Слово во вторник Светлой седмицы. Блаженного Августина

We have now heard the story of the Evangelist Luke about the two disciples to whom the Lord appeared on the way and with whom he continued on his way, we heard about what He said to them, and what they answered Him, to what place He reached with them, and how they came to know Him in the breaking of bread. What, brothers, is the subject for our reflection here? Here is the edification of our faith in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We already believed when we heard the Gospel, and now we entered the church with faith; but somehow we hear with new joy what we remember. For we believe what the apostles did not yet believe. They have lost hope, but we do not doubt what they doubted. When the Lord was crucified, they lost hope, as can be seen from their words: we hoped that He would deliver Israel, that is, and we hoped that He (Jesus Christ) was the One who should deliver Israel (Luke 24:21). Let us believe in Christ crucified and risen together on the third day. By this faith we differ from pagans and Jews. The Apostle says (to his disciple) Timothy: remember the Lord Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, from the seed of David, according to my gospel (2 Tim. 2:8), - and in another place: if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart, that God raised him from the dead, having been saved (Rom. 10:9). I know that you believe: hold in your heart and confess with your lips the truth that Christ has risen from the dead. Have the faith of Christians, not the faith of demons. “Here I distinguish faith from faith for you.” I said: the faith by which we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead distinguishes us from the pagans. Ask a pagan: “Was Christ crucified”? – he will answer: “exactly so”! “Has he risen again?” - will say: “no.” Also ask a Jew: “Was Christ crucified”? He confesses to the guilt of his ancestors, confesses to a crime in which he himself participates, for he drinks the cup that his parents offered him when they said: His blood be on us and on our children (Matthew 27:25). But ask him: “Has Christ risen from the dead”? - he will deny, mock, slander. We are divided: because we believe that Christ, of the seed of David according to the flesh, rose from the dead. Did the demons really not know this, or did they not believe what they saw? Even before the resurrection of Christ, the demon cried out and said: I know You who You are, the Holy One of God (Mark 1:24). But, believing in the resurrection of Christ and thereby differing from the pagans, do we really not differ in faith from demons? Why, however, is the demon who speaks like this told: keep silent? (Mark 1:25). Didn't he say the same thing that Peter confessed: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God? (Matthew 16:16). And it was said to the demon: be silent, and to Peter: blessed are you (Matthew 16:17). What distinguished them, let it also distinguish us. What prompted the demons to scream like that? – fear. What motivated the Apostle Peter? - Love. Now choose, love. It is also faith that distinguishes Christians from demons, but not the same faith. For the Apostle James says: you believe, for there is one God, and do good: and the demons believe and tremble (Ik. 2:19). This is said by the same (Apostle) who writes in his epistle: What good is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? food can faith save him (Ik. 2:14)? And the Apostle Paul teaches: neither circumcision is able, nor uncircumcision, but faith hastening through love (Gal. 5:6). This is how we distinguished true from false faith - or better, we found such a distinction in Scripture, this is how we learned. Just as we differ in faith, so let us differ in morals and deeds, inflamed with love, which demons do not have. Those two disciples also burned with this fire on the way: for when they knew Christ, and He departed from them, they said to each other: was not our heart sorrow in us, when we spoke to us on the way, and when we told us the Scriptures (Luke 24:32)? You too burn with this fire, so as not to burn with the same fire that demons will burn with; burn with the fire of love, so that you can be distinguished from the evil spirits. This flame elevates you, lifts you to the sky. No matter what sorrow you suffer on earth, no matter how much the enemy tilts the heart of a Christian down, the flame of love strives for grief. So the flame of the lamp, whether you hold it straight or turn it down, ascends to the sky. Burning in spirit, brothers, be kindled with the fire of love—flame with praises to God and virtues. If one is hot, the other is cold, then the hot one kindles the cold one; and whoever has little fire, let him desire more, let him ask for help. The Lord is ready to give us (it): only we with open hearts will be willing to accept it. Amen. 45 In short. In the collection of words 234. See Sunday. Read XIII (1849–50), 2–4 countries. You might be interested in: