Augustinus, In Joannis Evangelium tractatus LI-LXIV

that a man is indeed washed wholly in holy Baptism, not excepting the feet, but wholly altogether: yet when he afterwards lives amid human affairs, the earth is certainly trodden. These human affections themselves, then, without which one does not live in this mortality, are as it were feet, where we are affected by human things; and we are so affected that, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). Daily, therefore, He washes our feet Who intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34): and that we daily have need to wash our feet, that is, to direct the ways of our spiritual steps, we confess in the Lord's prayer itself, when we say, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors (Matt. 6:12). For if we confess, as it is written, our sins, assuredly He Who washed the feet of His disciples is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity (1 John 1:9), that is, even to the feet with which we walk about on the earth.

5. Accordingly the Church, which Christ cleanses with the washing of water in the word, is without spot and wrinkle (Eph. 5:26–27) not only in those who after the washing of regeneration are at once taken away from the contagion of this life, and do not tread the earth so as to have need to wash their feet; but also in those to whom the Lord, showing this mercy, has granted to depart from this world with their feet also washed. But in those who tarry here, even though she be clean, because they live justly, they nevertheless have need to wash their feet, because they are certainly not without sin. For this reason she says in the Song of Songs, I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them (Song 5:3)? For she says this when she is constrained to come to Christ, and in coming to tread the earth. Another question arises in turn. Is not Christ above? Did He not ascend into heaven, and does He not sit at the right hand of the Father? Does not the Apostle cry out and say, If then you have risen with Christ, savour the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things upon the earth (Col. 3:1–2)? How then are we compelled to tread the earth in order to go to Christ, when rather we must have our heart lifted up to the Lord, that we may be able to be with Him? You see, brethren, that the shortness of today's time cramps this question. And even if you perhaps see it less, I at any rate see how much discussion it needs. Wherefore I ask that you would bear to have it suspended rather than treated either too carelessly or too narrowly, your expectation not cheated but deferred. For the Lord will be present Who makes us debtors, that He may also make us repayers.

Tractate 57.

In what way the Church fears to defile her feet while she goes on to Christ.

1. Not unmindful of my debt, I recognize that the time for repaying it has now come. May He give me the means to repay Who gave me to be a debtor. For He has given love, of which it is said, Owe no one anything, except to love one another (Rom. 13:8); may He give also the discourse which I see I owe to those I love. For it was for this, surely, that I put off your expectation

so that I might explain as I could how one comes to Christ even by way of the earth, when instead we are bidden to seek the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth (Col. 3:1–2). For Christ is above, sitting at the right hand of the Father; but assuredly He is also here; for which reason He also says to Saul as he raged on earth, Why do you persecute Me (Acts 9:4)? Now the reason we took this up as a matter to be inquired into was that we were treating of the Lord's washing His disciples' feet, when the disciples themselves had already been washed and had no need except to wash their feet. There it seemed that this was to be understood: that in Baptism indeed the whole man is washed clean; but while he afterwards lives in this world, treading the earth with human affections as though with feet, he contracts, through the very manner of life of this present existence, that for which he must say, Forgive us our debts (Matt. 6:12). And so he is cleansed of this too by Him Who washed His disciples' feet (John 13:5), and Who does not cease to intercede for us (Rom. 8:34). Hence there came to mind from the Song of Songs the words of the Church saying, I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? when she wished to go and open to Him Who had come to her and had knocked and had asked to have it opened to Him, He Who is beautiful in form above the sons of men (Ps. 44:3). Hence arose the question, which we were unwilling to squeeze into the narrow limits of the time, and therefore put off: in what way the Church fears to defile her feet, while she goes to Christ, the feet she had washed in the baptism of Christ.

2. For thus she says: "I sleep, and my heart keeps watch; the voice of my kinsman knocks at the door." Then He Himself also says: "Open to Me, My sister, My near one, My dove, My perfect one; for My head is filled with dew, and My locks with the drops of the night." And she answers: "I have put off my tunic; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them" (Song 5:2–3)? O wonderful sacrament! O great mystery! Does she then fear to defile her feet in coming to Him Who washed the feet of His disciples? She fears, certainly, because she comes to Him by way of the earth, to Him Who is also on earth, since He does not desert His own who are placed here. Does He Himself not say, Behold, I am with you even to the consummation of the world (Matt. 28:20)? Does He Himself not say, You will see the heavens opened, and the Angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man (John 1:51)? If they ascend to Him because He is above, how do they descend to Him, if He is not also here? So the Church says: I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? Does she say this in those who, cleansed of all dregs, can say: I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake (Phil. 1:23–24)? She says this in those who preach Christ and open the door to Him, so that He may dwell through faith in the hearts of men (Eph. 3:17). She says this in these, when they deliberate whether they should take up such a ministry, for which they think themselves less than fit, so as to fulfil it without fault, lest perhaps, while preaching to others, they themselves become reprobate (1 Cor. 9:27). For truth is more safely heard than preached: since when it is heard, humility is preserved; but when it is preached, scarcely does some small boastfulness, however slight, fail to creep up on any man, and in this the feet are certainly defiled.

3. Therefore, as the apostle James says, Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak (Jas. 1:19). Another man of God also says, To my hearing Thou shalt give joy and gladness, and the bones that have been humbled shall exult (Ps. 50:10). This is what I said: When the truth is heard, humility is guarded. Another also says, But the friend of the bridegroom stands and hears him, and rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom's voice (John 3:29). Let us enjoy hearing, while the truth speaks to us within without noise. And yet even when it sounds outwardly, through one reading, through one announcing, through one preaching, through one disputing, through one instructing, through one consoling, through one exhorting, even through one singing and chanting psalms, those who do these things should fear to soil their feet, when, as love of human praise creeps upon them, they strive to please men. But he who hears them willingly and devoutly has no occasion to boast himself in the labours of others; and with bones not puffed up but humbled, he rejoices with joy because of the voice of the Lord's truth. Accordingly, in those who know how to hear willingly and humbly, and who lead a quiet life in sweet and wholesome studies, let holy Church take delight, and say, I sleep, and my heart keeps watch. What is, I sleep, and my heart keeps watch, if not: I am so at rest that I may hear? My leisure is not spent in nourishing sloth, but in acquiring wisdom. I sleep, and my heart keeps watch: I am at leisure, and I see that Thou art the Lord (Ps. 45:11); for the wisdom of the scribe is in the time of leisure, and he who is lessened in activity shall himself acquire it (Sir. 38:25). I sleep, and my heart keeps watch: I rest from busy activities, and my mind directs itself towards divine affections.

4. But in those who rest sweetly and humbly in this way, while the Church takes her delight at leisure, behold, He knocks Who says: "What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach upon the housetops" (Matt. 10:27). His voice therefore knocks at the door, and says: "Open to Me, My sister, My near one, My dove, My perfect one; for My head is filled with dew, and My locks with the drops of the night." As if He were saying: You are at leisure, and the door is shut against Me; you devote yourself to the leisure of a few, and because iniquity abounds the charity of many grows cold (Matt. 24:12). For the night is iniquity; and its dew and drops are those who grow cold and fall, and make the head of Christ grow cold, that is, so that God is not loved. For the head of Christ is God (1 Cor. 11:3). But they are carried in the locks, that is, they are tolerated in the visible sacraments: they in no way reach the inner senses. He knocks, therefore, to shake off their quiet from the saints at leisure, and He cries, Open to Me, My sister by My blood, My near one by My approach, My dove by My Spirit, My perfect one by My word, which you have learned more fully from leisure; open to Me, preach Me. For to those who have shut [the door] against Me, how shall I enter without one who opens? For how shall they hear without one who preaches (Rom. 10:14)?

5. Hence it comes about that even those who love the leisure of good studies, and are unwilling to endure the troubles of laborious

activities, because they feel themselves less fit to minister these things and to perform them without reproach; they would prefer, if it could be done, that the holy apostles and the ancient preachers of the truth be raised up against the abundance of iniquity, by which the fervour of charity has grown cold. But in those who have already gone out from the body and have been stripped of the garment of the flesh (for they are not separated from her), the Church answers, I have put off my tunic; how shall I put it on? That tunic will indeed be taken back, and in those who have already been stripped of it the Church will again be clothed with flesh: not, however, now, when the cold are to be made fervent, but then, when the dead are to rise again. Having therefore suffered difficulty on account of the want of preachers, and recalling those members of hers, sound in their discourses, holy in their conduct, but now stripped of their bodies, the Church groans and says, I have put off my tunic; how shall I put it on? Those members of mine which were able most excellently to open to Christ by evangelizing, how can they now return to the bodies of which they have been stripped?

6. Then, looking towards those who are able to preach, and to gain and govern peoples, and so in some fashion to open to Christ, but who fear to sin amid these difficulties of activity, she says, I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? For whoever does not offend in word, he is a perfect man. And who is perfect? who is there that does not offend amid so great an abundance of iniquity, so great a coldness of charity? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? Since indeed I read, and I hear, Do not become many teachers, brothers, since you incur a greater judgement: for in many things we all offend (Jas. 3:1–2). I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? But behold, I rise and I open. O Christ, wash them: Forgive us our debts, since our charity is not extinguished: for we too forgive our debtors (Matt. 6:12). When we hear Thee, the humbled bones exult with Thee in the heavenly places (Ps. 50:10). But when we preach Thee, we tread the earth in order to open to Thee: and therefore, if we are reproached, we are troubled; if we are praised, we are puffed up. Wash our feet, cleansed before, but defiled when we travel over the earth to open to Thee. Let these things suffice you for today, most beloved. If in speaking we have perhaps offended in anything otherwise than we ought, or have been lifted up by your praises more immoderately than we ought, obtain the cleansing of our feet by your prayers, pleasing to God.

Tractate 58.

From what the Lord says, And you are clean, but not all; as far as this, I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you also should do. Chapter 13, verses 10 15.

1. Those words of the Gospel, where the Lord, washing the feet of His disciples, says, He who has been washed once has no need except to wash the feet, but is clean all over (John 13:10), we have already expounded to Your Love, as the Lord has deigned to grant: now let us see what follows. And you, He says, are clean, but not all. Lest we should ask what this means, the Evangelist himself has made it plain, adding: For He knew who it was that

would betray Him; therefore He said: You are not all clean. What is plainer than this? Let us then pass on to what follows.

2. So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, when He had reclined again, He said to them: Do you know what I have done to you? Now is the time for that promise to be paid to blessed Peter: for he had been put off when, as he shrank in dread and said, You shall never wash my feet, the answer was given him, What I do you do not know now, but you shall know afterwards (John 13:8, 7). See, this is that very afterwards; now it is time for what was put off a little before to be told. The Lord, therefore, mindful that He had promised long since the understanding of His deed, so unexpected, so wonderful, so much to be dreaded, and, had He not Himself strongly frightened [Peter], in no way to be permitted, namely that the Master not only of them but of the Angels, and the Lord not only of them but of all things, should wash the feet of His disciples and servants: since then He had promised the understanding of so great a deed, saying, But you shall know afterwards, He now begins to teach what it is that He did.

3. You, He says, call Me Master, and Lord: and you say well; for so I am. You say well, because you say what is true; for I am what you say. To man it is commanded, Let not your own mouth praise you, but let the mouth of your neighbour praise you (Prov. 27:2). For it is dangerous for one to please himself who must beware of becoming proud. But He who is above all things, however much He praises Himself, does not exalt Himself, being already on high: nor can God rightly be called arrogant. For it profits us, not Him, to know Him: nor does anyone know Him unless He who knows Himself makes Himself known. If, then, by not praising Himself He should wish to avoid arrogance, as it were, He will deny us wisdom. And indeed, as to His saying that He is Master, no one would find fault with it, even one who believed Him to be nothing other than a man; since He professes that which men themselves profess in any arts whatever, so far without arrogance that they are called professors. But as to His saying that He is also lord of His disciples, when they are freeborn even according to the world, who would bear this in a man? But it is God who speaks. Here there is no elation of so great a loftiness, no falsehood of the truth: it is useful to us to be subject to that loftiness, useful to us to serve the truth. That He calls Himself Lord is no fault in Him, but a benefit to us. The words of a certain secular author are praised, because he said, "While all arrogance is odious, that of talent and eloquence is by far the most offensive" (Cicero, Against Q. Caecilius): and yet the same man himself, when he was speaking of his own eloquence, said, "I would call it perfect, if I so judged; nor in truth would I dread the charge of arrogance" (Id., Orator). If, then, that most eloquent man would not fear arrogance in the truth, how does the Truth itself fear arrogance? Let Him who is Lord call Himself Lord, let Him who is the Truth speak what is true; lest I fail to learn what is useful, while He is silent about what He is. Most blessed Paul, certainly not the only-begotten Son of God, but the servant and apostle of the only-begotten Son of God; not the truth, but a partaker of the truth; says freely and steadfastly, Even if I wish to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I speak the truth (2 Cor. 12:6). For not in himself, but in the very truth, which is higher

than himself, he would glory both humbly and truthfully: since He Himself also commanded that he who glories should glory in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31). Would the lover of wisdom, then, not fear folly if he wished to glory, and would Wisdom itself fear folly in its own glory? He did not fear arrogance who said, In the Lord shall my soul be praised (Ps. 33:3); and would the power of the Lord, in which the soul of the servant is praised, fear arrogance in its own praise? You, He says, call Me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am. You say well for this reason, because I am: for if I were not what you say, you would say ill, even though you were praising Me. How then would the Truth deny what the disciples of the Truth say? How would that from which they learned deny what those who have learned say? How does the fountain deny what the one who drinks proclaims? How does the light hide what the one who sees points out?

4. "If then," He says, "I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you also should do." This, blessed Peter, is what you did not know when you would not allow it to be done. This He promised you would know afterwards, when your Master and your Lord, washing your feet, frightened you into allowing it. We have learned humility, brethren, from the Most High; let us, being humble, do for one another what the Most High did humbly. Great is this commendation of humility: and brethren do this for one another even in the visible act itself, when they receive one another in hospitality; for among very many there is the custom of this humility, so far as to its being seen expressed in the deed. Hence the Apostle, when he was commending a widow of good deserts, says, If she has received in hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints (1 Tim. 5:10). And among the saints, wherever this custom does not exist, what they do not do with the hand they do with the heart, if they are of the number of those to whom it is said in the hymn of the three blessed men, Bless the Lord, you holy and humble of heart (Dan. 3:87). But it is much better, and beyond dispute truer, that it be done with the hands as well; nor let the Christian disdain to do what Christ did. For when the body is bowed down at a brother's feet, the feeling of humility itself is either aroused in the very heart as well, or, if it was already present, is strengthened.

5. But apart from this moral understanding, we remember that we commended the depth of this deed of the Lord's in this way: that by washing the feet of disciples already washed and clean, the Lord signified, on account of the human affections amid which we live on earth, that however far we may have advanced in grasping righteousness, we should know that we are not without sin: which He continually washes away by interceding for us, when we pray the Father Who is in heaven to forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors (Matt. 6:12). How then can there pertain to this understanding what He Himself taught afterwards, when He set out the reason for His deed, saying, "If then I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you also should do"? Can we say that a brother too can cleanse a brother from the contagion of a fault? Nay rather, let us know that we too have been admonished