Augustine, Sermones 316-321 (Classis III, de Sanctis)

thus escaped; do it, if you wish to live; you will die if you have not done it. See whether it is not: You will die if you have not denied Christ. What the persecutor said openly to the martyr, this the hidden tempter says to you obliquely. Make this remedy for yourself, and you will live: is this not, Sacrifice, and you will live? If you have not done it, you will die: is this not, If you have not sacrificed, you will die? You have found an equal fight; seek an equal palm. You are in bed, and you are in the arena; you lie down, and you wrestle. Remain in the faith; and while you are wearied, you conquer. You have therefore, dearly beloved, no small consolation: a place of prayers. Let the martyr Stephen be honoured here; but in his honour let the crowner of Stephen be adored.

Sermon 319. On Stephen the martyr, 6.

Chapter I. — 1. How prudent Stephen's speech to the Jews was. Stephen, as a servant, works miracles in the name of Christ. May the Lord grant me to say a few things wholesomely, Who granted holy Stephen to say such great things bravely. Thus he began to speak to his persecutors, as if he feared them: Men, brothers and fathers, hear. What gentler? What more clement? He was winning over his hearer, so as to commend the Saviour. He began mildly, so that he might be heard for a long time. And because he had been accused on this account, that he had spoken words against God and the law, he expounded the law itself to them, so that he might be the preacher of that law of which he was accused of being the destroyer. This we have both heard and you have heard: many words of ours are not necessary, because you have heard many things. This only I urge, for the edification of your Charity: that you know that holy Stephen sought the honour of Christ, that you know that the holy Martyr was a witness of Christ, that you know that he then worked such great miracles in the name of Christ. For this you know wholesomely: that holy Stephen worked miracles in the name of Christ, but that the Lord Christ worked no miracle in the name of Stephen; so that you may distinguish the servant from the Lord, the worshipper from God, the adorer from the One to be adored. For when you distinguish, then he loves you. For he did not shed his blood for himself, but shed it for Christ.

Chapter II. — 2. He commends his spirit to Christ. See to Whom he commended his soul. Behold, he says, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. He saw Christ, confessing Christ, about to die for Christ, about to go on to Christ; and at the last, when the blows of the stones grew thicker, and hard wounds were being hurled from hard hearts, he saw himself near, not to destruction, but to departure; he saw his soul now about to depart, and he commended it. To whom? To Him Whom he saw, to Him Whom he worshipped, to Him Whom he served, to Him Whose name he preached, to Him for Whose Gospel he laid down his life: to Him he commended that very soul. Lord Jesus, he says, receive my spirit. Thou hast made me victor; receive [me] into triumph. Receive my spirit. They persecute, do Thou take up; they cast out, do Thou let in. Say to my spirit, Enter into the joy of your Lord (Matt. 25:21). For this is, Receive my spirit.

3. Whither his spirit was received by Christ. But his spirit, whither did Jesus receive it? into what dwelling? into what heaven of heaven? Who grasps it? who explains it?

Chapter III. Do you want to hear a summary? Hear Christ Himself: Father, I will that where I am, they also may be with Me (John 17:24). To be where Christ is: what thought can grasp it? whose speech suffices to explain it? Let it be entrusted to faith; let it not be expected from the tongue. You heard, when the Gospel was being read, Where I am, there also is My minister (John 12:26). Read the Greek book, and you will find "deacon". For what the Latin translator rendered "minister", the Greek has "deacon"; because indeed "deacon" in Greek is "minister" in Latin: just as "martyr" in Greek is "witness" in Latin; "apostle" in Greek is "one sent" in Latin. But we have now grown accustomed to use the Greek names in place of the Latin. For many books of the Gospels read thus: Where I am, there also is My deacon. Take this as said, because this is what was said: Where I am, there also is My deacon. Rightly then [said] His deacon: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Thou promised, I read the Gospel, I preached the Gospel: Where I am, there also is My deacon. I have been Thy deacon to Thee, I have ministered my blood to Thee, I have laid down my life for Thee; render to me Thy promise.

Chapter IV. 4. Why he prays for his stoners with bended knee. And for the Jews, for his stoners, for bloodstained hearts, for cruel minds, how did he pray? He bent the knee. So great was the humility of Stephen, so great the guilt of that people. For himself he made his request standing; for them he bent the knee. Did he set them above himself? Far from it: that is not to be believed. He loved his enemies: but of the neighbour it was said, You shall love your neighbour as yourself (Matt. 22:39). Why then did he bend the knee? Because he knew that he was praying for the wicked; and the more malicious they were, the more difficult it was for him to be heard. The Lord, hanging on the cross, said, Father, forgive them; Stephen, under the stones, with bended knee, Lord, do not lay this sin to their charge (Acts 7). He followed the footsteps of his shepherd, like a good sheep: a good lamb followed the Lamb, whose blood took away the sin of the world. He fulfilled what the apostle Peter said: Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His footsteps (1 Pet. 2:21).

Chapter V. 5. Stephen in his passion an imitator of the suffering Christ. See a man following the footsteps of his Lord. Christ on the cross: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit; Stephen under the stones: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Christ on the cross: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34, 46); Stephen under the stones: Lord Jesus, do not lay this sin to their charge. How could this man not be there where He was Whom he followed, where He was Whom he imitated?

Chapter VI. 6. The discovery of his body. His prayers obtain many things, not all. He triumphed, he was crowned. His body lay hidden for so long a time; it came forth when God willed, it lit up the lands, it worked such great miracles; though dead, he makes the dead living, because he is not even dead.

Therefore I commend this to your Charity, that you may know that his prayers obtain much, yet not everything. For we find also in the booklets that are handed in that he had difficulties in obtaining, and yet afterwards received the benefit, since the faith of the suppliant did not fail. There was no ceasing, prayer was made, and afterwards God gave through Stephen. There are words of Stephen as he prays, and it was answered to him: She for whom you pray is not worthy; she did this and that. And yet he persisted, asked, and received.

Chapter VII. — He has given us to understand that, in whose name he worked before he laid aside the flesh, in His name his prayers work, so that benefits are obtained for those to whom He knows they ought to be given.

7. Stephen is our fellow servant, not to be worshipped as God. He, however, prays as a servant. A certain angel was speaking with John. Angels are such with God that, if we are good and perfectly win His favour, we shall be made equal to the Angels: They shall be, He said, equal to the Angels of God (Matt. 22:30). The angel was showing many miracles to Saint John the evangelist; troubled by the miracles, he worshipped him. A man worshipped an angel; and the angel [said] to the man: Rise, what are you doing? Worship Him: for I am your fellow servant and of your brethren (Rev. 19:10).

Chapter VIII. — If so great humility appeared in an angel, how great do you think it ought to be in a martyr, as indeed it is? Let us not, then, believe Stephen to be proud, when we think that he does what he does by his own power. Through a fellow servant let us receive benefits, and let us give honour and glory to the Lord. What more shall I say to you, and why speak at length? Read the four verses which we have written in the shrine; read them, hold them fast, keep them in your heart. For this reason we wished to write them there, that whoever wishes may read, and read when he wishes. That all may retain them, they are therefore few; that all may read them, they are therefore written publicly. There is no need to look for a book: let that vault be your book. We have indeed come forth somewhat earlier than usual; but because a long reading has been recited, and the heat is severe, let us put off until the Lord's day the booklet of God's benefits through him, which we were going to read today.

Sermon 320. On a man healed through the prayers of Saint Stephen. In which Augustine the bishop excuses himself for not having been able to preach a sermon. Delivered on the very day of Easter.

We are accustomed to hear booklets about the miracles of God through the prayers of the most blessed martyr Stephen. This man's booklet is his appearance; in place of writing, the knowledge of him, in place of paper, his face is shown. You who know what you used to see in him with grief, read now with joy what you see before you: so that the Lord our God may be more abundantly honoured, and what is written in the booklet may be written into your memory. Pardon me for not delivering a lengthy sermon: for you know my weariness. That yesterday, while fasting, I could do so much and not fail, and that today too I speak with you, the prayers of Saint Stephen have granted. Turning to the Lord, etc.

Sermon 321. Where he promised the statement of the man who had been healed, on the second feria of Easter.

We said indeed yesterday, as your Charity remembers: His statement is the sight of him. Yet because he has told us certain things which you ought to know, for greater wonder and for the glory of our Lord, concerning the shrines of His saints, of whom it is said, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. (Ps. 115:15); it is fitting that he also give a statement, which contains everything that we have learned from his mouth. But if the Lord wills, it will be prepared today, and read out to you tomorrow.