Sermon 306C
Sermon 306/C
The Sermon of Saint Augustine, Bishop, at the Table of Cyprian
ON SAINT QUADRATUS
The bishop was Quadratus; his flock, the Bright Mass.
The evangelical trumpet encouraging the martyrs to the contest, by which they would conquer the world, how it reproached we have heard: Whoever wants to save his soul will lose it; for whoever loses it for my sake will find it. By saving he will lose, by losing he will find. What is this, except that there is a certain salvation of the soul according to this age, and there is another salvation of the soul according to God? Therefore, at the point of temptation, by which the martyrs were tested, so that one or the other was proposed to them, either the denial of Christ, or the temptation of death, without a doubt those who wanted to save their souls according to the age denied Christ and lost them; but those who according to the age lost their souls confessed Christ and found them. For to whom is the soul more safely entrusted than to its Creator? Who can preserve what was, except he who could make what was not? Learning and teaching this was that Quadratus - for he was a bishop - whose solemnity we celebrate today, with his whole people, clerics and laity, confessed Christ. He sent ahead the flock he was feeding: Quadratus followed after four days. For the Massa Candida, whose solemnity was celebrated four days ago, was a people of God, entrusted to this governance. What a great marked wall this Quadratus was ruling over! And those so many souls, and from so many souls, not yet did they see the Church, which we see; not yet did they see, and from themselves they were building it, and by dying they were rushing as living stones into its structure. And behold we see the Church spread throughout the whole world, then great in few, now wide and spread in many; and we discern the fulfillment of the prophecies, which foretold all the things that we see. But, for this to happen, when there was fewness, there was great strength. By passing through the narrow way, they broadened it, and by trampling down harsh paths, they went before us. Those who endured various tribulations for the name of Christ in those times followed them. O blessed, losing their souls! O happy losses! Thus they cast, thus they lose, who sow. For who can doubt, in all sowing, that those things which are sown are cast and buried? But how great is the hope of the harvest, which precedes the sower! And when it is sown, no one sees the harvest; everything is entrusted to God, committed to the earth. The earth preserves, the earth makes fruitful, the earth multiplies; but with Him acting, by whom heaven and earth were made.
"By the name of Quadratus, what is signified."
The name of this martyr reminds us to say something about the holy quadrature. Saint Noah was ordered to build the ark from squared timbers. What was chosen in quadrature, what was foreshadowed, except that no one can overthrow a standing square? For however you turn, it will stand. Shatter it by turning, labor to overthrow it; and in overthrowing it thus, you will find what you overthrew, just as it stood before it was overthrown. Everywhere a standing position is appointed for it. Losses were proposed, the possessions of those confessing Christ were taken away: the square stood. Exiles were proposed, and the loss of the earthly homeland; thinking of the spiritual homeland, the square stood. Torments and savage tortures were inflicted: considering the great pains of hell, the square stood. Immense worldly rewards were promised, so that Christ would be denied: thinking of the heavenly crown, the square stood.
That the righteous falls seven times, is not to be taken concerning sin, but concerning tribulation.
Such a one ought a Christian to be: but, in order to be such, Christ must be invoked. He himself should make straight, he himself should guide, he himself should not permit the falling one to fall. For it is not said in vain: The righteous falls seven times, and rises again. We ought not refer what is said to the fall of some grave sin. For he falls gravely, who was innocent and becomes a murderer; he falls, who was chaste and becomes an adulterer. It is not concerning such falls that it is said: The righteous falls seven times, and rises again; but this is said of the falls of tribulations. For to fall is indeed to be humbled. However much the righteous may be humbled, he rises again. He is squared, who turns and stands. And what he says: Seven times, he puts for the entirety, indicating by a perfect number, however many times he might fall. Seven times, however many times; as it is, seven times a day I will praise thee. His praise is always in my mouth. And so that you may know this sense in these words, The righteous falls seven times and rises again, let us see the context, what the Holy Scripture said above, and what it added after these words: there the evident sense will appear. What therefore does the Scripture say, where this sentence is placed? Do not apply the wicked to the pastures of the righteous, nor be seduced by the fullness of the belly. And it continues: For the righteous falls seven times and rises again; but the wicked shall be weakened in evils. From the subsequent words after this sentence, this sense begins to shine forth: The righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked shall be weakened in evils. Therefore, the one who falls seven times and rises again, is not weakened in evils; and this is itself to fall and to rise again, to be humbled and not be weakened.
The soul of the unjust is nourished by the word of God equally as that of the just; but in one way this one, in another way that one.
What, then, is it that was said above: Do not bring the impious to the pastures of the righteous, nor be deceived by the fullness of your belly? As the Lord grants me, I will say what I can; let him who knocks harder find better. Behold, beloved, we proclaim to you the word of God; all of you hear, all of you delight, all of you rejoice: not all of you do. These are the pastures where the soul of the righteous is fed; but the soul of the impious is also fed there. The righteous and the impious hear together; they hear together, together they say at the end of the sermon: We are filled. But you distinguish him who is fed more healthily from him who is also fed and has the fullness of the belly but does not have the firmness of mind. Therefore distinguish, and do not bring the impious to the pastures of the righteous, that is, do not compare him who is feeding righteously. Do not bring, that is, do not compare. For one is fed one way, the other another. Do not think both are alike: do not bring the righteous to him. But you hear and see him holding the Scriptures: do not be deceived by the fullness of the belly. Do not bring the impious to the pastures of the righteous, for he also feeds and rejoices in them; nor be deceived by the fullness of the belly, because he holds everything. How someone is fed, let temptation inquire, let temptation prove. Behold, I show the pastures of the righteous: he will fall seven times and rise again. Behold, I show the pastures of the impious: but the impious weakens in evil things. The righteous is fed: like a square stone, whichever way you turn it, it will stand. The impious is fed: like a round stone, it will stand nowhere.
How many false charges are brought against martyrs. A snare is also set for us, sometimes with desire, sometimes with fear.
Therefore we ought to be such: but God is to be invoked, that we may be able to be such. I will hope in Him, for He will deliver me from the snare of the hunters, and from the harsh word. The snare of the hunters is the ambush of the persecutors; the harsh word is bitter reproach. How many such things did those hear, who, losing their souls, found them! What snares were set in temptations! And one soul said on behalf of all: My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare. I will hope in Him, for He will deliver me from the snare of the hunters. How many crimes did they hear! and they knew them to be false. Does not pain burn when a false accusation is heard? But there was true patience in them, for a clear conscience shone brightly. And whence was this to them, unless because He delivers them from the snare of the hunters and from the harsh word, who had said to them: Blessed are you when men shall say all manner of evil against you? This is the harsh word. They did not say: Why should I suffer this reproach? Why am I a Christian, to always hear these false accusations? They did not say, since they stood firm as squares; and they were freed, looking to Him who said: Blessed are you, for your reward is great in heaven. Were those temptations only then, and could they alone strive? The evils of the world abound, let us also strive. The snare of covetousness is set, that you may betray someone. Be square: despise what is promised, scorn what is offered, regard what is deferred. What is deferred is more certain than what is offered. What is offered either forsakes you while living or is forsaken by you dying; what is deferred, when it comes, never ends. It will not forsake you, nor be forsaken by you. You will be there, you will not depart. For blessed, he says, are they who dwell in Your house; they will praise You forever and ever. They will praise You, for they will love You. And how will they love, when they see You, if they thus loved, when not seeing they believed in You? The snare of fear is set, that when you are afraid, you may commit some evil, and do to yourself what the one terrorizing could not do. For the one who terrorized could kill your body; by doing evil you kill your own soul. These have never been absent in human affairs: the struggles of temptations have never been lacking. Let our eyes be ever toward the Lord.
We do not know what would be beneficial for us here.
In this world, my brothers, we do not know what is advantageous for us. Many have benefited from wealth, who have used it well; although it was not the wealth itself that benefited them, but the spirit of the one using it; who, even if he did not have wealth, would hold to divine judgment, peace on earth to people of good will. Yet, how many have been harmed by wealth, who can count them? How many have been destroyed by wealth, when they are computed? They are seen daily, and those who see them are not corrected. Wealth has therefore benefited some individuals, let us grant that: yet it has harmed many more. Secular powers have benefited some, let us accept that: yet how many have they harmed! Nevertheless, we should not be blind. Can it be said that the kingdom of heaven has harmed anyone? Can it be said that living forever with Christ has harmed anyone? But these goods are not here, because they are not from here: they are not of the world. Therefore, do not love the world, nor the things in the world. Whoever loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him: because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world passes away, and its lust; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
It is not a great thing to be heard by God, unless it is in that which is beneficial for us. The angel of Satan to Paul was a very severe headache.
Behold the structure of the saints, behold the building of the square stones. Therefore, those things which we do not know whether they benefit us or harm us, let us leave to God, who sometimes does not hear favorably and hears in anger, and again hears favorably and does not hear in anger. To Him, I say, let us commit such things, who sometimes does not hear favorably and hears in anger, and again hears favorably and does not hear in anger. Therefore, when we ask through ignorance for what is not expedient for us, may He be favorable and not hear us. Therefore, the one who has been heard and whose desire has been fulfilled should not boast. The desire of the Israelites who spurned manna and craved meat was fulfilled. And read what is written: While the food was still in their mouths. What should I say about men? The devil was heard when it was believed he should tempt the servant of God. The demons were heard so that they could go into the pigs. What great thing is it, therefore, to be heard? It matters greatly in what matter one is heard. If you ask for this which is expedient for you and are heard, God is favorable. Or perhaps we know what to ask for, and did the Apostle Paul not know? Behold, I showed you the people heard ungratefully, but to their evil; the devil heard, the demons heard. Hear the Apostle not heard by the favorable God. Surely you say in your hearts: If the devil was heard, how much more should the Apostle be heard? And yet, what does that same Apostle say? In the greatness of my revelations so that I might not be exalted. After he was not heard, then he found the reason why he was not heard. Therefore, he did not keep it silent but proposed it first. For indeed the such a great man was about to say a marvelous thing against expectation, the chosen vessel so holy, who labored more than all of them; but not he, but the grace of God with him. When he read the promise of God: Before you were speaking I will say, I am here, he says once, and he is not heard: he asks again, nor is he heard: he asks a third time, he is absolutely not heard. In the greatness of my revelations so that I might not be exalted, there was given to me a thorn in my flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me. Many suspect many things in this place: but it is better believed what is said by better men, that the Apostle Paul suffered a very sharp pain in his head; therefore, he said he was buffeted because he suffered in his head, so that he might not be exalted. There he was struck, which should not be raised in pride. And what did he say, what did he add? Therefore, I three times besought the Lord that it might depart from me; and He said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee, strength is made perfect in weakness. O not to hear! this is rather to aid. The remedy was sharp but healthful, so great a physician applied to the sick. The sick man under the bite of the remedy besought that the physician might remove what he had applied; the physician did not hear to his will and therefore heard more to his health.
The physician knows how to deal with you, and does God not know? What is to be prudently requested according to the teaching of the Apostle.
Do we not see this daily in human affairs as a kind of harsh and inexorable mercy? How many contrary things do the sick request from doctors, and how much mercy do doctors exhibit by refusing! They refuse, and they spare; they are cruel if they grant. The doctor knows this; and God does not know? He knows how to deal with you, who was created with you; and does He not know how to deal with you both, who created both of you? Indeed, dearest, in all tribulations, in all fears, in all joys, ask God that He may grant what He Himself knows is expedient in temporal matters. As for eternal things, such as "hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," and other such things, ask confidently, they cannot harm. Choose, love, gather; for He opens His hand and fills every soul with blessing. And when you have given, He says, they will gather. No one should doubt the supreme goods: and if they are delayed, they will be given; the reward is not denied, but desire is exercised. Let us desire long: because it is great what we are going to receive. Let us thirst long: because we will drink from the fountain of life. Still, dearest, what we ask for without impudence, because the Apostle taught, let us ask, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, with all piety and charity.