893] The first evil is, "lovers of themselves;" that is,
as being pleased with themselves. Would that they were not pleasing to
themselves, and were pleasing to God: would that they would cry out in
their difficulties, and be freed from their distresses. But while they
presumed greatly on themselves, "they were made few." It is manifest,
brethren: all who separate themselves from unity become few. For they
are many; but in unity, while they are not parted from unity. For when
the multitude of unity hath begun no more to belong to them, in heresy
and schism, they are few. "And they were vexed, from distress of
miseries and grief." "Contempt was poured on princes" (ver. 40). For
they were rejected by the Church of God, and the more because they
wished to be princes, therefore they were despised, and became salt
that had lost its savour, cast out abroad, so that it is trodden under
foot of men. [4894] "And He led them astray in the pathless place, and
not in a way." Those above in the way, those directed to a city, and
finally led thither, not led astray; but these, where there was no way,
led astray. What is, "Led them astray"? God "gave them up to their own
hearts' lusts." [4895] For "led astray" means this, gave them up to
themselves. For if thou enquire closely, it is they that lead
themselves astray...."And He helped the poor out of beggary" (ver. 41).
What meaneth this, brethren? Princes are despised, and the poor helped.
The proud are cast aside, and the humble provided for...."And made him
households like sheep." Thou understandest one poor man and one beggar
of him concerning whom he said, "He hath helped the poor out of
misery:" this poor man is now many households, this poor man is many
nations; many Churches are one Church, one nation, one household, one
sheep. These are great mysteries, great types, how profound, how full
of hidden meanings; how sweetly discovered, since long hidden.
Therefore, "the righteous will consider this, and rejoice: and the
mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped" (ver. 42). That wickedness
that doth prate against unity, and compelleth truth to be made
manifest, shall be convicted, and have its mouth stopped.
10. "Who is wise? and he will consider these things; and will
understand the mercies of the Lord" (ver. 43)....Not his own
deservings, not his own strength, not his own power; but "the mercies
of the Lord;" who, when he was wandering and in want, led him back to
the path, and fed him; who, when he was struggling against the
difficulties of his sins, and bound down with the fetters of habit,
released and freed him; who, when he loathed the Word of God, and was
almost dying with a kind of weariness, restored him by sending him the
medicine of His Word; who, when he was endangered among the risks of
shipwreck and storm, stilled the sea, and brought him into port; who,
finally, placed him in that people, where He giveth grace to the
humble; not in that where he resisteth the proud; and hath made him His
own, that remaining within he may be multiplied, not that going out he
may be minished. The righteous see this, and rejoice. "The mouth,"
therefore, "of all wickedness shall be stopped."
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
__________________________________________________________________
[4871] Lat. CVI.
[4872] [It was not used in Lent, and was a feature of the Easter
solemnities. See Ps. cxi. infra.--C.]
[4873] See on Ps. cxi.
[4874] Ps. xxxiv. 1.
[4875] Rom. viii. 15.
[4876] 1 Pet. ii. 3.
[4877] Eructate.
[4878] Exod. xiv. 22.
[4879] 1 Cor. x. 11.
[4880] Luke vii. 30.
[4881] Rom. x. 3.
[4882] Rom. vii. 24.
[4883] Rom. x. 3.
[4884] 2 Cor. i. 8.
[4885] Jas. iv. 6.
[4886] Rom. iii. 2.
[4887] Ps. lxxiv. 9.
[4888] Ps. cx. 4.
[4889] Ps. cxiii. 3 and Mal. i. 10.
[4890] Philip. iv. 17.
[4891] 2 Tim. ii. 19.
[4892] 1 John ii. 19.
[4893] 2 Tim. iii. 2.
[4894] Matt. v. 13.
[4895] Rom. i. 24.
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