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 releived" 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"
Ezekiel xxxix. 21, Psalm 142, 143 | 119:105–144
Galatians iv. 21. St. John vi. 1.
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CXLII
There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes:
but what are they among so many?
Ezekiel xxxix. 21
And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
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 CXLII
1. ..."With my voice have I cried unto the Lord" (ver. 1). It were
enough to say, "with voice:" not for nothing perhaps has "my" been
added. For many cry unto the Lord, not with their own voice, but with
the voice of their body. Let the "inner man" then, in whom "Christ"
hath begun to "dwell by faith," [5792] cry unto the Lord, not with the
din of his lips, but with the affection of his heart. God heareth not,
where man heareth: unless thou criest with the voice of lungs and side
and tongue, man heareth thee not: thy thought is thy cry to the Lord.
"With my voice have I prayed unto the Lord." What he meant by, "I have
cried," he explained when he said, "I have prayed." For they too who
blaspheme, cry unto the Lord. In the former part he set down his
crying, in the latter he explained what it was. As though it were
demanded, With what cry hast thou cried unto the Lord? Unto the Lord,
saith he, I have prayed. My cry is my prayer, not reviling, not
murmuring, not blaspheming.
2. "I will pour out before Him my prayer" (ver. 2). What is, "before
Him"? In His sight. What is, in His sight? Where He seeth. But where
doth He not see? For so do we say, `where He seeth,' as though
somewhere He seeth not. But in this assemblage of bodily substances men
too see, animals too see: He seeth where man seeth not. For thy
thoughts no man seeth, but God seeth. There then pour out thy prayer,
where He alone seeth, who rewardeth. For the Lord Jesus Christ bade
thee pray in secret: but if thou knowest what "thy closet" is, and
cleansest it, there thou prayest to God. "But thou," saith He, "when
thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut the door, and pray to thy
Father in secret, and He who seeth in secret shall reward thee." [5793]
If men are to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before men: if God is to
reward thee, pour out thy prayer before Him; and close the door, lest
the tempter enter. Therefore the Apostle, because it is in our power to
shut the door, the door of our hearts, not of our walls, for in it is
our "closet,"--because it is in our power to shut this door, saith,
"neither give place to the devil." [5794] But what is to "shut the
door"? This door hath as it were two leaves, desire and fear. Either
thou desireth something earthly, and he enters by this; or thou fearest
something earthly, and he enters by that. Close then the door of fear
and desire against the devil, open it to Christ. How dost thou open
these folding doors to Christ? By desiring the kingdom of heaven, by
fearing the fire of hell. By desire of this world the devil entereth,
by desire of eternal life Christ entereth; by fear of temporal
punishment the devil entereth, by fear of everlasting fire Christ
entereth....
3. "My tribulation I will proclaim in His sight." There is a
repetition, both in the two preceding sentences, and in these which
follow: the sentiments are two, but both twice expressed....For, "in
His sight," is the same as "before Him;" "I will proclaim my
tribulation," is the same as, "I will pour out my prayer." When doest
thou this? Being set in the midst of persecution, he saith, "while my
spirit failed from me" (ver. 3). Wherefore hath thy spirit failed, O
martyr, set in tribulation? That I may not claim my strength as mine
own, that I may know that Another worketh in me the goodness I have.
And men perhaps have heard that my spirit hath failed within me, and
have despaired of me, and have said, "we have taken him captive, we
have overpowered him;" "and Thou hast known my paths." They thought me
cast down, Thou didst see me standing upright. They who persecuted me
and had seized me, thought my feet entangled, "but their feet were
entangled, and they fell, but we are risen, and stand upright." [5795]
For mine eyes are ever unto the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of
the net." [5796] I have persevered in walking, for "he that shall
persevere unto the end, the same shall be saved." [5797] They thought
me overpowered, but I continued walking. Where did I walk? In paths
which they saw not, who thought me prisoner, in the paths of Thy
righteousness, in the paths of Thy commandments....For every path is a
way, but not every way is a path. Why then are those ways called paths,
save because they are narrow? Broad is the way of the wicked, narrow
the way of the righteous. That which is "the way" is also "the ways,"
just as "the Church" is also "the Churches," the "heaven" also the
"heavens:" they are spoken of in the plural, they are spoken of also in
the singular. On account of the unity of the Church it is one Church;
"My dove is one, she is the only one of her mother." [5798] On account
of the congregation of brethren in various places there are many
Churches. "The Churches of Judaea which are in Christ rejoiced," saith
Paul, [5799] "and they glorified God in me." Thus he spake of Churches;
and of one Church he thus speaketh, "Give none offence, neither to the
Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God."...
4. "In this way, wherein I was walking, they hid a trap for me." This
"way wherein I was walking," is Christ; there have they laid a trap for
me, who persecute me in Christ, for Christ's Name's sake. There then
"have they hid for me a trap." What in me do they hate, what in me do
they persecute? That I am a Christian....For the heretics too wish to
hide a stumbling-block for us in the Name of Christ, and are themselves
deceived. What they think that they put in the way, they put outside
the way, for they themselves are outside the way. They cannot set a
trap where themselves are not....The Pagan thinketh to put a
stumbling-block in the way, when he saith to me, "Thou worshippest a
crucified God." He findeth fault with the Cross of Christ, which he
understandeth not. He thinketh that he setteth in Christ, what he
setteth near the way. I will not depart from Christ, so shall I not
fall from the way into the trap. Let him mock at Christ crucified, let
me see the Cross of Christ on the foreheads of kings. What he laugheth
at, therein am I saved. Nought is prouder than a sick man, who laugheth
at his own medicine. If he laughed not at it, he would take it, and be
healed. The Cross is the sign of humility, but he through excess of
pride acknowledgeth not that whereby may be healed the swelling of his
soul. But if I acknowledge, I am walking in the way. So far am I from
blushing at the Cross, that in no secret place do I keep the Cross of
Christ, but bear it on my forehead. Many sacraments we receive, one in
one way another in another: some as ye know we receive with the mouth,
some we receive over the whole body. But because the forehead is the
seat of the blush of shame, He who said, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of
Me before men, of him will I be ashamed before My Father which is in
heaven," [5800] set, so to speak, that very ignominy which the Pagans
mock at, in the seat of our shame. Thou hearest a man assail a
shameless man and say, "He hath no forehead." What is, "He hath no
forehead"? He hath no shame. Let me not have a bare forehead, let the
Cross of my Lord cover it....
5. "I considered upon the right hand, and saw" (ver. 4). He considered
upon the right hand, and saw: whoso considereth upon the left hand, is
blinded. What is to consider on the right hand? Where they will be to
whom shall be said, "Come, ye blessed of My Father," etc., [5801] ...He
goeth on to say, "and there was none that knew me." For when thou
fearest all things, who knoweth what thou regardest, whether thou
directest thine eyes to the right hand or to the left? If, in bearing,
thou seekest the praise of men, thou hast regarded the left: if, in
bearing, thou seekest the promises of God, thou hast regarded the right
hand. Hast thou regarded the right hand, thou shalt see: hast thou
regarded the left hand, thou shalt be blinded. But even when thou seest
on the right hand, there will be none to know thee. For who comforteth
thee save the Lord? "Flight hath perished from me." He speaketh as
though he were hemmed in. Let the persecutors rejoice over him; he is
overpowered, he is taken, he is hemmed in, he is conquered. "Flight
hath perished" from him who fleeth not. But he who fleeth not,
suffereth whatever he can for Christ: that is, he fleeth not in soul.
For in body it is lawful to flee; it is allowed, it is permitted; for
the Lord saith, "When they persecute you in one city, flee to another."
[5802] He then who fleeth not in soul, from him "flight hath perished."
But it maketh a difference why he fleeth not; whether because he is
hemmed in, because he is caught, or because he is brave. For both from
him that is caught flight hath perished, and from him that is brave
flight hath perished. What flight then is to be avoided? what flight
shall we allow to perish from us? That whereof the Lord speaketh in the
Gospel, "The Good Shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. But he
that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, when he seeth the wolf
coming, fleeth." When he seeth the ravager, why fleeth he? "Because he
careth not for the sheep." [5803] ...In two ways a man's life is
sought, either by his persecutors or by his lovers. [5804] So then
"there is none to seek my life," he said of them; verily they persecute
my life, and they seek not my life. But if they seek my life, they will
find it clinging to Thee: and if they know to seek it, they know also
to imitate it.
6. "Unto thee have I cried, O Lord: I have said, Thou art my hope"
(ver. 5). When I endured, when I was in tribulation, "I said, Thou art
my hope." My hope here, therefore I endure. But "my portion," not here,
but "in the land of the living." God giveth a portion in the land of
the living; but not something from Himself without Himself. What will
He give to one that loveth Him, save Himself?
7. "Give heed unto my prayer, for much have I been humbled" (ver. 6).
Humbled by persecutors, humbled in confession. He humbleth himself out
of the sight of man: he is humbled by enemies in their sight. Therefore
is he lifted up by Him both visibly and invisibly. Invisibly are the
martyrs already lifted up; visibly shall they be lifted up, "when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption" in the resurrection of the
dead; when this very part of him, against which alone her persecutors
could rage, shall be renewed. "Fear not them that kill the body, but
cannot kill the soul." [5805] And what perisheth? what kill they?...Why
then art thou anxious about the rest of thy members, when thou shalt
not lose even a hair? [5806] "Deliver me from them that persecute me."
From whom thinkest thou that he prayeth to be delivered? From men who
persecuted him? Is it so? are merely men our enemies? We have other
enemies, invisible, who persecute us in another way. Man persecuteth,
that he may slay the body; another persecuteth, that he ensnare the
soul. [5807] ...There are then other enemies of ours too, from whom we
ought to pray God to deliver us, lest they lead us astray, either by
crushing us with troubles of this world, or alluring us by its
enticements. Who are these enemies? Let us see whether they are plainly
described by any servant of the Lord, by any soldier, now perfected,
who hath engaged with them. Hear the Apostle saying, "We wrestle not
against flesh and blood:" [5808] as though he would say, Turn not your
hatred against men; think not them your enemies; think not that it is
by their hostility you are being bruised; these men whom ye fear are
flesh and blood...."For they are strengthened over me." Who said, "they
are strengthened over me"? The Body of Christ crieth out; it is the
voice of the Church; the members of Christ cry out, "Much hath the
number of sinners increased." "Because iniquity hath abounded, the love
of many waxeth cold." [5809]
8. "Bring forth my soul out of prison, that it may confess to Thy Name"
(ver. 7). This "prison" has been variously understood by former
writers. And perhaps it is the prison which is called in the title,
"the cave." For the title of this Psalm runneth thus: "Of understanding
to David himself, a prayer when he was in the cave." That which is the
cave, the same is also the prison. Two things have we set before us to
understand, but when we have understood one, both will be understood. A
man's deserts make a prison. For in one dwelling place one man finds a
house, another a prison....To some then it has seemed that the "cave"
and "prison" are this world; and this the Church prayeth, that it may
be brought out of prison, that is, from this world, from under the sun,
where all is vanity. [5810] Beyond this world then God promiseth that
we shall be in some sort of rest; therefore perhaps do we cry
concerning this place, "Bring my soul out of prison." Our soul by faith
and hope is in Christ; "Your life is hid with Christ in God." But our
body is in this prison, in this world....But some have said, that this
prison and cave is this body, so that this is the meaning of, "Bring my
soul out of prison." But this interpretation too is somewhat at fault.
For what great thing is it to say, "Bring my soul out of prison," bring
my soul out of the body? Do not the souls of robbers and wicked men go
forth from the body, and go into worse punishment than here they have
endured? What great request then is this, "Bring my soul out of
prison," when, sooner or later, it must needs come forth? Perhaps the
righteous saith, "Let me die now; bring forth my soul from this prison
of the body." If he be too hasty, he hath not love. He ought indeed to
long for and desire, as the Apostle saith, "having a desire to be
dissolved and to be with Christ, which is far better." But where is
love? Therefore it followeth, "but to abide in the flesh is needful for
you." Let God then lead us forth from the body, when He will. Our body
too might be said to be a prison, not because that is a prison which
God hath made, but because it is under punishment and liable to death.
For there are two things to be considered in our body, God's
workmanship, and the punishment it has deserved....Perhaps then he
meant by, "Bring my soul out of prison," bring my soul out of
corruption. If thus we understand it, it is no blasphemy, the meaning
is consistent. Lastly, brethren, as I think, he meant this; "Bring my
soul out of prison," bring it out of straitness. For to one who
rejoiceth, even a prison is wide; to one in sorrow, a field is strait.
Therefore prayeth he to be brought out of straitness. For though in
hope he have enlargement, yet in reality at present he is
straitened....It is not the body that weigheth down the soul, but the
corruptible body. It is not the body then that maketh the prison, but
the corruption. "Bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks
to Thy Name." Now the words which follow seem to come from the Head,
our Lord Jesus Christ. And they are the same as yesterday's last words.
Yesterday's last words, if ye remember, were, "I am alone, until I pass
over." And here what are the last words? "The righteous shall sustain
me, until thou recompense me."
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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[5791] Lat. CXLI. Sermon to the people.
[5792] Eph. iii. 17.
[5793] Matt. vi. 6.
[5794] Eph. iv. 27.
[5795] Ps. xx. 8.
[5796] Ps. xxv. 15.
[5797] Matt. x. 22.
[5798] Cant. vi. 8.
[5799] Gal. i. 22, 23.
[5800] Luke ix. 26.
[5801] Matt. xxv. 34, 41.
[5802] Matt. x. 23.
[5803] John x. 11, etc.
[5804] [i.e. "who seek to save it."--C.]
[5805] Matt. x. 28.
[5806] [Luke xxi. 18.--C.]
[5807] Eph. ii. 2.
[5808] Eph. vi. 12.
[5809] Matt. xxiv. 12.
[5810] Eccles. i. 2, etc.
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