Sermon 252A

The Sermon of Saint Augustine on the Gospel of John 21

According to the evangelist John, many things were written about how the Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection. He appeared to them even while they were fishing. This fishing of the disciples took place at the Sea of Tiberias, where the Lord wished to reveal Himself to them; this contains a great sacrament, as already known to you, but briefly to be remembered by us now.

Miraculous fishing expeditions of which are differently understood in the Gospels.

Recall that fishing event, when He called the fishers of fish and made them fishers of men, at the beginning of His preaching, far from His passion. Then, as you ought to remember, He came to the disciples, who were not yet His disciples; at that time, they followed Him, leaving their nets. He found them having caught nothing throughout the whole night, and said to them: "Cast your nets into the sea." And they cast them, and they caught so many fish that two boats were filled, pressed, and almost sunk. Then because of the multitude of fish, the nets were torn. He then said to them: "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." And He did, and the Apostles cast the nets of His word into the sea of the world, and they caught many fish. If you want to consider the number of fish, an innumerable number, consider the multitudes of Christians: these are caught by the holy nets, caught unto life, not unto death. Yet among those many that were caught, many schisms were also made, because the nets were torn. The two boats, that is, the two small boats that were then filled, signified the Church collected from the circumcised and the uncircumcised, that is, from Jews and Gentiles. Hence Christ is called the corner-stone; for in Him the walls coming from different directions, as it were, kiss one another in the corner. Therefore, those boats were filled, pressed, and almost submerged. This signified Christians living wicked lives, and pressing down the Church with their wicked manners. Yet the boats were not sunk; for the Church endures the wicked living: it can be pressed, but it cannot be submerged. But after the resurrection, Christ indicated such a Church as it will be after our resurrection: then it will have only the good, with no mingled bad, a blessed Church.

Evil fish swim together with good ones in the net of the Church.

What then did He say to the disciples after the resurrection? Cast the nets on the right side. In that catch, He did not say, on the right side, to signify only the good; nor did He say, on the left, to signify only the bad; but the nets were cast all around, because they were to hold both good and bad. Thus did the Lord Christ narrate a certain parable. For He said: The kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea, in which all kinds of fish are gathered. When they have brought it to the shore, they sit down, and select the good into their vessels; but throw the bad out. He proposed it, and explained it. So it will be at the end of the age, He said: angels will come, and they will separate the wicked from among the righteous, and throw them into the fiery furnace; there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. So let the good fish swim with the bad, let the bad swim with the good; let them swim within the nets, and not break the nets; for those who break the nets are the bad ones! but those who remain within the nets, both good and bad, are there, for now.

After the separation of the wicked, only the good will remain to praise God.

Then what does he say? Cast the net on the right side. What does it mean: on the right side? You will catch those on the right side, who will stand on the right. For he will say to those on the right: Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom. He indicated those people when he ordered the nets to be cast on the right side. They were cast: they caught many large fish, and he did not keep silent about the number. In that first fishing, which signifies the good and the bad, he did not mention the number: for there were too many there. Who are the too many? Those who do not belong to the number of the saints; whence come those who tear the nets, make schisms; whence come those who renounce the world in words and not in deeds, who receive the sacrament of the new man, and persist in the old man. These then were to be there. Thus, it was not said: on the right side; therefore, the number was silent. These are the too many, about whom the Psalm says: I have announced and spoken, they were multiplied beyond number. There was a holy number, and there were many beyond the number: here, however, no one is beyond the number.

153 great fish, a gathering of the chosen.

And how many were there? One hundred and fifty-three. Is that the total number of saints? Far be it that even this church, in which we now speak, has so few. What then? What we do not know, we must know, and what we know, we must remember: let one act as a hint, the other as a reminder, lest oblivion creep in. One hundred and fifty-three, he says. This is related to what the Evangelist says. Although they were so large, he says, the net was not torn; as if recalling that in the first fishing, those nets were torn. What now? Even though they were so large, he says, the net was not torn. Who now can fear schisms there, where the embrace of unity and the offspring of Mother Church cannot be torn? For no friend is separated from her, no enemy is allied to her: for all those who cling to her will be chosen, they will be perfected. There will be thousands of thousands, and more than thousands of thousands, and yet they will be counted in this number.

By the gift of God, heavenly delight is instilled by which the law is observed.

This number arises from seventeen: whoever wishes to count from one to seventeen and adds up all, he will find it. He placed one: let him add two, so that they become three; let him add three, so that they become six; let him add four, so that they become ten, and thus they reach the seventeenth number, and he will find one hundred fifty-three. It remains for me to inquire what seventeen signifies. If we find the reasoning of this smaller number, that is seventeen, the mystery of the greater, that is one hundred fifty-three, will be revealed. Here in the seventeenth is the root; there is the tree. So what do seventeen signify? Ten signifies the law: for the ten commandments of the law were written on two stone tablets by the finger of God, as the law says, as the Holy Books testify. For the law is marked by the number ten. But who fulfills the law without help? Absolutely no one. For if a law had been given, says the Apostle, that could give life, righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture has concluded everything under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. The law was given. To not say much, among other commandments it has, you shall not covet your neighbor's goods. Do not covet: do not pass before another's villa and sigh because it is good. Do not covet your neighbor's goods. The earth is the Lord's and its fullness: what have you not acquired if you have held onto God? Therefore, do not covet your neighbor's goods. The law was heard, and some people, out of fear of penalty, refrained from evil deeds; yet they did not refrain from evil delight. Therefore, Lord, give aid: Indeed, He will give blessing, who gave the law. As it is said here: He will give the blessing who gave the law, that is, the aid of the Holy Spirit, so that the law may be fulfilled, likewise it is said of the wisdom of God, He carries the law and mercy on his tongue. If He carried the law alone for Himself, who could endure it? The deeds of the law would be demanded, and all would be found guilty. Mercy has approached, which helps you to act and forgives what you do not do. This mercy is of the Holy Spirit: however, the Holy Spirit is recommended in Scriptures by the number seven. I recall from one place. And Isaiah says: The Holy Spirit will rest upon him. And he enumerates: the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of might, the spirit of knowledge and of piety, the spirit of the fear of the Lord. This Spirit comes and makes the seven, and ten. When seven are added to ten, they make saints, not believers in the law, but relying on the help of God; so it may be said to their Lord: Be my helper, do not abandon me, nor despise me, O God of my salvation. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up. And they have learned to say with you: Our Father, who art in heaven. Therefore, mercy was added to the law. Let us not fear, who are in seventeen; for if we are in seventeen, we shall reach one hundred fifty-three; and if we reach one hundred fifty-three, we shall be at the right hand; if we are at the right hand, we shall receive the kingdom.