Augustine, Sermones 337-339 (Classis III, de Sanctis)

Sermon 337. On the Dedication of a Church, 2.

Chapter I. — 1. The building of a church is to be judged a good work according to the faith and charity of the one who does it. The construction of the heavenly Church. When the good works of the faithful, done from their temporal and earthly substance, are stored up in heavenly treasuries, faith sees this, for it has the eye of piety in the heart. Hence also, when it has looked with the eye of the flesh on these buildings which are raised for gathering religious assemblies, it praises inwardly what it perceives outwardly, and by visible light it receives that in which it may rejoice by invisible truth. For faith is not occupied with looking at how beautiful the members of this dwelling are;

but from how great a beauty of the inner man these works of love proceed. The Lord will therefore repay His faithful, who do these things so dutifully, so cheerfully, so devoutly, by setting them too into the construction of His own building, to which the living stones run, formed by faith, made solid by hope, joined together by charity. There that wise architect the Apostle laid Christ Jesus as the foundation (1 Cor. 3:10–11), Himself the chief corner-stone, as Peter too records from prophetic Scripture, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and honoured by God (1 Pet. 2:4). By clinging to Him we are given peace; by resting upon Him we are made firm. For He is at once both the foundation, because He rules us, and the corner, because He joins together. He is the rock upon which the wise man, building his house, stands firm, most secure against all the temptations of this world: he does not fall when the rain pours down, he is not overturned when the river floods, he is not shaken when the winds blow (Matt. 7:24–25). He is also our peace, Who has made both one (Eph. 2:14): for in Him neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature (Gal. 6:15). For these two, like walls coming from different directions, had been far from one another, until, led to Him as to the corner, they were also joined to each other in Him.

Chapter II. — 2. Building in toil, dedication in gladness. Therefore, just as this visible building has been made for us to be gathered together in bodily, so that building which we ourselves are is being constructed for God to dwell in spiritually. For the temple of God is holy, says the Apostle, which you are. As we construct this one with earthly masses, so let us raise up that one with well-ordered morals. For this one is dedicated now at our visiting, that one will be dedicated at the end of the world when the Lord comes, when this corruptible of ours shall put on incorruption, and this mortal of ours shall put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53): because He will conform the body of our lowliness to the body of His glory (Phil. 3:21). For see what he says in the Psalm of dedication: Thou hast turned my mourning into joy for me; Thou hast cut my sackcloth and girded me with gladness: that my glory may sing to Thee, and I may not be pierced with sorrow (Ps. 29:12–13). For when we are being built, our lowliness groans to Him; but when we shall be dedicated, our glory will sing to Him: because in building there is toil, in dedication gladness. While stones are cut from the mountains and timber from the forests, while they are shaped, hewn, fitted together, there is toil and care; but when the dedication of the finished building is celebrated, joy and security succeed to the toils and cares. So too the spiritual building, whose inhabitant is God, will be not for a time but for eternity; while men are separated from an unbelieving life to the faith, while whatever in them is not good and is perverse is lopped off and cut away, while fitting, peaceable and dutiful joints are formed, how many temptations are feared, how many tribulations endured? But when the day of the dedication of the eternal house shall have come, when it shall be said to us, Come, blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom that has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world (Matt. 25:34), what that exultation, what security

will there be? Brightness will sing, and weakness will not be pierced with compunction. When He who loved us and gave Himself up for us shows Himself to us; and He who appeared to men as that which He was made in His mother will appear to them as God the Maker, that which He was in the Father: when He, its eternal Indweller, enters His house, perfected and adorned, established in unity, clothed in immortality; He will fill all things, He will shine in all, that God may be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28).

Chapter III. — 3. The desire of dwelling in the house of God. The house of God is His indwellers themselves. A certain man asked of the Lord this one sight; and that certain man, if we will, is ourselves. With longing for it he laboured in his groaning; for this he washed his bed every night, and watered his couch with his tears (Ps. 6:7). For on account of it his tears were bread to him day and night, while it was said to him every day, Where is your God? (Ps. 41:4). For he himself says: One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may contemplate the delight of the Lord, and be protected, His temple (Ps. 26:4). He is Himself the Indweller of His own; they themselves are the dwelling. For those who dwell in the house of God are themselves also the house of God: which contemplates His delight, and is protected as His temple, and is hidden in the hidden place of His countenance. This we hold in hope; the thing itself we do not yet see. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it through patience (Rom. 8:25), and through patience we are built up.

Chapter IV. — 4. Our foundation is above, not below. Come then, brethren, if you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God: mind the things that are above, not those upon the earth (Col. 3:1–2). For this reason Christ too, our foundation, has been placed there, that we may be built upwards. For just as, in constructing earthly masses, whose heavy bodies certainly tend only towards the lowest places, the foundation is laid at the bottom: so for us, on the contrary, that foundation-stone has been placed above, that it may draw us upwards even by the weight of charity. Eagerly, then, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work according to His good will. Do all things without murmuring (Phil. 2:12–14). And as living stones be built together into the temple of God (1 Pet. 2:5): and as incorruptible timbers make of yourselves the house of God. Be squared, be hewn, in labours, in necessities, in vigils, in business; be made ready for every good work: that in eternal life you may be worthy to rest as in the joined framework of the fellowship of the Angels.

Chapter V. — 5. An eternal dwelling-place to be prepared through good works. For this place has been built in time, and will not last for ever: just as our bodies themselves too, for whose need it was made through works of mercy, are certainly not everlasting, but temporal and mortal. A dwelling

however, we have from God, a house not made by hand, eternal in the heavens (2 Cor. 5:1): where even our very bodies, through the change of the resurrection, will be heavenly and everlasting. And now, although not yet by sight, as it will be face to face (1 Cor. 13:12), yet God dwells in us through faith: and for Him who thus dwells we are made a dwelling-place through good works; and these works are not eternal, but they lead to eternal life. Among them is also this work by which this basilica has been built: for we shall not labour at such buildings there. No place there is built that is going to fall, into which no inhabitant who is going to die enters. Now, however, let your work be a good temporal one, so that your reward may be eternal. Now, I say, build up with spiritual love the house of faith and hope in every good work, which will not exist then, because there will be no need. Lay, therefore, the apostolic and prophetic admonitions as foundations in your hearts; spread out your humility like a pavement without stumbling; fortify the saving doctrine in your heart with prayers and discourses as with firm walls; illuminate it with the divine testimonies as with lamps; support the weak like columns; protect the needy like roofs: so that the Lord our God may repay eternal things for temporal goods, and may possess you, perfected and dedicated, for eternity.

Sermon 338. On the Dedication of a Church, 3.

Chapter I. — 1. Good works done openly have a twofold usefulness. When good works, even those which are done for God's sake, are shown to men, when good and religious people do them, it is not human praise that is sought, but things worthy of imitation are set forth. For the mercy which is done in a good work is twofold, bodily and spiritual. The hungry, the thirsty, the naked, strangers are relieved by bodily mercy: yet when these same things are shown and also provoke others to imitation, spirits and minds too are fed. One is fed by a good work, another by a good example: for both are hungry. The one wishes to receive something by which he may be nourished, the other wishes to see something which he may imitate. The reading of the holy Gospel, which has just been recited, also admonishes us of this truth. For it is said to Christians who believe in God, who work well, who await the hope of eternal life in return for good works: You are the light of the world. And it is said to the universal Church spread everywhere: A city set upon a mountain cannot be hidden (Matt. 5:14). There will be, it says, in the last times the mountain of the house of the Lord made manifest, prepared on the summit of the mountains (Isa. 2:2). He is the mountain which grew from a small stone, and by growing filled the whole world (Dan. 2:34–35). On Him the Church is built, which cannot be hidden.

Chapter II. — 2. The lamp on the lampstand. — Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but upon a lampstand, so that it may give light to all who are in the house (Matt. 5:15). The reading comes aptly, when lampstands are being dedicated, so that he who works may be a lamp placed on

a lampstand. For the lamp is the man who works well. But what is the lampstand? But far be it from me to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:14). So whoever acts according to Christ, and acts for Christ's sake, so as not to glory except in Christ, is a lampstand. Let him shine for all; let them see what they should imitate: let them not be sluggish, not dry: let what they see profit them; let them not be seeing with their eyes and blind in their hearts.

Chapter III. — 3. Two precepts of the Lord, contrary in appearance, are reconciled. But lest perhaps it should occur to someone that the Lord as it were commands good works to be hidden, where He says, Beware of doing your righteousness before men, in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will not have a reward with your Father Who is in heaven (Matt. 6:1): this question ought to be resolved, so that we may know how we are to obey the Lord, and may not be unable to obey Him when we hear Him commanding the contrary. On this side He says, Let your works shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds: on that side He says, Beware of doing your righteousness before men, in order to be seen by them. Do you wish to know how much this question needs resolving, and, unless it is resolved, how troublesome it will be if it remains unsolved? Certain men do good, and fear to be seen; and with all eagerness, as far as they can, they cover up their good works. They watch for when they see no one: then they hand something out, fearing lest they offend against that precept where it is said, Beware of doing your righteousness before men, in order to be seen by them. But the Lord did not command good works to be hidden, but [commanded us] not to think of human praise in good works. In short, when He said, Beware of doing your righteousness before men: where did He end? In order to be seen by them. That is, that they should act for this reason, to be seen by men; that they should seek this fruit of a good work, carry off this: that they should expect nothing else, desire nothing of a higher and heavenly benefit. But if someone acts solely for this reason, to be praised: this the Lord forbade. Beware of doing. How? In order to be seen by them. Beware of having this fruit, the sight of men.

Chapter IV. — 4. In a good work we are forbidden to seek our own praise. But He commands our works to be seen, and says, No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, but on a lampstand, so that it may shine for all who are in the house. And, So let your works shine before men, so that they may see, He says, your good deeds. And He did not stop there: but He added, may glorify your Father, Who is in heaven (ibid. 5:16). It is one thing in a good work to seek your own praise, another thing in a good work to seek the praise of God. When you seek your own praise, you have stopped at the sight of men: when you seek the praise of God, you have gained eternal glory. Let us therefore so act that we are not seen by men, that is, let us so act that we do not seek the sight of men as our reward: but let us so act that from those who see and imitate us we may seek the glory of God, and may acknowledge that if He had not made us such, we would be nothing.