The Sixth Sunday after Trinity
O GOD, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass man's understanding; Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect Source: Sacrementary of Gelasius, Bishop of Rome [ca 494AD]. Inspired by 1 Corinthians ii. 9. (from Isaiah lxiv. 4)
Isaiah xxxi. 32, Psalms 28, 29 | 30, 31 , Romans vi. 3 & St. Matthew v. 20
Homily of Augustine on Psalm XXVIII
pay them that they have deserved. For they regard not in their mind the works of the LORD
Isaiah xxxi 32
Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
Romans vi. 3
KNOW ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.St. Matthew v. 20
JESUS said unto his disciples, Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.The Collects of Thomas Cranmer
HOMILY
Augustine
Homily
Psalm XXVIII
Psalm Of David himself.
Notes:
1. It is the Voice of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand in the
conflict of the Passion. Now what He seems to wish for against His
enemies, is not the wish of malevolence, but the declaration of their
punishment; as in the Gospel, [656] with the cities, in which though He
had performed miracles, yet they had not believed on Him, He doth not
wish in any evil will what He saith, but predicteth what is impending
over them.
2. "Unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried; [657] My God, be not silent from
me" (ver. 1). Unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried; My God, separate not the
unity of Thy Word from that which as Man I am. "Lest at any time Thou
be silent from me: and I shall be like them that go down into the pit."
For from this, that the Eternity of Thy Word ceaseth not to unite
Itself to Me, it comes that I am not such a man as the rest of men, who
are born into the deep misery of this world: where, as if Thou art
silent, Thy Word is not recognised. "Hear, O Lord, the voice of my
supplication, whist I pray unto Thee, whilst I hold up my hands to Thy
holy temple" (ver. 2). Whilst I am crucified for their salvation, who
on believing become Thy holy temple.
3. "Draw not My Soul away with sinners, and destroy me not with them
that work iniquity, with them that speak peace with their neighbours"
(ver. 3). With them that say unto Me, "We know that Thou art a Master
come from God." [658] "But evil in their hearts." But they speak evil
in their hearts.
4. "Give unto them according to their works" (ver. 4). Give unto them
according to their works, for this is just. "And according to the
malice of their affections." [659] For aiming at evil, they cannot
discover good. "According to the works of their hands give Thou unto
them." Although what they have done may avail for salvation to others,
yet give Thou unto them according to the works of their wills. "Pay
them their recompense." Because, for the truth which they heard, they
wished to recompense deceit; let their own deceit deceive them.
5. "For they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord" (ver.
5). And whence is it clear that this hath befallen them? From this
forsooth, "for they have not had understanding in the works of the
Lord." This very thing, in truth, hath been, even now, their
recompense, that in Him whom they tempted with malicious intent as a
Man, they should not recognise God, with what design the Father sent
Him in the Flesh. "And the works of His hands." Nor be moved by those
visible works, which are laid out before their very eyes. "Thou shalt
destroy them, and not build them up." Let them do Me no hurt, nay, nor
again in their endeavour to raise engines against My Church, let them
aught avail.
6. "Blessed be the Lord, for He hath heard the voice of My prayer"
(ver. 6).
7. "The Lord My Helper and My Protector" (ver. 7). The Lord helping Me
in so great sufferings, and protecting Me with immortality in My
resurrection. "In Him hath My Heart trusted, and I have been helped."
"And My Flesh hath flourished again:" that is, and My Flesh hath risen
again. "And of my will I will confess unto Him." Wherefore, the fear of
death being now destroyed, not by the necessity of fear under the Law,
but with a free will with the Law, shall they who believe on Me,
confess unto Him; and because I am in them, I will confess.
8. "The Lord is the strength of His people" (ver. 8). Not that people
"ignorant of the righteousness of God, and willing to establish their
own." [660] For they thought not themselves strong in themselves: for
the Lord is the strength of His people, struggling in this life's
difficulties with the devil. "And the protector of the salvation of His
Christ." That, having saved them by His Christ after the strength of
war, He may protect them at the last with the immortality of peace.
9. "Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance" (ver. 9). I intercede
therefore, after My Flesh hath flourished again, because Thou hast
said, "Desire of Me, and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine
inheritance;" [661] "Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance:" for
"all Mine are Thine." [662] "And rule them, and set them up even for
ever." And rule them in this temporal life, and raise them from hence
into life eternal.
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
[655] Lat. XXVII.
[656] Matt. xi. 20-24.
[657] [The Greek and Vulgate omit the epithet of the Hebrew, "My Rock,"
which is the link with the Psalm foregoing (ver. 5), and the key to
other parallels. St. Jerome renders it, fortis meus.--C.]
[658] John iii. 2.
[659] Al. affectationum, "aims."
[660] Rom. x. 3.
[661] Ps. ii. 8.
[662] John xvii. 10.
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