Augustine, Sermo 304 (In natali Laurentii martyris)

SERMON CCCIV. On the solemnity of Lawrence the martyr, III.

CHAPTER ONE. — 1. The office of a deacon, to minister the blood of Christ. The mystery of the Lord's Supper: that for Him Whose blood we receive we should lay down our life. The triumphal day of blessed Lawrence, on which he trampled on the world when it raged, spurned it when it flattered, and in both conquered the devil who persecuted him, the Roman Church commends to us today. For how glorious, and adorned with how great a multitude of virtues, as with a variety of flowers, is the crown of Lawrence the martyr, all Rome is witness. For in that very Church, as you are accustomed to hear, he discharged the office of deacon. There he ministered the sacred blood of Christ: there for the name of Christ he shed his own blood. He had approached the table of the mighty one wisely. That table, of which the proverbs of Solomon were speaking to us just now, where it is written: If you sit down to sup at the table of a mighty one, consider with discernment what is set before you; and so stretch out your hand, knowing that you must prepare the like (Prov. 23:1, 2). The mystery of this supper the blessed apostle John has plainly set forth, saying: As Christ laid down His life for us, so we too ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16). Saint Lawrence understood this, brethren; he understood it, and did it: and just such things as he received at that table, such he prepared. He loved Christ in his life, he imitated Him in his death.

CHAPTER II. — 2. We must all follow Christ. We too therefore, brethren, if we truly love, let us imitate. For we shall not be able to render a better fruit of love

than the example of imitation; for Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His footsteps (1 Pet. 2:21). In this sentence the apostle Peter seems to have seen that Christ suffered only for those who follow His footsteps, and that the passion of Christ profits nothing except to those who follow His footsteps. The holy martyrs followed Him, even to the shedding of blood, even to the likeness of His passion: the martyrs followed, but not they alone. For the bridge was not cut down after they had crossed; nor, after they had drunk, was the spring itself dried up. For what is the hope of the good faithful, who either under the bond of wedlock bear the yoke of matrimony chastely and in concord, or under widowed continence tame the allurements of the flesh, or even, raising the summit of holiness higher and flowering in new virginity, follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes? What hope, I say, is there for these, what for all of us, if none follow Christ except those who shed their blood for Him? Is mother Church then to lose her sons, whom she has brought forth the more fruitfully, the more securely [she bore them], in time of peace? Lest she lose them, must persecution be prayed for, must temptation be prayed for? Far be it, brethren. For how can he pray for persecution, who cries daily, Lead us not into temptation (Matt. 6:13)?

CHAPTER III. — It has, it has, brethren, that garden of the Lord has not only the roses of martyrs, but also the lilies of virgins, and the ivy of the married, and the violets of widows. Assuredly, most beloved, let no kind of men despair of its calling: Christ suffered for all. Truly is it written of Him, Who wills all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4).

3. In what things one may follow Christ, besides martyrdom. His humility is to be pursued. Vengeance, after the example of Christ, is not to be sought. Present things are to be despised. Let us understand then how, besides the shedding of blood, besides the peril of suffering, a Christian ought to follow Christ. The Apostle says, speaking of the Lord Christ: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God. What majesty! But He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man. What humility! Christ humbled Himself: you have, Christian, something to hold to. Christ was made obedient: why are you proud? How far was Christ made obedient? Even to the incarnation of the Word, even to the sharing of human mortality, even to the threefold temptation of the devil, even to the mockery of the people of the Jews, even to spittings and chains, even to buffets and scourges; if that is little, even unto death; and if something is yet to be added also about the kind of death, yes, the death of the cross (Phil. 2:6–8). We have such an example of humility, a medicine for pride.

CHAPTER IV. — Why then do you swell up, O man? O carrion hide, why are you stretched taut? O stinking gore, why are you puffed up? You pant, you grieve, you seethe, because someone or other has done you an injury. On that account you demand retribution, you thirst for vengeance with parched throat; nor do you from your purpose

desist until you are avenged on him who has hurt you? If you are a Christian, wait for your King: let Christ be avenged first. For He has not yet been avenged, Who endured so much for you. And surely that majesty could either have suffered nothing, or have been avenged at once. But since there was so great power in Him, there was therefore also so great patience: because He suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His footsteps. You see surely, most beloved, that besides the shedding of blood, besides chains and prisons, besides scourges and hooks, there are many things in which we can follow Christ. Then, this humility having been run through, and death laid low, Christ ascended into heaven: let us follow Him. Let us hear the Apostle saying, If you have risen together with Christ, savour the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things upon the earth (Col. 3:1–2). Whatever delight the world may thrust upon us from temporal things, let it be spat out: whatever harsh and terrible thing it may roar, let it be despised. And let him who acts so not doubt that he clings to the footsteps of Christ, so that he may rightly dare to say with the apostle Paul, Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20).

CHAPTER V. — 4. Charity the true and unconquered virtue. But virtue can be unconquered in these things only if charity be not feigned. He therefore gives us true virtue, Who pours forth charity in our hearts (Rom. 5:5). For when would blessed Lawrence not have feared the fires set around him from without, unless the flame of charity were burning within? Therefore, my brethren, the glorious Martyr did not dread the fierce flames of the burning in his body, because in his mind he was ablaze with a most ardent desire of heavenly joys. In comparison with the fervour with which his breast was burning, the outer flame of the persecutors was cold. For when would he have borne the stings of such great pains, unless he loved the joys of eternal rewards? Finally, when would he have despised this life, except by loving a better life? And who can harm you, says the apostle Peter; who, he says, can harm you, if you are lovers of good (1 Pet. 3:13)? Let the persecutor do evil to you, though he may: do not fail in loving good. For if you truly love with your whole heart what is good, you will bear every evil patiently and with equanimity. For in what did those torments, which were inflicted by the persecutors, harm blessed Lawrence; except that they rendered him more illustrious by those very tortures, and made for us this most festive day out of his precious death?