First Sunday after Trinity
O GOD, the strength of all those who put their hope in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Gregory's Sacramentum. The traditional numbering of Sundays was after Trinity Sunday in the Sarum Missal of England. The Gregorian Sacrementary of 600 numbered the Sunday after Trinity as the Second Sunday after Pentecost. Carnmer translated it as put their "trust" in thee in the first Prayer Book
Jeremiah xxiii. 23, Psalms 1, 5 | 2, 3, 4 , 1 St. John iv. 7 & St. Luke xvi. 19
READINGS
Jeremiah xxxiii. 23
Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
1 St. John iv. 7.
BELOVED, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
St. Luke xvi. 19
THERE was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Augustine on the Third portion of the Epistle, 17ff
Augustine on Psalm I | Augustine on Psalm III
HOMILY
Augustine
Homily VII.
1 John IV. 4–12
“Now are ye
of God, little children, and have overcome him: because greater is
He that is in you, than he that is in this world. They are of the
world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth
them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not
of God heareth not us. From this know we the spirit of truth, and
[the spirit] of error. Dearly, beloved, let us love one another:
for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and
knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God in us, that God sent His
only-begotten Son into this world, that we may live through Him.
Herein is love, not that we loved, but that He loved us, and sent
His Son to be the Atoner for our sins. Dearly beloved, if God so
loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God
at any time.”
1. So is this world to all the faithful seeking their own country,
as was the desert to the people Israel. They wandered indeed as
yet, and were seeking their own country: but with God for their
guide they could not wander astray. Their way was God’s
bidding. For where they went about during forty years, the journey
itself is made up of a very few stations, and is known to all. They
were retarded because they were in training, not because they were
forsaken. That therefore which God promiseth us is ineffable
sweetness and a good, as the Scripture saith, and as ye have often
heard by us rehearsed, which “eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man.” But by
temporal labors we are exercised, and by temptations of this
present life are trained. Howbeit, if ye would not die of thirst in
this wilderness, drink charity. It is the fountain which God has
been pleased to place here that we faint not in the way: and we
shall more abundantly drink thereof, when we are come to our own
land. The Gospel has just been read; now to speak of the very words
with which the lesson ended, what other thing heard ye but
concerning charity? For we have made an agreement with our God in
prayer, that if we would that He should forgive us our sins, we
also should forgive the sins which may have been committed against
us. Now that which forgiveth is none other than charity. Take away
charity from the heart; hatred possesseth it, it knows not how to
forgive. Let charity be there, and she fearlessly forgiveth, not
being straitened. And this whole epistle which we have undertaken
to expound to you, see whether it commendeth aught else than this
one thing, charity. Nor need we fear lest by much speaking thereof
it come to be hateful. For what is there to love, if charity come
to be hateful? It is by charity that other things come to be
rightly loved; then how must itself be loved! Let not that then
which ought never to depart from the heart, depart from the
tongue.
2. “Now,” saith he, “are ye of God little
children, and have overcome him:” whom but Antichrist? For
above he had said, “Whosoever unmaketh Jesus Christ and
denieth that He is come in the flesh is not of God.” Now we
expounded, if ye remember, that all those who violate charity deny
Jesus Christ to have come in the flesh. For Jesus had no need to
come but because of charity: as indeed the charity we are
commending is that which the Lord Himself commendeth in the Gospel,
“Greater love than this can no man have, that a man lay down
his life for his friends.” How was it possible for the Son of
God to lay down His life for us without putting on flesh in which
He might die? Whosoever therefore violates charity, let him say
what he will with his tongue, his life denies that Christ is come
in the flesh; and this is an antichrist, wherever he may be,
whithersoever he have come in. But what saith the apostle to them
who are citizens of that country for which we sigh? “Ye have
overcome him.” And whereby have they overcome? “Because
greater is He that is in you, than he that is in this world.”
Lest they should attribute the victory to their own strength, and
by arrogance of pride should be overcome, (for whomsoever the devil
makes proud, he overcomes,) wishing them to keep humility, what
saith he? “Ye have overcome him.” Every man now, at
hearing this saying, “Ye have overcome,” lifts up the
head, lifts up the neck, wishes himself to be praised. Do not extol
thyself; see who it is that in thee hath overcome. Why hast thou
overcome? “Because greater is He that is in you, than he that
is in the world.” Be humble, bear thy Lord; be thou the beast
for Him to sit on. Good is it for thee that He should rule, and He
guide. For if thou have not Him to sit on thee, thou mayest lift up
the neck, mayest strike out the heels: but woe to thee without a
ruler, for this liberty sendeth thee among the wild beasts to be
devoured!
3. “These are of the world.” Who? The antichrists. Ye
have already heard who they be. And if ye be not such, ye know
them, but whosoever is such, knows not. “These are of the
world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth
them.” Who are they that “speak of the world”?
Mark who are against charity. Behold, ye have heard the Lord
saying, “If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will forgive you also your trespasses. But if ye forgive not
men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses.” It is the sentence of Truth: or if it be not
Truth that speaks, gainsay it. If thou art a Christian and
believest Christ, He hath said, “I am the truth.” This
sentence is true, is firm. Now hear men that “speak of the
world.” “And wilt thou not avenge thyself? And wilt
thou let him say that he has done this to thee? Nay: let him feel
that he has to do with a man.” Every day are such things
said, They that say such things, “of the world speak they,
and the world heareth them.” None say such things but those
that love the world, and by none are such things heard but by those
who love the world. And ye have heard that to love the world and
neglect charity is to deny that Jesus came in the flesh. Or say if
the Lord Himself in the flesh did that? if, being buffeted, He
willed to be avenged? if, hanging on the cross, He did not say,
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”?
But if He threatened not, who had power; why dost thou threaten,
why art thou inflated with anger, who art under power of another?
He died because it was His will to die, yet He threatened not; thou
knowest not when thou shalt die, and dost thou threaten?
4. “We are of God.” Let us see why; see whether it be
for any other thing than charity. “We are of God: he that
knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us.
Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and of error:” namely by
this, that he that heareth us hath the spirit of truth; he that
heareth not us, hath the spirit of error. Let us see what he
adviseth, and let us choose rather to hear him advising in the
spirit of truth, and not antichrists, not lovers of the world, not
the world. If we are born of God, “beloved,” he goes
on—see above from what: “We are of God: he that knoweth
God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know
we the spirit of truth, and of error:” aye, now, he makes us
eagerly attentive: to be told that he who knows God, hears; but he
who knows not, hears not; and that this is the discerning between
the spirit of truth and the spirit of error: well then, let us see
what he is about to advise; in what we must hear
him—“Beloved, let us love one another.” Why?
because a man adviseth? “Because love is of God.” Much
hath he commended love, in that he hath said, “Is of
God:” but he is going to say more; let us eagerly hear. At
present he hath said, “Love is of God; and every one that
loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth
not God.” Why? “For God is love” [Love is God].
What more could be said, brethren? If nothing were said in praise
of love throughout the pages of this epistle, if nothing whatever
throughout the other pages of the Scriptures, and this one only
thing were all we were told by the voice of the Spirit of God,
“For Love is God;” nothing more ought we to
require.
5. Now see that to act against love is to act against God. Let no
man say, “I sin against man when I do not love my brother,
(mark it!) and sin against man is a thing to be taken easily; only
let me not sin against God.” How sinnest thou not against
God, when thou sinnest against love? “Love is God.” Do
“we” say this? If we said, “Love is God,”
haply some one of you might be offended and say, What hath he said?
What meant he to say, that “Love is God”? God
“gave” love, as a gift God bestowed love. “Love
is of God: Love IS God.” Look, here have ye, brethren, the
Scriptures of God: this epistle is canonical; throughout all
nations it is recited, it is held by the authority of the whole
earth, it hath edified the whole earth. Thou art here told by the
Spirit of God, “Love is God.” Now if thou dare, go
against God, and refuse to love thy brother!
6. In what sense then was it said a while ago, “Love is of
God;” and now, “Love IS God?” For God is Father
and Son and Holy Ghost: the Son, God of God, the Holy Ghost, God of
God; and these three, one God, not three Gods. If the Son be God,
and the Holy Ghost God, and that person loveth in whom dwelleth the
Holy Ghost: therefore “Love is God;” but “IS
God,” because “Of God.” For thou hast both in the
epistle; both, “Love is of God,” and, “Love is
God.” Of the Father alone the Scripture hath it not to say,
that He is “of God:” but when thou hearest that
expression, “Of God,” either the Son is meant, or the
Holy Ghost. Because while the apostle saith, “The love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto
us:” let us understand that He who subsisteth in love is the
Holy Ghost. For it is even this Holy Spirit, whom the bad cannot
receive, even He is that Fountain of which the Scripture saith,
“Let the fountain of thy water be thine own, and let no
stranger partake with thee.” For all who love not God, are
strangers, are antichrists. And though they come to the churches,
they cannot be numbered among the children of God; not to them
belongeth that Fountain of life. To have baptism is possible even
for a bad man; to have prophecy is possible even for a bad man. We
find that king Saul had prophecy: he was persecuting holy David,
yet was he filled with the spirit of prophecy, and began to
prophesy. To receive the sacrament of the body and blood of the
Lord is possible even for a bad man: for of such it is said,
“He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh
judgment to himself.” To have the name of Christ is possible
even for a bad man; i.e. even a bad man can be called a Christian:
as they of whom it is said, “They polluted the name of their
God.” I say, to have all these sacraments is possible even
for a bad man; but to have charity, and to be a bad man, is not
possible. This then is the peculiar gift, this the
“Fountain” that is singly one’s
“own.” To drink of this the Spirit of God exhorteth
you, to drink of Himself the Spirit of God exhorteth you.
7. “In this was manifested the love of God in us.”
Behold, in order that we may love God, we have exhortation. Could
we love Him, unless He first loved us? If we were slow to love, let
us not be slow to love in return. He first loved us; not even so do
we love. He loved the unrighteous, but He did away the
unrighteousness: He loved the unrighteous, but not unto
unrighteousness did He gather them together: He loved the sick, but
He visited them to make them whole. “Love,” then,
“is God.” “In this was manifested the love of God
in us, because that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world,
that we may live through Him.” As the Lord Himself saith:
“Greater love than this can no man have, that a man lay down
his life for his friends:” and there was proved the love of
Christ towards us, in that He died for us: how is the love of the
Father towards us proved? In that He “sent His only
Son” to die for us: so also the apostle Paul saith: “He
that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how
hath He not with Him also freely given us all things?” Behold
the Father delivered up Christ; Judas delivered Him up; does it not
seem as if the thing done were of the same sort? Judas is
“traditor,” one that delivered up, [or, a traitor]: is
God the Father that? God forbid! sayest thou. I do not say it, but
the apostle saith, “He that spared not His own Son, but
“tradidit Eum” delivered Him up for us all.” Both
the Father delivered Him up, and He delivered up Himself. The same
apostle saith: “Who loved me, and delivered Himself up for
me.” If the Father delivered up the Son; and the Son
delivered up Himself, what has Judas done? There was a
“traditio” (delivering up) by the Father; there was a
“traditio” by the Son; there was a
“traditio” by Judas: the thing done is the same, but
what is it that distinguishes the Father delivering up the Son, the
Son delivering up Himself, and Judas the disciple delivering up his
Master? This: that the Father and the Son did it in love, but Judas
did this in treacherous betrayal. Ye see that not what the man does
is the thing to be considered; but with what mind and will he does
it. We find God the Father in the same deed in which we find Judas;
the Father we bless, Judas we detest. Why do we bless the Father,
and detest Judas? We bless charity, detest iniquity. How great a
good was conferred upon mankind by the delivering up of Christ! Had
Judas this in his thoughts, that therefore he delivered Him up? God
had in His thoughts our salvation by which we were redeemed; Judas
had in his thoughts the price for which he sold the Lord. The Son
Himself had in His thoughts the price He gave for us, Judas in his
the price he received to sell Him. The diverse intention therefore
makes the things done diverse. Though the thing be one, yet if we
measure it by the diverse intentions, we find the one a thing to be
loved, the other to be condemned; the one we find a thing to be
glorified, the other to be detested. Such is the force of charity.
See that it alone discriminates, it alone distinguishes the doings
of men.
8. This we have said in the case where the things done are
similar. In the case where they are diverse, we find a man by
charity made fierce; and by iniquity made winningly gentle. A
father beats a boy, and a boy-stealer caresses. If thou name the
two things, blows and caresses, who would not choose the caresses,
and decline the blows? If thou mark the persons, it is charity that
beats, iniquity that caresses. See what we are insisting upon; that
the deeds of men are only discerned by the root of charity. For
many things may be done that have a good appearance, and yet
proceed not from the root of charity. For thorns also have flowers:
some actions truly seem rough, seem savage; howbeit they are done
for discipline at the bidding of charity. Once for all, then, a
short precept is given thee: Love, and do what thou wilt: whether
thou hold thy peace, through love hold thy peace; whether thou cry
out, through love cry out; whether thou correct, through love
correct; whether thou spare, through love do thou spare: let the
root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is
good.
9. “In this is love—in this was manifested the love of
God toward us, because that God sent his only-begotten Son into
this world, that we may live through Him.—In this is love,
not that we loved God, but that He loved us:” we did not love
Him first: for to this end loved He us, that we may love Him:
“And sent His Son to be the Atoner for our sins:
“litatorem,” i.e. one that sacrifices. He sacrificed
for our sins. Where did He find the sacrifice? Where did He find
the victim which he would offer pure? Other He found none; His own
self He offered. “Beloved, if God so loved us we ought also
to love one another. Peter,” saith He, “lovest thou
me?” And he said, “I love.” “Feed my
sheep.”
10. “No man hath seen God at any time:” He is a thing
invisible; not with the eye but with the heart must He be sought.
But just as if we wished to see the sun, we should purge the eye of
the body; wishing to see God, let us purge the eye by which God can
be seen. Where is this eye? Hear the Gospel: “Blessed are the
pure in heart, for they shall see God.” But let no man
imagine God to himself according to the lust of his eyes. For so he
makes unto himself either a huge form, or a certain incalculable
magnitude which, like the light which he sees with the bodily eyes,
he makes extend through all directions; field after field of space
he gives it all the bigness he can; or, he represents to himself
like as it were an old man of venerable form. None of these things
do thou imagine. There is something thou mayest imagine, if thou
wouldest see God; “God is love.” What sort of face hath
love? what form hath it? what stature? what feet? what hands hath
it? no man can say. And yet it hath feet, for these carry men to
church: it hath hands; for these reach forth to the poor: it hath
eyes; for thereby we consider the needy: “Blessed is the
man,” it is said, “who considereth the needy and the
poor.” It hath ears, of which the Lord saith, “He that
hath ears to hear let him hear.” These are not members
distinct by place, but with the understanding he that hath charity
sees the whole at once. Inhabit, and thou shalt be inhabited;
dwell, and thou shalt be dwelt in. For how say you, my brethren?
who loves what he does not see? Now why, when charity is praised,
do ye lift up your hands, make acclaim, praise? What have I shown
you? What I produced, was it a gleam of colors? What I propounded,
was it gold and silver? Have I dug out jewels from hid treasures?
What of this sort have I shown to your eyes? Is my face changed
while I speak? I am in the flesh; I am in the same form in which I
came forth to you; ye are in the same form in which ye came hither:
charity is praised, and ye shout applause. Certainly ye see
nothing. But as it pleases you when ye praise, so let it please you
that ye may keep it in your heart. For mark well what I say
brethren; I exhort you all, as God enables me, unto a great
treasure. If there were shown you a beautiful little vase,
embossed, inlaid with gold, curiously wrought, and it charmed your
eyes, and drew towards it the eager desire of your heart, and you
were pleased with the hand of the artificer, and the weight of the
silver, and the splendor of the metal; would not each one of you
say, “O, if I had that vase!” And to no purpose ye
would say it, for it would not rest with you to have it. Or if one
should wish to have it, he might think of stealing it from
another’s house. Charity is praised to you; if it please you,
have it, possess it: no need that ye should rob any man, no need
that ye should think of buying it; it is to be had freely, without
cost. Take it, clasp it; there is nothing sweeter. If such it be
when it is but spoken of, what must it be when one has it?
11. If any of you perchance wish to keep charity, brethren, above
all things do not imagine it to be an abject and sluggish thing;
nor that charity is to be preserved by a sort of gentleness, nay
not gentleness, but tameness and listlessness. Not so is it
preserved. Do not imagine that thou then lovest thy servant when
thou dost not beat him, or that thou then lovest thy son when thou
givest him not discipline, or that thou then lovest thy neighbor
when thou dost not rebuke him: this is not charity, but mere
feebleness. Let charity be fervent to correct, to amend: but if
there be good manners, let them delight thee; if bad, let them be
amended, let them be corrected. Love not in the man his error, but
the man: for the man God made, the error the man himself made. Love
that which God made, love not that which the man himself made. When
thou lovest that, thou takest away this: when thou esteemest that,
thou amendest this. But even if thou be severe at any time, let it
be because of love, for correction. For this cause was charity
betokened by the Dove which descended upon the Lord. That likeness
of a dove, the likeness in which came the Holy Ghost, by whom
charity should be shed forth into us: wherefore was this? The dove
hath no gall: yet with beak and wings she fights for her young;
hers is a fierceness without bitterness. And so does also a father;
when he chastises his son, for discipline he chastises him. As I
said, the kidnapper, in order that he may sell, inveigles the child
with bitter endearments; a father, that he may correct, does
without gall chastise. Such be ye to all men. See here, brethren, a
great lesson, a great rule: each one of you has children, or wishes
to have; or if he has altogether determined to have no children
after the flesh, at least spiritually he desires to have
children:—what father does not correct his son? what son does
not his father discipline? And yet he seems to be fierce with him.
It is the fierceness of love, the fierceness of charity: a sort of
fierceness without gall after the manner of the dove, not of the
raven. Whence it came into my mind, my brethren, to tell you, that
those violaters of charity are they that have made the schism: as
they hate charity itself, so they hate also the dove. But the dove
convicts them: it comes forth from heaven, the heavens open, and it
abideth on the head of the Lord. Wherefore this? That John may
hear, “This is He that baptizeth.” Away, ye robbers;
away, ye invaders of the possession of Christ! On your own
possessions, where ye will needs be lords, ye have dared to fix the
titles of the great Owner. He recognizes His own titles; He
vindicates to Himself His own possession. He does not cancel the
titles, but enters in and takes possession. So in one that comes to
the Catholic Church, his baptism is not cancelled, that the title
of the commander be not cancelled: but what is done in the Catholic
Church? The title is acknowledged; the Owner enters in under His
own titles, where the robber was entering in under titles not his
own.
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