Augustine the Bishop
Psalm CXLIII
The Fourth Sunday in Lent
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Source: Sacramentary of Gregory, Bishop of Rome [600 AD]. This Sunday was sometimes known as "Refreshment Sunday" for "be relieved" from the Latin resperimus and the Gospel where Jesus relieved the multitude of their hunger. Sometimes known as "Mothering Sunday" as Paul says in the Gospel, "the Jerusalem above is the mother of us all"
2 Sam xv. 30 Psalm 142, 143 | 119:105–144
Galatians iv. 21. St. John vi. 1.
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CXLIII
And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
2 Sam xv. 30 (David when he withdrew from Jerusalem after his son had taken the throne)
And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
Psalms Monrning and Evening 142, 143 | 119:105–144 (Nun-Tzaddi)
Galatians iv. 21.
TELL me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not: break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
The Gospel. St. John vi. 1.
JESUS went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
Homily
Augustine the Bishop
Psalm CXLIII
1. ...The title of the Psalm is, "To David himself, when his son was
pursuing him." We know from the Books of Kings [5812] that this
happened:...but we must recognise here another David, truly "strong in
hand," which is the explanation of David, even our Lord Jesus Christ.
For all those events of past time were figures of things to come. Let
us seek then in this Psalm our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
announcing Himself beforehand in His prophecy, and foretelling what
should happen at this time by things which were done long ago. For He
Himself foretold Himself in the Prophets: for He is the Word of God.
Nor did they say ought of this kind, save when filled with the Word of
God. They announced then Christ, being filled with Christ, [5813] they
went before Him about to come, and He deserted not them going
before....
2. Let then our Lord speak; let Christ with us, whole Christ, speak.
"Lord, hear my prayer, receive with Thine ears my entreaty" (ver. 1).
"Hear" and "receive with ears" are the same thing. It is repetition, it
is confirmation. "In Thy truth hear me, in Thy righteousness." Take it
not without emphasis when it is said, "in Thy righteousness." For it is
a commendation of grace, that none of us think his righteousness his
own. For this is the righteousness of God, which God hath given thee to
possess. For what saith the Apostle of them, who would boast of their
own righteousness? Speaking of the Jews, he saith, "they have a zeal of
God, but not according to knowledge." [5814] ...Thou art perverse,
because thou imputest what thou hast done ill to God, what well to
thyself: thou wilt be right, when thou imputest what thou hast done ill
to thyself, what well to God....Behold, "in Thy righteousness hear me."
For when I look upon myself, nought else do I find mine own, save sin.
3. "And enter not into judgment with Thy servant" (ver. 2). Who are
willing to enter into judgment with Him, save they who, "being ignorant
of the righteousness of God, go about to establish their own?"
"Wherefore have we fasted, and Thou hast not seen; wherefore have we
afflicted our souls, and Thou takest no knowledge?" [5815] As though
they would say, "We have done what Thou hast commanded, wherefore dost
Thou not render to us what Thou hast promised?" God answereth thee: I
will give to thee to receive what I have promised: I have given thee
that thou shouldest do that whereby thou mayest receive. Finally, to
such proud ones the Prophet speaketh; "Wherefore will ye plead with Me?
ye have all transgressed against Me, saith the Lord." [5816] Why will
ye enter into judgment with Me, and recount your own
righteousnesses?..."For before Thee every one living shall not be
justified." "Every one living;" living, that is, here, living in the
flesh, living in expectation of death; born a man; deriving his life of
man; sprung from Adam, a living Adam; every one thus living may perhaps
be justified before himself, but not before Thee. How before himself?
By pleasing himself, displeasing Thee. Enter not then into judgment
with me, O Lord my God. How straight soever I seem to myself, Thou
bringest forth a standard from Thy store-house, Thou fittest me to it,
and I am found crooked. Well is it said, "with Thy servant." It is
unworthy of Thee to enter into judgment with Thy servant, or even with
Thy friend. [5817] ...What of the Apostles themselves?...That ye may
perceive it at once, they learnt to pray what we pray: to them was
given the pattern of prayer by the heavenly Counsellor. "After this
manner," saith He, "pray ye." [5818] And having set down certain things
first, He laid down this too to be said by the leaders of the sheep,
the chief members of the Shepherd and Gatherer [5819] of the one flock;
even they learnt to say, "Forgive us our debts." [5820] They said not,
"Thanks be to Thee, who hast forgiven us our debts, as we too forgive
our debtors," but, "Forgive, as we forgive." But surely the faithful
prayed then, surely the Apostles prayed then, for this Lord's Prayer
was given rather to the faithful. If those debts only were meant which
are forgiven by Baptism, it would befit catechumens rather to say,
"Forgive us our debts." Let the Apostles then say, yea let them say,
"Forgive us our debts." And when it is said to them, "Wherefore say ye
this? what are your debts?" let them answer, "for in Thy sight every
one living shall not be justified."
4. "For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath humbled my life on
the earth" (ver. 3). Here we speak, here our Head speaketh for us.
Manifestly both the devil persecuted the Soul of Christ and Judas the
Soul of his Master: and now too the same devil remaineth to persecute
the Body of Christ, and one Judas succeedeth another. There lacketh not
then of whom the Body too may say, "For the enemy hath persecuted my
soul." For what doth each one who persecuteth us endeavour save to make
us abandon our heavenly hope, and savour of the earth, yield to our
persecutor, and love earthly things? "They have laid me in dark places,
as the dead of the world." This ye hear more readily from the Head;
this ye perceive more readily in the Head. For He died indeed for us,
yet was He not one of the "dead of the world." For who are the "dead of
the world"? And how was not He one of the "dead of the world"? "The
dead of the world" are those who have died of their own desert,
receiving the reward of iniquity, deriving death from the sin
transmissed to them; according as it is said, "For I was conceived in
iniquity." [5821] ...In dying, saith He, I do the will of My Father,
but I am not deserving of death. Nought have I done wherefore I should
die, yet is it Mine own doing that I die, that by the death of an
innocent One, they may be freed who had wherefore they should die.
"They set me in places," as though in Hades, as though in the tomb, as
though in His very Passion, "as the dead of the world." [5822]
5. "And My Spirit within me," saith He, "suffered weariness" (ver. 4).
Remember, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." [5823]
Here we see one voice. Do we not see plainly the transition from the
Head to the members, from the members to the Head?...
6. But we too were there. He goes to the members. "I have called to
mind the days of old" (ver. 5). Did He "call to mind the days of old,"
by whom every day was made? No, but the body speaketh, each one who has
been justified by His grace, who dwelleth in Him in love and devout
humility, speaketh and saith, "I have meditated upon all Thy works:"
plainly because Thou hast made all things good, and nothing would have
stood fast, which was not established by Thee. Thy creation is made a
spectacle unto me: I have sought in the work the Artificer, in all that
is made the Maker. Wherefore this, to what purpose this, save that he
might understand, that whatever there was of good in himself was made
by Him....Look back then upon the Framer of thy life, the Author of thy
substance, of thy righteousness, and of thy salvation: "meditate upon
the works of His hands," for the righteousness too which is in thee,
thou wilt find to pertain to His hand. Hear the Apostle teaching thee
this, "not of works," he saith, "lest any should boast." Have we no
good works? Plainly we have: but see what follows; "for we are His
workmanship," [5824] saith he. "We are His workmanship:" perhaps in
thus speaking of workmanship, he meant to mention the nature whereby we
are men? Evidently not: he was speaking of works. But let us not make
conjectures; let the text go on, "for we are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works." Think not then that thou thyself
doest anything, save in so far as thou art evil...."Work out your own
salvation," saith the Apostle, "with fear and trembling." [5825] If we
do work out our own salvation, wherefore with fear, wherefore with
trembling, when what we work is in our own power? Hear wherefore with
fear and trembling: "for it is God that worketh in you both to will and
to do, of His good pleasure." Therefore "with fear and trembling," that
it may delight our Maker to work in the lowly valley....
7. "I stretched forth," saith he, "my hands to Thee: my soul is as a
land without water to Thee" (ver. 6). Rain upon me, saith he, to bring
forth from me good fruit. "For the Lord shall give sweetness, that our
land may give her fruit." [5826] "I have stretched forth my hands to
Thee; my soul is as a land without water," not to me, but "to Thee." I
can thirst for Thee, I cannot water myself.
8. "Speedily hear me, Lord" (ver. 7). For what need of delay to inflame
my thirst, when already I thirst so eagerly? Thou didst delay the rain,
that I might drink and imbibe, not reject, Thy inflowing. If then Thou
didst for this cause delay, now give; for "my spirit hath failed." Let
Thy Spirit fill me. This is the reason why Thou shouldest speedily hear
me. I am now become "poor in spirit," make Thou me "blessed in the
kingdom of heaven." [5827] For he in whom his own spirit liveth, is
proud, is puffed up with his own spirit against God....
9. "Turn not Thou away Thy Face from me." Thou didst turn it away from
me when proud. For once I was full, and in my fulness I was puffed up.
Once "in my fulness I said, I shall never be moved." "I said in my
fulness, I shall not be moved," knowing not Thy Righteousness, and
establishing mine own; but "Thou, Lord, in Thy Will hast afforded
strength to my beauty." "I said in my fulness, I shall not be moved,"
but from Thee came whatever fulness I had. And to prove to me that it
was from Thee, "Thou didst turn away Thy Face from me, and I was
troubled." [5828] After this trouble, where into I was cast, because
Thou didst turn away Thy Face, after the weariness of my spirit, after
my heart was troubled within me, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face,
then became I "like a land without water to Thee: turn not Thou away
Thy Face." Thou turnedst it away from me when proud; give it back to me
now I am humble. Because, if Thou turn it away, "I shall be like to
them that go down into the pit." What is, "that go down into the pit"?
When the sinner has come into the depth of sins, he will show contempt.
They "go down into the pit," who lose even confession; against which is
said, "Let not the pit close her mouth over me." [5829] This depth
Scripture calleth mostly "a pit," into which depth when a sinner hath
come, "he showeth contempt." What is, "he showeth contempt"? He no
longer believeth in Providence, or if he do believe, he thinketh that
he has no longer aught to do with it....
10. "Make me to hear in the morning Thy mercy, for in Thee have I
hoped" (ver. 8). Behold, I am in the night, yet "in Thee have I hoped,"
until the iniquity of the night pass away. "For we have," as Peter
saith, "a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn,
and the daystar arise in your hearts." "Morning" then he calleth the
time after the end of the world, when we shall see what in this world
we believe. But what here, until the morning come? For it is not enough
to hope for the morning; we must do somewhat. Why do somewhat? God is
to be sought with the hands in the night. What is, "with the hands"? By
good works. Since then we must thus hope for the morning, and bear this
night, and persevere in this patience until the day dawn, what
meanwhile must we do here? lest perchance thou think that thou wilt do
aught of thyself, whereby thou mayest earn to be brought to the
morning. "Make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I must walk."
Therefore did He kindle the lamp of prophecy, therefore did He send the
Lord in the vessel, [5830] as it were, of the flesh, who should even
say, "My strength is dried up like a potsherd." [5831] Walk by
prophecy, walk by the lamp of future things predicted, walk by the word
of God....
11. "Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for unto Thee have I fled
for refuge" (ver. 9). I who once fled from Thee, now flee to Thee. For
Adam fled from the Face of God, and hid himself among the trees of
Paradise, so that of him was said in the Book of Job, "As a servant
that fleeth from his Lord, and findeth a shadow." [5832] He fled from
the Face of his Lord, and found a shadow. Woe to him, if he continue in
the shade, lest it be said afterward, "All things are passed away like
a shadow." [5833] The rulers of this world, of this darkness, the
rulers of the wicked; against these ye wrestle. Great is your conflict,
not to see your enemies, and yet to conquer. Against the rulers of this
world, of this darkness, the devil, that is, and his angels; not the
rulers of that world, whereof is said, "the world was made by Him," but
that world whereof is said, "the world knew Him not." [5834] "For unto
Thee have I fled for refuge."...Whither should I flee? "Whither shall I
go from Thy Spirit?" [5835]
12. "Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God" (ver. 10). Glorious
confession! glorious rule! "For Thou," saith he, "art my God." To
another will I hasten to be re-made, if by another I was made. Thou art
my all, "for Thou art my God." Shall I seek a father to get an
inheritance? "Thou art my God," not only the Giver of mine inheritance,
but mine Inheritance itself. "The Lord is the portion of mine
inheritance." [5836] Shall I seek a patron, to obtain redemption? "Thou
art my God." Lastly, having been created, do I desire to be re-created?
"Thou art my God," my Creator, who hast created me by Thy Word, and
re-created me by Thy Word. "Teach Thou me:" for it cannot be that Thou
art my God, and yet I am to be mine own master. See how grace is
commended to us. This hold fast, this drink in, this let none drive out
of your hearts, lest ye have "a zeal, of God, but not according to
knowledge." [5837] Say then this: "Thy good Spirit," not my bad one,
"Thy good Spirit shall lead me into the right land." For my bad spirit
hath led me into a crooked land. And what have I deserved? What can be
reckoned as my good works without Thy aid, through which I might obtain
and be worthy to be led by Thy Spirit into the right land?
13. Listen, then, with all your power, to the commendation of Grace,
whereby ye are saved without price. "For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, Thou
shalt quicken me in Thy righteousness" (ver. 11); not in mine own: not
because I have deserved, but because Thou hast mercy. For were I to
show mine own desert, nought should I deserve of Thee, save punishment.
Thou hast pruned off from me mine own merits; Thou hast grafted in
Thine own gifts. "Thou shalt bring forth my soul out of tribulation."
"And in thy mercy shalt bring mine enemies to destruction: and thou
shalt destroy all them that afflict my soul; for I am Thy servant"
(ver. 12).
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:
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[5811] Lat. CXLII. A sermon to the people.
[5812] 2 Sam. xv.
[5813] [1 Pet. i. 10, 11, 12.--C.]
[5814] Rom. x. 2.
[5815] Isa. lviii. 3.
[5816] Jer. ii. 29.
[5817] Matt. v. 40.
[5818] Matt. vi. 9.
[5819] Congregatoris; mss. Congregatores, The gatherers.
[5820] Matt. vi. 12.
[5821] Ps. li. 5.
[5822] Ps. xxxviii. 4, 5.
[5823] Matt. xxvi. 38.
[5824] Eph. ii. 9, 10.
[5825] Philip. ii. 12, 13.
[5826] Ps. lxxxv. 12.
[5827] Matt. v. 3.
[5828] Ps. xxx. 6, 7.
[5829] Ps. lxix. 15.
[5830] Testa.
[5831] Ps. xxii. 15.
[5832] Job vii. 2, LXX.
[5833] Wisd. v. 9.
[5834] John i. 10.
[5835] Ps. cxxxix. 7.
[5836] Ps. xvi. 5.
[5837] Rom. x. 2.