Augustine, Sermo 102 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

SERMON CII. On the words of the Gospel of Luke, “He who despises you despises Me.” Chapter X, verse 16.

CHAPTER ONE. — 1. The reverence owed to pastors. The consolations of pastors. What our Lord Jesus Christ was saying to His disciples at that time was being written down, and was being made ready for us to hear. We have heard His words, then. For what would it profit us if He were seen and not heard? Nor is it any hindrance now that He is not seen, and yet is heard. He says, then: “He who despises you despises Me.” If He said “He who despises you despises Me” to the Apostles alone, despise us. But if His word has come down to us, and has called us, and has set us in their place, see that you do not despise us, lest the injury you do to us reach Him. For if you do not fear us, fear Him who said, “He who despises you despises Me.” And what do we, who do not wish to be despised by you, say to you, except that we may rejoice in your good conduct? Let your good works be the consolations of our dangers. Live well, lest you die badly.

2. What death is truly good or bad. And in these words which I have spoken, “Live well, lest you die badly,” do not look to those who perhaps lived badly and died in their beds; and the procession of their funeral was held, and they were laid in costly sarcophagi, in tombs most beautifully and most elaborately built; and because each one of you perhaps says to himself, “I should like to die like that,” do not think that I meant to say an empty thing, since I said that I wish you to live well, lest you die badly.

CHAPTER II. — On the other side, perhaps, someone comes to mind who both lived well and, in the opinion of men, died badly: perhaps he died by a collapse, died by shipwreck, died by wild beasts; and each carnal man says in his heart, “What is it to live well? See, that man lived so, and died so.” Return, then, to the heart: and if you are faithful, you will find Christ there; He Himself speaks to you there. For I cry aloud: but He teaches more in silence. I speak through the sound of speech: He speaks within through the fear of thought. Let Him, then, plant my word in your heart: since I have dared to say, “Live well, lest you die badly.” See, since faith is in your hearts, Christ too is there, and He Himself is able to teach what I long to sound abroad.

3. The contrary lot of the rich man and Lazarus after death. Remember

in the Gospel that rich man and that poor man: the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen, and fattened with daily feasts; but that poor man lying before the rich man’s gate, hungry, and seeking crumbs from his table, full of sores, licked by dogs. Remember, then: and whence do you remember, unless because Christ is there in your hearts? Tell me what you have asked Him within, and what He has answered you. For it goes on, and says: “It came to pass that that needy man died, and was carried away by Angels into Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man also died, and was buried in hell. And when he was in torments, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Lazarus resting in Abraham’s bosom. Then he cried out, saying: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and let it drip on my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.” Proud in time, a beggar in hell. For that poor man used to reach a crumb; but this one did not reach a drop. Of these two, then, tell me, which died well, and which died badly? Do not ask your eyes; return to the heart. For if you ask your eyes, they answer you falsely. For very splendid, and decked out in worldly fashion, are the things that could be displayed for that rich man as he died. What troops of mourning slaves and maidservants could there have been! What a procession of clients! What splendour of funeral! What cost of burial! I believe he was buried under spices. What, then, are we to say, brethren: did this man die well, or die badly? If you ask your eyes, he died excellently; if you consult your inner Master, he died most wretchedly.

CHAPTER III. — 4. Whence death ought to be judged bad. If, then, the proud who hoard their goods, and give nothing from them to the poor, die thus, how do those die who seize the goods of others? Truly, then, I said, “Live well, lest you die badly,” lest you die as that rich man did. Nothing proves a death bad but the time after death. On the other side, look at that poor man: not with the eyes, for you will go astray; let faith look, let the heart see. Set him before your eyes lying on the ground covered with sores, the dogs coming and licking his sores. But when you call him up thus before your eyes, at once you spit, you turn away your face, you stop your nostrils. See with the eyes of the heart. He died, and was carried away by Angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man’s household was seen mourning; the Angels were not seen rejoicing. What, then, did Abraham answer the rich man? “Remember, son, that you received good things in your life” (Luke 16:19–25). You thought nothing good save what you had in this life. You received it: but the days have passed, and you have lost the whole, and have been left in hell to be tormented.

CHAPTER IV. — 5. He exhorts to good works. It is timely, then, brethren, that these things be said to you. Look to the poor, whether lying or walking about: look to the poor, do good works. You who are used to doing so, do them; and you who are not used to it, do them. Let the number of those who work well grow: since the number of the faithful too is growing. What

you do, you do not yet see how great a good it is: for the countryman too, when he sows, does not see the harvest, but trusts the earth. Why do you not trust God? Our harvest will come. Consider that now we act in toil, we work in toil, but we shall receive, as it is written: “Going they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming they shall come with exultation, carrying their sheaves” (Ps. 125:6).