The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity
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LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source Bishop Gelasians Sacrmentary [494] where appointed for the Sunday before Ember Days in the Autumn. Ember days were for penitence, fasting, and the Saturday for ordinations in Rome. The 1662 added temptations of the world, the flesh One is reminded of the Lord's prayer and of 2 Peter 2:9
Psalm 112, Ephesians iv. 1 & St. Luke xiv. 1
1 Corinthians i. 4. St. Matthew xxii. 34
1. I believe, brethren, that ye remarked and committed to memory the
title of this Psalm. "The conversion," he saith, "of Haggai and
Zechariah." These prophets were not as yet in existence, when these
verses were sung. [5007] ...But both, the one within a year after the
other, began to prophesy that which seemeth to pertain to the
restoration of the temple, as was foretold so long before. [5008]
..."For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." [5009] Whoever
therefore converteth himself to the work of this building together, and
to the hope of a firm and holy edifice, like a living stone from the
miserable ruin of this world, understandeth the title of the Psalm,
understandeth "the conversion of Haggai and Zechariah." Let him
therefore chant the following verses, not so much with the voice of his
tongue as of his life. For the completion of the building will be that
ineffable peace of wisdom, the "beginning" of which is the "fear of the
Lord:" let him therefore, whom this conversion buildeth together, begin
thence.
Homily - Psalm CXII by Augustine
Psalm CXII
An Exposition of the Psalms
Psalm CXII
2. "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he will have great
delight in His commandments" (ver. 1). God, who alone judgeth both
truthfully and mercifully, will see how far he obeyeth His
commandments: since "the life of man on earth is a temptation," [5010]
as holy Job saith. But "He who judgeth us is the Lord." [5011] ...He
therefore will see how far each man profiteth in His commandments; yet
he who loveth the peace of this building together, shall have great
delight in them; nor ought he to despair, since there is "peace on
earth for men of good will." [5012]
3. Next follows, "His seed shall be mighty upon earth" (ver. 2). The
Apostle witnesseth, that the works of mercy are the seed of the future
harvest, when he saith, "Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due
season we shall reap;" [5013] and again, "But this I say, He which
soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly." [5014] But what,
brethren, is more mighty than that not only Zacchaeus should buy the
kingdom of Heaven by the half of his goods, [5015] but even the widow
for two mites, [5016] and that each should possess an equal share
there? What is more mighty, than that the same kingdom should be worth
treasures to the rich man, and a cup of cold water to the
poor?..."Glory and riches shall be in his house" (ver. 3). For his
house is his heart; where, with the praise of God, he liveth in greater
riches with the hope of eternal life, than with men flattering, in
palaces of marble, with splendidly adorned ceilings, with the fear of
everlasting death. "For his righteousness endureth for ever:" this is
his glory, there are his riches. While the other's purple, and fine
linen, and grand banquets, even when present, are passing away; and
when they have come to an end, the burning tongue shall cry out,
longing for a drop of water from the finger's end. [5017]
4. "Unto the right-hearted there ariseth up light in the darkness"
(ver. 4). Justly do the godly direct their heart unto their God, justly
do they walk with their God, preferring His will to themselves; and
having no proud presumption in their own. For they remember that they
were some time in darkness, but are now light in the Lord. [5018]
"Merciful, pitying, and just is the Lord God." It delighteth us that He
is "merciful and pitying," but it perhaps terrifieth us that the Lord
God is "just." Fear not, despair not at all, happy man, who fearest the
Lord, and hast great delight in His commandments; be thou sweet, be
merciful and lend. For the Lord is just in this manner, that He judgeth
without mercy him who hath not shown mercy; [5019] but, "Sweet is the
man who is merciful and lendeth" (ver. 5): God will not spew him out of
His mouth as if he were not sweet. "Forgive," He saith, "and ye shall
be forgiven; give, and it shall be given unto you." [5020] Whilst thou
forgivest that thou mayest be forgiven, thou art merciful; whilst thou
givest that it may be given unto thee, thou lendest. For though all be
called generally mercy where another is assisted in his distress, yet
there is a difference where thou spendest neither money, nor the toil
of bodily labour, but by forgiving what each man hath sinned against
thee, thou gainest free pardon for thine own sins also....He who is
unwilling to give to the poor, seeketh riches; listen to what is
written, "Thou shalt have treasure in heaven." [5021] Thou wilt not
then lose honour by forgiving: for it is a very laudable triumph to
conquer anger: wilt not grow poor by giving; for a heavenly treasure is
a more safe possession. The former verse, "Riches and plenteousness
shall be in his house," was pregnant with this verse.
5. He therefore who doth these things, "shall guide his words with
discretion." His deeds themselves are the words whereby he shall be
defended at the Judgment; which shall not be without mercy unto him,
since he hath himself shown mercy. "For he shall never be moved" (ver.
6): he who, called to the right hand, shall hear these words, "Come, ye
blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world." For no works of theirs, save works of mercy,
are there mentioned. He therefore shall hear, "Come, ye blessed of My
Father;" for, "the generation of the right ones shall be blessed."
Thus, "the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance." "He will
not be afraid of any evil hearing; for his heart standeth fast and
believeth in the Lord" (ver. 7). Such as the words which he will hear
addressed to those on the left hand, "Depart into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels." [5022] He therefore who seeketh
here not his own things, but those of Jesus Christ, [5023] most
patiently endureth sufferings, waiteth for the promises with faith. Nor
is he broken down by any temptations: "His heart is established, and
will not shrink, until he see beyond his enemies" (ver. 8). His enemies
wished to see good things here, and when invisible blessings were
promised them, used to say, "Who will show us any good?" [5024] Let our
heart therefore be established, and shrink not, until we see beyond our
enemies. For they wish to see good things of men in the land of the
dying; we trust to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the
living. [5025]
6. But it is a great thing to have the heart established, and not to be
moved, while they rejoice who love what they see, and mock at him who
hopeth for what he seeth not; "what the Lord hath prepared for them
that love Him." [5026] How great is the value of this which is not
seen, and it is bought for so much as each man is able to give for it.
On this account he also "dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor" (ver.
9): he saw not, yet he kept buying; but He was storing up the treasure
in heaven, who deigned to hunger and thirst in the poor on earth. It is
no wonder then if "his righteousness remaineth for ever:" He who
created the ages being his guardian. "His horn," whose humility was
scorned by the proud, "shall be exalted with honour."
7. "The ungodly shall see it, and he shall be angered" (ver. 10): this
is that late and fruitless repentance. For with whom rather than
himself is he "angered," when he shall say, "Our pride, what hath it
profited us? the boastfulness of our riches, what hath it given us?
[5027] " seeing the horn of him exalted with honour, who "dispersed
abroad, and gave to the poor." "He shall gnash with his teeth, and
consume away:" for "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For
he will no more bring forth leaves and bloom, as would happen if he had
repented in season: but he will then repent, when "the desire of the
ungodly shall perish," no consolation succeeding. "The desire of the
ungodly shall perish," when "all things shall pass away like a shadow,"
[5028] when the flower shall fall down on the withering of the grass.
"But the word of the Lord that endureth for ever," [5029] as it is
mocked by the vanity of the falsely happy, so will laugh at the
perdition of the same when truly miserable.
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:
[5006] Lat. CXI. A discourse to the people.
[5007] [He argues from the relations of these prophets to the building
of the second temple.--C.]
[5008] Ezra i. 5; Hagg. i; Zech. i.
[5009] 1 Cor. iii. 17.
[5010] Job vii. 1.
[5011] 1 Cor. iv. 4.
[5012] Luke ii. 14.
[5013] Gal. vi. 9.
[5014] 2 Cor. ix. 6.
[5015] Luke xix. 8.
[5016] Mark xii. 42.
[5017] Luke xvi. 24.
[5018] Eph. v. 8.
[5019] Jas. ii. 13.
[5020] Luke vi. 37, 38.
[5021] Matt. xix. 21.
[5022] Matt. xxv. 34, 41.
[5023] Philip. ii. 21.
[5024] Ps. iv. 6.
[5025] Ps. xxvii. 13.
[5026] 1 Cor. ii. 9.
[5027] Wisd. v. 8.
[5028] Wisd. v. 8, 9.
[5029] Isa. xl. 8.
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