Augustine, Sermones 89-94 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

the name of Christ; let there be in you five wise ones, but do not be five men. Let there be in you five wise ones, belonging to that wisdom of the number five. For the hour will come, and it will come when we do not know. At midnight He will come; keep watch. Thus did the Gospel close: Keep watch, because you know neither the day nor the hour. If then we are going to sleep, how do we keep watch? Keep watch with the heart, keep watch with faith, keep watch with hope, keep watch with charity, keep watch with works: and when you have slept in the body, the time will come for you to rise. And when you have risen, make ready your lamps. Then let them not be extinguished, then let them be quickened with the inner oil of conscience: then let that Bridegroom embrace you with incorporeal bonds, then let Him bring you into the house where you will never sleep, where your lamp can never be extinguished. But today we labour, and our lamps flicker amid the winds and temptations of this world: but let our flame burn in strength, so that the wind of temptation may increase the fire rather than extinguish it.

Sermon 94. On the words of the Gospel of Matthew, where the slothful servant, who would not pay out the talent he had received, is condemned. Chapter 25, verses 24-30.

Whence a bishop is so called. The office of a bishop laid upon every father of a household.

My lords, brothers and fellow bishops have indeed deigned to visit and gladden us with their presence: but I do not know why they are unwilling to help me in my weariness. I have said this to your Charity in their own hearing, so that in some way your listening may intercede for me with them, that when I ask them they too may give a sermon. Let them pay out what they have received; let them deign to work rather than to excuse themselves. But from me, tired and barely able to speak, receive a few words gladly. For we also have a little book about the benefits of God given through the holy Martyr; let us likewise hear it all the more gladly. What then is it? What shall I say to you? You have heard in the Gospel both the merit of the good servants and the punishment of the bad. And the whole wickedness of that servant, rejected and heavily condemned, was this, that he would not pay out. He kept intact what he had received: but his Lord was looking for gains. God is avaricious for our salvation. If he who did not pay out is condemned thus, what ought those to expect who squander? We, then, are stewards; we pay out, you receive. We seek gains: live well. For these are the gains of our paying out. But do not think that paying out does not concern you also. You cannot pay out from this higher place, but you can wherever you are. Where Christ is reproached, defend Him: answer the murmurers, rebuke the blasphemers, estrange yourselves from their company. So you pay out, if you gain some. Do our part in your own houses. A bishop is so called from this, that he oversees, that he takes care by attending. Each one

then in his own house, if he is the head of his house, the office of bishop ought to belong to him, [seeing to it] how his own believe, lest any of them fall into heresy, neither wife, nor son, nor daughter, nor the slave himself, since he was bought at so great a price. Apostolic teaching set the master over the slave and subjected the slave to the master (Eph. 6:5, and Tit. 2:9): yet Christ gave one price for both. Do not despise your least ones; look after the salvation of your households with all vigilance. If you do these things, you are paying out: you will not be lazy servants, you will not fear so detestable a condemnation.