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PL 38 · cols. 1015–1017
Augustine, Sermo 194 (In Natali Domini)
Sermon CXCIV
SERMO CXCIV. In Natali Domini, XI.
SERMON 194. On the Birthday of the Lord, the eleventh.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Nativitas Christi duplex. Dies nativitatis Christi et Joannis. Audite, filii lucis, adoptati in regnum Dei; fratres charissimi, audite; audite, et exsultate, justi, in Domino, ut vos rectos possit decere laudatio (Psal. XXXII, 1). Audite quod nostis, recolite quod audistis, amate quod creditis, praedicate quod amatis. Sicut anniversarium celebramus hunc diem, sic huic diei debitum exspectate sermonem. Natus est Christus, Deus de Patre, homo de matre. De Patris immortalitate, de matris virginitate. De Patre sine matre, de matre sine patre. De Patre sine tempore, de matre sine semine. De Patre principium vitae, de matre finis mortis. De Patre ordinans omnem diem, de matre consecrans istum diem.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. — 1. The double nativity of Christ. The day of the nativity of Christ and of John. — Hear, sons of light, adopted into the kingdom of God; dearest brethren, hear; hear, and exult, you just, in the Lord, that praise may become you as upright (Ps. 32:1). Hear what you know, recall what you have heard, love what you believe, preach what you love. As we celebrate this day as its anniversary, so look for the sermon owed to this day. Christ was born, God of the Father, man of a mother. Of the Father's immortality, of the mother's virginity. Of the Father without a mother, of the mother without a father. Of the Father without time, of the mother without seed. Of the Father the beginning of life, of the mother the end of death. Of the Father ordaining every day, of the mother consecrating this day.
Editors' notes and page, col. 1015
Footnotes
(4) ‹anchor: consecrans istum diem› · call in col 1015
Hoc loco Lovanienses addiderant : In hac enim die ad salvanda omnia, oritur lux mundo, defunctis resurrectio, vita mortalibus. Ac propterea hodie utraque Salvatoris et salutis nostrae nativitas celebranda est. Nascitur ergo salus hominum Christus, quem Prophetae testantur. Nascitur ex virgine, sicut Isaias declarat, dicens : Ecce virgo in utero accipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel, quod interpretatur, Nobiscum Deus. Probat ergo veritatem salutis, ordo nativitatis. Concipit virgo, virilis ignara consortii, impletur uterus nullo libatus amplexu : sed quod Spiritu sancto castus venter excipit, pura membra servaverunt. Videte miraculum matris Dominicae. Virgo concipit, virgo parturit, virgo post partum permansit. Gloriosa virginitas, et praeclara fecunditas. Virtus mundi nascitur ; et nullus gemitus parturientis sentitur. Vacuatur uterus, infans excipitur ; nec tamen virginitas violatur. Dignum enim erat, ut Deo nascente, meritum cresceret castitatis ; nec per ejus adventum violarentur integra, qui venerat sanare corrupta ; nec per eum pudicitia corporalis laederetur, per quem donatur castitas spiritualis. Natus ergo puer, ponitur in praesepe. Et haec sunt Dei prima cunabula ; nec regnator coeli has dedignatur angustias, cui habitaculum virgineus venter idoneus fuit. Pleraque haec verba, quibus hic nostri manuscripti et antiquiores editi carent, reperies in Appendicis sermone 121. Sed verius sunt Ambrosiani cujusdam sermonis de Natali Domini, teste Cassiano in libro septimo de Incarnatione.
At this place the Louvain editors had added: For on this day, for the saving of all things, light rises for the world, resurrection for the dead, life for mortals. And therefore today the birth both of the Saviour and of our salvation is to be celebrated. So Christ, the salvation of men, is born, to whom the Prophets bear witness. He is born of a virgin, as Isaiah declares, saying: Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb and shall bear a son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God with us. The order of the birth, then, proves the truth of the salvation. A virgin conceives, knowing nothing of a man's company; the womb is filled, touched by no embrace; but what the chaste womb receives from the Holy Spirit, pure members have kept. See the miracle of the Lord's mother. A virgin conceives, a virgin gives birth, a virgin she remained after the birth. Glorious virginity, and splendid fruitfulness. The strength of the world is born, and no groan of a woman in labour is heard. The womb is emptied, the infant is received; and yet virginity is not violated. For it was fitting that, when God was born, the merit of chastity should grow; and that what was whole should not be violated by the coming of Him Who had come to heal what was corrupted; nor bodily modesty be injured through Him through Whom spiritual chastity is given. The child, then, being born, is laid in a manger. And this is God's first cradle; nor does the ruler of heaven disdain these narrow quarters, He for Whom a virgin's womb was a fit dwelling. Most of these words, which our manuscripts and the older printed editions lack here, you will find in sermon 121 of the Appendix. But more truly they belong to a certain Ambrosian sermon on the Lord's Nativity, as Cassian witnesses in the seventh book On the Incarnation.
(printed under page 514) (*) ‹anchor: SERMO CXCIV› · call in col 1015 Emendatus est ad duos cb. et duos n. ad f. r. t. et Am. Er. Par. Lov.
Corrected against two cb. manuscripts and two n., against f. r. t., and against the editions Am. Er. Par. Lov. (Louvain).
(printed under page 514)
(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CXCIV› · call in col 1015
Alias, de Tempore 23.
Elsewhere, de Tempore 23.
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(b) ‹anchor: In Natali Domini› · call in col 1015
Citat Florus ad II Cor. cap. 5, et cap. 8 : sed utroque loco vocat sermonem « de Epiphania. » Adrianus autem papa « de Natali Domini » appellat in epist. ad Elipandum et ad episcopos Hispaniae.
Florus cites it on 2 Corinthians, chapter 5 and chapter 8; but in both places he calls the sermon "on the Epiphany." Pope Adrian, however, calls it "on the Lord's Nativity" in his letter to Elipandus and to the bishops of Spain.
(printed under page 514)
CAPUT II. — Praemisit enim hominem Joannem, qui tunc nasceretur, cum dies inciperent minui; et natus est ipse, cum dies inciperent crescere, ut ex hoc praefiguraretur quod ait idem Joannes, Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui (Joan. III, 30). Debet enim vita humana in se deficere, in Christo proficere; ut qui vivunt, jam non sibi vivant, sed ei qui pro omnibus mortuus est et resurrexit (II Cor. V, 15): et dicat unusquisque nostrum quod dicit Apostolus, Vivo autem jam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus (Galat. II, 20). Illum enim oportet crescere, me autem minui.
CHAPTER II. — For He sent before Him the man John, who was then to be born, when the days were beginning to lessen; and He Himself was born when the days were beginning to grow, that by this it might be prefigured, which the same John says: He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30). For human life must fail in itself, and prosper in Christ; that they who live may no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died for all and rose again (2 Cor. 5:15): and let each one of us say what the Apostle says: And I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20). For He must increase, but I must decrease.
2. Verbum Angelorum in coelis, et hominum in praesepio cibus. Laudant eum condigne omnes Angeli ejus, quorum cibus aeternus est, incorruptibili eos sagina vivificans; quia Verbum Dei est, cujus vita vivunt, cujus aeternitate semper vivunt, cujus bonitate semper beate vivunt. Illi eum condigne laudant, Deum apud Deum, et dant gloriam in excelsis Deo. Nos autem plebs ejus et oves manuum ejus (Psal. XCIV, 7), pro modulo infirmitatis nostrae pacem per bonam voluntatem reconciliati mereamur. Ipsorum enim Angelorum vere hodierna vox est, quam nato nobis Salvatore exsultando fuderunt: Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis (Luc. II, 14). Laudant ergo illi competenter, laudemus et nos obedienter. Sunt illi nuntii ejus, sumus et nos pecora ejus. Implevit in coelo mensam ipsorum, implevit in terra praesepe nostrum. Plenitudo enim mensae ipsorum est, quia in principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum. Plenitudo praesepii nostri est, quia Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis (Joan. I, 1, 14). Ut enim panem Angelorum manducaret homo, creator Angelorum factus est homo. Illi laudant vivendo, nos credendo: illi fruendo, nos petendo: illi capiendo, nos quaerendo: illi intrando, nos pulsando.
2. The Word the food of the Angels in heaven, and of men in the manger. — All His Angels praise Him as is fitting, whose eternal food He is, quickening them with incorruptible nourishment; because He is the Word of God, by Whose life they live, by Whose eternity they live for ever, by Whose goodness they live for ever in blessedness. They praise Him as is fitting, God with God, and give glory to God in the highest. But let us, His people and the sheep of His hands (Ps. 94:7), earn peace, in proportion to the measure of our weakness, being reconciled through good will. For it is truly the voice of these same Angels that is heard today, which, exulting at the Saviour born to us, they poured forth: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke 2:14). They, then, praise fittingly; let us too praise obediently. They are His messengers, we too are His flock. He filled their table in heaven, He filled our manger on earth. For the fulness of their table is this, that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The fulness of our manger is this, that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14). For that man might eat the bread of Angels, the creator of the Angels was made man. They praise by living, we by believing: they by enjoying, we by asking: they by grasping, we by seeking: they by entering, we by knocking.
CAPUT III. — 3. Verbi visione post hanc vitam satiabimur. Quis enim hominum omnes thesauros sapientiae et scientiae noverit in Christo occultos, atque in paupertate carnis ejus absconditos? Quia propter nos pauper factus est, cum dives esset, ut illius paupertate ditaremur (II Cor. VIII, 9). Cum enim mortalitatem assumeret, mortemque consumeret, in paupertate se ostendit: sed divitias dilatas promisit, non ablatas amisit. Quam multa multitudo dulcedinis ejus, quam abscondit timentibus se, perficit autem sperantibus in se (Psal. XXX, 20)! Ex parte enim scimus, donec veniat quod perfectum est. Cui capiendo ut idonei praestaremur, ille aequalis Patri in forma Dei, in forma servi factus similis nobis, reformat nos ad similitudinem Dei: et factus filius hominis unicus Filius Dei, multos filios hominum facit filios Dei; et nutritos servos per visibilem formam servi, perficit liberos ad videndam formam Dei. Filii enim Dei sumus, et nondum apparuit
CHAPTER III. — 3. We shall be satisfied with the vision of the Word after this life. For who among men could know all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ, and concealed in the poverty of His flesh? For for our sake He was made poor, though He was rich, that by His poverty we might be enriched (2 Cor. 8:9). For when He took up mortality, and used up death, He showed Himself in poverty: but He promised His riches as deferred, He did not lose them as taken away. How great is the multitude of His sweetness, which He has hidden for those who fear Him, but perfects for those who hope in Him (Ps. 30:20)! For we know in part, until that which is perfect comes. That we might be made fit to receive it, He Who is equal to the Father in the form of God, made like us in the form of a servant, re-forms us to the likeness of God: and the only Son of God, made son of man, makes many sons of men sons of God; and, having nourished servants through the visible form of a servant, He perfects them as free men for seeing the form of God. For we are sons of God, and it has not yet appeared
Editors' notes and page, col. 1016
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: Quam multa› · call in col 1016
Regius Ms., magna.
The Royal manuscript has great.
(printed under page 514)
(2) ‹anchor: unicus Filius Dei› · call in col 1016
Sic Am. Er. et Mss. At Lov., factus est nobis similis. Reformavit nos ad similitudinem Dei : et factus filius hominis, factus est similis homini. Unicus Filius Dei, multos, etc.
So Am., Er. and the manuscripts. But the Louvain edition has, He was made like us. He reformed us to the likeness of God: and being made son of man, He was made like man. The only Son of God, many, etc.
(printed under page 514)
quid erimus. Et scimus quoniam cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus, quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est (I Joan. III, 2). Nam qui sunt illi sapientiae scientiaeque thesauri, quae illae divitiae divinae, nisi quia sufficiunt nobis? Et quae illa multitudo dulcedinis, nisi quia satiat nos? Ostende ergo nobis Patrem, et sufficit nobis (Joan. XIV, 8). Et in quodam psalmo quidam ex nobis, vel in nobis, vel pro nobis, ait illi: Satiabor, dum manifestabitur gloria tua (Psal. XVI, 15). Ipse autem et Pater unum sunt (Joan. X, 30): et qui ipsum videt, videt et Patrem (Id. XIV, 9). Ergo Dominus virtutum, ipse est rex gloriae (Psal. XXIII, 10). Convertens nos, ostendet nobis faciem suam; et salvi erimus (Psal. LXXIX, 4), et satiabimur, et sufficiet nobis.
what we shall be. And we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). For what are those treasures of wisdom and knowledge, what those divine riches, except that they suffice us? And what is that multitude of sweetness, except that it satisfies us? Show us, then, the Father, and it suffices us (John 14:8). And in a certain psalm one of us, or in us, or on our behalf, says to Him: I shall be satisfied when Thy glory shall be made manifest (Ps. 16:15). But He and the Father are one (John 10:30): and he who sees Him sees the Father also (ibid. 14:9). Therefore the Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory (Ps. 23:10). Turning us [to Himself], He will show us His face; and we shall be saved (Ps. 79:4), and we shall be satisfied, and it will suffice us.
CAPUT IV. — 4. Conclusio. Dicat itaque illi cor nostrum: Quaesivi vultum tuum; vultum tuum, Domine, requiram; ne avertas faciem tuam a me (Psal. XXVI, 8, 9). Et respondeat ipse cordi nostro: Qui diligit me, mandata mea custodit: et qui diligit me, diligetur a Patre meo; et ego diligam eum, et ostendam me ipsum illi (Joan. XIV, 21). Videbant utique cum oculis illi quibus hoc dicebat, et sonum vocis ejus auribus audiebant, et humano corde hominem cogitabant: sed quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit, eumdem ipsum se promittebat ostendere diligentibus se (I Cor. II, 9). Quod donec fiat, donec ostendat nobis quod sufficiat nobis, donec eum fontem vitae potemus et satiemur; interim dum ambulantes per fidem peregrinamur ab eo, dum esurimus et sitimus justitiam, et formae Dei pulchritudinem ineffabili ardore desideramus, formae servi Natalem devoto obsequio celebremus. Nondum contemplari possumus quod genitus est ante luciferum a Patre, frequentemus quod nocturnis horis est natus ex virgine. Nondum capimus, quod ante solem permanet nomen ejus (Psal. LXXI, 17), agnoscamus in sole positum tabernaculum ejus. Nondum contuemur Unicum permanentem in Patre suo, recordemur sponsum procedentem de thalamo suo (Psal. XVIII, 6). Nondum idonei sumus convivio Patris nostri, agnoscamus praesepe Domini nostri Jesu Christi.
CHAPTER IV. — 4. Conclusion. Let our heart, then, say to Him: I have sought Thy face; Thy face, O Lord, will I seek; turn not away Thy face from me (Ps. 26:8, 9). And let Him answer our heart: He who loves me keeps my commandments: and he who loves me shall be loved by my Father; and I will love him, and will show myself to him (John 14:21). Those to whom He said this saw Him, certainly, with their eyes, and heard the sound of His voice with their ears, and with a human heart thought of a man: but [as] what eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has gone up into the heart of man, He promised to show His very same self to those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). Until this comes to pass, until He shows us what suffices us, until we drink of Him, the fountain of life, and are satisfied; meanwhile, while walking by faith we are pilgrims away from Him, while we hunger and thirst for justice, and long with unspeakable ardour for the beauty of the form of God, let us celebrate with devout homage the birthday of the form of a servant. We cannot yet contemplate that He was begotten of the Father before the day-star; let us keep festival [for this], that He was born of the virgin in the hours of night. We do not yet grasp that His name endures before the sun (Ps. 71:17); let us acknowledge His tabernacle set in the sun. We do not yet behold the Only-begotten abiding in His Father; let us remember the bridegroom coming forth from His chamber (Ps. 18:6). We are not yet fit for the banquet of our Father; let us acknowledge the manger of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Editors' notes and page, col. 1017
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: sitimus justitiam, et› · call in col 1017
Particulam, et omittunt plures Mss. qui infra loco, desideramus, habent, desideremus.
Several manuscripts omit the particle and; below, in place of we desire, they have let us desire.
(printed under page 515)
(2) ‹anchor: frequentemus› · call in col 1017
Floriacensis Ms., pensamus.
The Fleury manuscript has we weigh.
(printed under page 515)