Sermon 167A

SERMON 167/A

SERMON OF ST. AUGUSTINE
CONCERNING THE SAME WORDS OF THE APOSTLE

The Apostle exhorts us to pray against the devil.

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood; because not only does a man persecute you, but the devil through him, and before he harms you in the body, he kills you in the mind. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, men against men, who are flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, rulers of these dark realms; because just as Christ governs and rules those who are light, so the devil precipitates and instigates to all evil those who are darkness. Therefore, the Apostle exhorts us, not to pray against the evil man, but against the devil who works with him, and to do whatever we can to expel the devil and free the man. For just as if someone were to come against another in battle, armed and riding a horse from the opposing side, it is not the horse but the rider who is angered, and he desires to do what he can to strike the rider and gain control of the horse; so it is with evil men, and it is not against them but against him who instigates them that we must labor with all our strength, so that when the devil is defeated, the unfortunate one whom he had begun to possess may be liberated.

What is the way in which Christ walked?

Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which He walked. What is this way in which Christ walked? What other way than charity, of which the Apostle says: I show you a still more excellent way? Therefore, if we wish to imitate Christ, we must run along the same way by which Christ deemed it worthy to walk even while hanging on the cross. For He was fixed on the cross, and running the path of charity, He prayed for His persecutors. Finally, He said thus: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Therefore let us also always pray for all our enemies, that the Lord may grant them amendment of habits and forgiveness of sins.