Augustine, Sermo 185 (In Natali Domini)

SERMON CLXXXV. On the Birthday of the Lord, II.

CHAPTER ONE. — 1. By the incarnation of the Word, Truth sprung from the earth. It is called the Birthday of the Lord, when the Wisdom of God showed itself an infant, and the Word of God without words uttered the voice of flesh. That hidden divinity, however, was both signified to the Magi with heaven as witness, and announced to the shepherds by an angelic voice. This day, therefore, we celebrate with an anniversary solemnity, on which was fulfilled the prophecy saying: Truth has sprung from the earth, and justice has looked forth from heaven (Ps. 84:12). Truth, which is in the bosom of the Father, has sprung from the earth, that it might be also in the bosom of a mother. Truth, by which the world is held together, has sprung from the earth, that it might be carried in a woman's hands. Truth, by which the beatitude of the Angels is incorruptibly nourished, has sprung from the earth, that it might be suckled at breasts of flesh. Truth, for which heaven does not suffice, has sprung from the earth, that it might be laid in a manger. For whose good did so great a sublimity come in so great a humility? For no good of its own, certainly; but for a great good, if we believe, of ours. Awake, O man: for you God has been made man. Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten you (Eph. 5:14). For you, I say, God has been made man. You would have been dead for ever, had He not been born in time. Never would you be freed from the flesh of sin, had He not taken up the likeness

of the flesh of sin. Perpetual misery would possess you, had this mercy not been done. You would not have lived again, had He not come together with your death. You would have failed, had He not come to aid. You would have perished, had He not come.

CHAPTER II. — 2. Justice brought to us by the incarnation of Christ. Let us celebrate with joy the coming of our salvation and redemption. Let us celebrate the festal day on which the great and eternal Day came from the great and eternal Day into this our so brief temporal day. He has been made for us justice, and sanctification, and redemption: that, as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:30–31). For lest we should be like the pride of the Jews, who, being ignorant of the justice of God, and wishing to establish their own, have not been subject to the justice of God (Rom. 10:3): therefore, when he had said, Truth has sprung from the earth, he at once added, and justice has looked forth from heaven: lest mortal weakness should claim it for itself, lest it should call these things its own, and man, believing that he is justified by himself, that is, made just by himself, should refuse the justice of God. Truth therefore has sprung from the earth: Christ, Who said, I am the truth (John 14:6), was born of a virgin. And justice has looked forth from heaven: since the one believing in Him Who was born has been justified not by himself, but by God. Truth has sprung from the earth: because the Word was made flesh (ibid. 1:14). And justice has looked forth from heaven: because every best gift and every perfect gift is from above (Jas. 1:17). Truth has sprung from the earth, flesh from Mary. And justice has looked forth from heaven: because a man cannot receive anything, unless it has been given him from heaven (John 3:27).

CHAPTER III. — 3. The glory of God in the gratuitous justification of men. — Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through Whom also we have access into this grace, in which we stand, and glory in the hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:1, 2). With these few apostolic words, brethren, which you recognize along with me, it is a delight to mingle a few words of this psalm, and to find their harmony. Being justified by faith, let us have peace towards God: because justice and peace have kissed one another. Through our Lord Jesus Christ: because Truth has sprung from the earth. Through Whom also we have access into this grace, in which we stand, and glory in the hope of the glory of God. He does not say, Of our glory; but, of the glory of God: because justice did not proceed from us, but looked forth from heaven. Therefore he who glories, let him glory not in himself, but in the Lord. For hence also, when the Lord was born of the Virgin, Whose Birthday we celebrate today, the proclamation of the angelic voice was made: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke 2:14). For whence peace on earth, unless because Truth has sprung from the earth, that is, Christ has been born of the flesh? And He is our peace, Who has made both one (Eph. 2:14): that we might be men of good will, sweetly joined by the bonds of unity. In this grace therefore let us rejoice, that our glory may be the testimony of our conscience (2 Cor. 1:12): wherein we may glory not in ourselves, but in the Lord.

For hence it has been said, My glory, and the one lifting up my head (Ps. 3:4). For what greater grace of God could have shone upon us, than that, having an only-begotten Son, He should make Him a son of man, and so in turn make a son of man a Son of God? Seek merit, seek cause, seek justice; and see whether you find anything but grace.