Sermones Quatuor Sancto Augustino Attributi [Incertus]

Four Sermons Attributed to Saint Augustine. Brethren, if you have risen again with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, etc. (Colossians 3:1). Let us faithfully venerate the honorable solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with his favoring clemency, dearest brethren, and let us recall his ineffable piety to memory, who not only assumed human flesh for the sake of our redemption, but also deigned to undergo various kinds of punishments for our salvation. And although after the long sleep of our sloth and idleness, awakened not unwillingly, but willingly, by the sweetness of holy and Christian religion provoking us in the assembly of this most holy solemnity, let us rise again gladly and devoutly with all diligence, according to that which the Apostle says in the present reading: If you have risen again with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Savor the things that are above, not those upon the earth. As if it were said: We who are created in the image of the holy Trinity, baptized by a threefold immersion through the invocation of that same holy Trinity, are renewed to that same image. And we who have most fallen into death by a threefold sin, that is, in wicked thought, in delight of the flesh, in consent to evil works, having been raised up a third time from the font, having received the remission of all sins through the grace of Christ, just as he himself rose on the third day, let us rise again to life.

But if we wish to rise again with Christ, let us first die to the world and to carnal desires, and let us put off the old man, that is, evil will, or depraved habit and most wicked pleasures; let us clothe ourselves with kindness, and let us do good to our neighbors with all devotion; and after the love of the Lord, let us set nothing before the love of our neighbor, but let us love them as ourselves. It follows: “Seek the things that are above, not those upon the earth”; only those things that are heavenly, not those that are earthly, seeking; to die to the earth, but to live for the Lord; to pursue heavenly wisdom, not earthly. For it is added: “For you are dead, and our life is hidden with Christ in the Lord.” For when we are dead to the world and to its resources and its desires, our life is hidden with Christ in the Lord, because we are sons of the Lord. Whence it follows: “For when Christ, your life, has appeared, then you also will appear with him in glory.” For it does not yet appear what or what kind we will be at the judgment; but when Christ has appeared to judge the living and the dead, then we also will appear together with him in glory, about to rise again. For Christ is born, suffers, and rises again for us and on our behalf, so that we may be reborn into life through him, suffer together with him in tribulations, and rise again with him in virtues. All things have been restored through him on this night; for on this night, as the first fruits of those who sleep, he has risen, so that we all may rise afterward.

In this night, therefore, our captivity is loosed, the life lost in Adam is restored; in this night, the first-formed Adam, a wanderer, returns to the homeland of paradise. For from this night of the Lord's resurrection, paradise lies open to all; it is closed to none save by himself; it is opened to none save by Christ. And so let us beware with all diligence lest, because of the works of the devil which drag us to destruction, we ourselves close off the path of the heavenly kingdom opened to us; but rather, through works of justice and mercy, let us make smooth for ourselves the path to the kingdoms of heaven. Therefore, by our own humility, let us call to mind the humility of our Lord for our sake; let us humbly keep vigil this night, humbly pray to him who, by the glory of his name, has illumined this night for us. To him we say: My Lord, illumine my darkness; and let us beseech him to offer light to our hearts, so that, just as we behold this splendor of lights with rejoicing eyes, we may likewise see the bright glory of this night with an illumined mind; and let us pray that he may hear us keeping vigil on his solemnity, who [sleeps] for our salvation.

Let us therefore keep watch and pray, celebrating this vigil both outwardly and inwardly. The Lord speaks to us in his readings; let us speak to the Lord in our prayers. If we obediently hear his words, he whom we ask dwells in us: to him is honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. II. Brethren, purge the old leaven, that you may be a new mixture, as you are unleavened (1 Cor. 5:7). The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, dearest brethren, strengthens our faith when the deed is believed, and renews its memory when solemnly celebrated. Finally, although Christ rose many years ago, we do not speak absurdly when, as this solemnity returns on its annual cycle, we say: Today the Lord rose. Therefore, what is repeated every year we ought to perform with all devotion. And what was done once for our redemption has been instituted lest we forget; for whoever wishes to celebrate this day worthily must remember what the Apostle Paul says in the present reading: Purge the old leaven, that you may be a new mixture, as you are unleavened. Therefore, every leaven of sin must be expelled from our hearts, so that with a pure mind and upright conscience we may become like unleavened loaves, and thus be able to celebrate the Lord’s Pascha rightly. But if we hold the leaven of sin and malice in our heart, we do not deserve to celebrate the Lord’s Pascha; and so the Apostle says: Purge the old leaven, that you may be a new mixture, as you are unleavened.

We are made unleavened if we are free from every composition of sin. For a little leaven, as Paul says, corrupts the whole mass. And therefore we must purge and cast away from ourselves every leaven of sin, so that we may merit to enjoy the solemnity of so great a Pasch. Because the Lord has wished to make us participants in so great a Pasch, let us pray that we may worthily receive his sacraments, that we may justly obtain the blessing. This, dearest brothers, is the day of the Lord’s resurrection, and the beginning of our redemption; this, I say, is the day which the Lord made; let us exult and rejoice in it. Let us celebrate it with one voice, with joyful spirit, with contrite heart, and let us perform spiritual joy in psalms and hymns, in memory of the passion and resurrection of Christ, in hope of the joy of the future life. Behold, on this day when we have heard the Alleluia, our spirit in a certain way rejoices, and is wholly filled with gladness; for Alleluia is said to mean praise to the Lord in the highest, which it befits us to sing with devout mind at all times, but especially on this day, to praise the Lord in the highest; that is, not only with our mouth, but also with perfect work, let us strive to exalt our Lord God with voice and heart in praises, so that we may merit to be exalted in the heavenly life through Him, who with the Lord Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, through the immortal ages of ages. Amen.

III. Rejoice, heaven, and be glad, earth. This day has shone forth to you more from the tomb than it gleamed from the sun. Let even hell rejoice, because life, descending to it, has been released from its impiety. Let it rejoice, because in its abodes it has been visited by the descending Lord. Let man Adam exult, because he has seen an unknown light after long ages, and, suffocated in the darkness of deep night, he has breathed again. O beautiful light! which shone forth from the white summit of the sky, and after the purple streams, clothed those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death with sudden brightness. Immediately, therefore, the eternal night of the underworld grew bright as Christ descended. That wailing of the mourners fell silent; the chains of the damned fell away. The astonished minds of the torturers stood stupefied; the entire impious workshop trembled together, when it suddenly saw Christ in its abodes. For who, they say, is this terrible one, glittering with snow-white splendor? Never has our Tartarus received such a one; never has the world vomited such a one into our cavern. We see a judge, not a suppliant; he comes to fight, not to succumb, to rescue, not to remain. Where, do you think, did our gatekeepers sleep, when this warrior was battering our strongholds? If he were guilty, he would not be bold. If any crimes darkened him, he would never dispel our darkness with his radiance. But if he is God, why does he lie in a tomb? If he is man, why does he free captives? Has he, perhaps, made a pact with our author?

Or did he perhaps attack and conquer it, and thus pass over into our realms? Certainly he was dead, certainly he was conquered. Our champion was mocked in the world; he knows not what slaughter he has wrought in hell. O that cross, deceiving your joys and giving birth to our losses. Through wood we were enriched, through wood we are overthrown. That power, always feared by all peoples, has perished. No captive now trembles under our slaughter. Behold what must be lamented, and he mocks. Nowhere are the ancient wails, no lamentations resound any longer. The murky cave has fallen silent. Do you think he returns without our destruction? No one has ever entered us alive. No one has ever been so bold. No one has ever so terrified the executioners. Never in this gaping maw of black darkness has a joyful light appeared. Or has the sun perhaps migrated from the world? But neither heaven nor stars are visible to us, and yet hell shines. What are we to do? Where are we to turn? We cannot defend our bloody homes against him, nor keep the guards of our caverns. We are badly entered. We cannot withstand such great light; we cannot overpower one endowed with such great strength. We see our own necks being pressed, and we now also fear for our own destruction. Let us be content with the darkness of our night. We hide in our caves. Why are we betrayed by the rays? Why are we disturbed by violence? Why are we taken captive in our own abodes?

Soon therefore Christ directs his line of battle against those cruel ministers of punishments, and cuts down the implacable troops with his divine spear. The savage torturers are crushed under their own tormentor, and the more rabid ones waste away with forced shrieks. Even the very caverns of the iron prison are entered, and the strong are bound by a stronger one with eternal chains. This the Lord himself had promised, saying: No one enters the house of the strong man and plunders his vessels, unless he first binds the strong man, and then plunders his vessels. Therefore the sad and mourning crowds and peoples, vexed by daily squalor, soon run together and prostrate themselves at the footsteps of our Redeemer. Behold, the apostolic words are proven: That in the name of the Lord every knee should bow, of the celestial, the terrestrial, and the infernal. Soon therefore the captive souls, released from the Tartarean prisons, rush forth, and with mournful supplication lament to the King of the ages: "Have you come at last, O most merciful Jesus? Help now and spare the weary. Now, Christ, quench your savage threats, now relieve our pitiful groans. You redeemed the living by your cross; rescue also the dead by your death. The world, stained with the same fault as us, had perished. At your coming every creature was sighing. Our torments were sighing for you. This hell always grew pale at you. While you are here, absolve the guilty; when you ascend, defend your own. You alone could shatter the head of the dragon. You wished to break the bronze gates and iron bars. Let the door, I pray, lie open to those who entreat: let the pious light not fail.

And if you return to the body, let not hell be deprived of your majesty. Therefore, after the prayers were heard, after the laws were composed, after the torturers were plunged into the deep abyss, our judge today came forth from hell crowned with laurel. Nor was the candidacy office lacking; but joyful, with its prince, the entire robe of the blessed proceeded. So the triumphant one returns again alive to the stadium, that the whole world may know that Christ has returned from hell. Let the believers therefore rejoice; let every people clap their hands, because our king has triumphed in the world, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns as God, crucified and resurrected for us, for ever and ever. Amen. IV. A sermon of the most illustrious doctor Saint Augustine, dedicated to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hail, day to be frequented in eternal assemblies. At your rising, life revives; at your shining, light returns, and on your birthday, with the darkness of hell shut out, the sun of justice revives. Indeed, God does not die, nor is eternity limited by an end, nor is the light of majesty extinguished; but when death is sought by God, through man help is given to man. Therefore, after the triumphs of the cross, after the victorious standards, Christ, triumphing, enters hell to conquer death itself, who had captured the author of death. O wondrous battle, brothers, and a new face of recovered victory!

From the wood Christ conquered, where the devil had previously conquered; and he who had laid low was laid low by his own weapons; and the very punishment that had once been victory became a penalty. Therefore God fought for the world, and, having concealed his majesty for a little while, gave confidence to the enemy, feigning weak strength. For the cause of the age was being conducted through the wisdom of God. He was held as if bound, heard as if accused, beaten and spat upon as if ignoble and captive. But he, by hiding his own strength, held it in check until, dead, he would conquer the one he was preparing to overcome. He restrained his power, so as to fulfill all justice in the conflict, and to turn the penalty into victory in the resurrection. Hence he came to the tree, whence the laws of death had issued. But where he ascended the citadel of crime, there he subjected the pinnacle of the enemy of virtue. That once unknowing mother and origin of punishments received the just one, fixed him, afflicted him; there is no fault, yet the penalty rages. O most cruel justice! you have lost the supports of your cause. The cross itself cries out against you, the workshop of death and wound rejects you. "I do not recognize," it says, "the one I punish as guilty; these are not the fruits of my stock; my head has nothing to do here; you are deceived, because you graft an alien offspring onto me. This one has nothing from me; why does he hang on me? I see the likeness of the species, but I do not recognize the native poison in him.

Then that strong one in battle, just on the gibbet, innocent in another's torment, crushed the horns of sin with clean hands, and while fixing himself entirely on the wood, he blunted the sting of death, and slew the sin which the tree was generating. Blood soon poured from his side washed away whatever crime had previously defiled, and from the polluted little branches the cross shone white. The innocent blood ran through the guilty fibers of the penal wood, and by its healing, the sacraments of salvation thereafter bring forth what had previously supplied the nourishment of death to those who would live. Yet the devil, still unaware, boasts of having conquered, and sees the crucified one conquered, sees him dead, and even struck down, and as if joyful over rich spoils, is no longer anxious about anything. Behold, he says, that one who used to proclaim himself the offspring of God, who had won faith for himself through miracles, who had cast down my associates and partners from human bodies and souls, who moreover dared to challenge me in battle. He was eager to take the world, which I have held from the beginning captive by the law of combat and the right of victory, from my hands. Now, if he is strong, let him conquer; now, if he prevails, let him rise; now, if he is God, let him come back to life. O devil! ignorant of your own end, this victory deceives you; your joys will not be happy but sad. You armed the tongues of the Jews to your own destruction; you destroyed yourself with those darts. Indeed, what he suffered he willed, and he consulted us. For when you killed the just one, you lost the guilty ones whom you had held.

But suffer a little; do not exult too insolently or imprudently. For behold, the underworld now trembles at the living one whom you rejoiced to see slain. Already he shatters the ancient prisons, already he plunders your spoils, and has crushed the bloodstained ministers of your ferocity. Is this to have conquered, or to have sent life among the dead? Reckon here, most wicked one, the account; let justice, the mistress, weigh the judgment. From the beginning you put to death the world which you yourself had made guilty; the committed wrong was followed by just vengeance. But this one neither his own nor another’s guilt had bound. Why did you thrust death where you had found no crime? Why did you inflict punishment where you could find no offense? Unjustly, therefore, you punished the just man for the unjust; justly you lost the unjust one for whom you had killed the just. Let the guilty one now change his condition, because our cause has held the better part. Freedom has arisen in servitude, captivity has been made in dominion. The yoke of unjust condition has been lifted; now the indulgence of piety and grace reigns. For Christ, rising from the dead from the tomb, has shone upon us today; neither did his soul linger in the underworld, nor did his flesh remain in the tomb, as it is written: “Because you will not leave my soul in the underworld, nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption.” Behold, now Christ has risen as soon as he willed. Where is the death which the enemy inflicted? Great, brothers, is the sign of piety, that by dying thus Christ gave life to the world, so that death itself could not hold him captive.

Therefore, he has fulfilled our cause with merciful goodness and has taken nothing away from his own power, because, as soon as it pleased him, he who lives and reigns as God through all the ages of ages came back to life. Amen.