Слово в день Богоявления Господня. Блаженного Августина, епископа Иппонийского

We recently celebrated the day on which our Lord was born among the Jews; Now we celebrate the day on which He accepted worship from the pagans. There is salvation from the Jews (John 4:22), says the Scripture: but also salvation to the last of the earth (Ps. 49:6), says the Prophet. Then He accepted worship from the shepherds, now He accepts from the wise men; to these the Angels announced, to this is the star. Both of them, when they saw the King of heaven on earth, were taught by heaven to sing: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will toward men (Luke 2:14), and they knew that He is our peace, having made both into one (Eph. 2:14). The Child at His birth was already the cornerstone, as predicted about Him. With Itself It united two opposite walls - the shepherds from Judea and the wise men from the east, in order to create one new man from the two and restore peace between near and far. Therefore in those days the shepherds came from near; Now the Magi approached from afar to show their offspring two bright days, although they saw the same Light of the world. But now let's talk about those whom faith brought to Christ from distant countries. The wise men came and looked for Him, saying: Where is the King of the Jews to be born? For you have seen His star in the east, and when you have died, you will worship Him (Matthew 2:2). They preach the gospel and ask, they believe and seek; and thus represent those who walk in faith and seek vision. Have no other kings been born in Judea before? What does it mean that the King, known from strangers in heaven, is sought on earth? - that He shines in height and hides in humiliation. The Magi, seeing a star in the east, learned that a King had been born in Judea. Who is this King, both so great and so small? Who cannot yet speak on earth and gives laws for heaven?... Just as He was pleased to reveal Himself to us through the Scriptures, so He was pleased that the Magi, to whom He gave a clear sign and to whose hearts He revealed His birth in Judea, believed His prophets. For, asking in Jerusalem where He was, whom they wanted to see and worship, of necessity they had to appear to the princes of Judah, so that they would give an answer from the Scripture, which they had on their lips, and not in their hearts - they were unbelievers - to those who believed by grace, they were liars, speaking the truth despite themselves. How easy it was for the Jews to accompany them when the Magi were looking for Christ! How easy it was, having heard that they saw His star and came to worship Him, and themselves go to Bethlehem, which they indicated from St. books, and with them to see, know and worship! But, having shown others the source of life, they themselves wanted to die of thirst! They are like miles of miles that provide guidance to travelers, but they themselves remain without reason and movement. The Magi asked in order to gain, Herod - in order to destroy. The Jews knew the name of the city in which the Messiah was to be born, but did not know the time of His coming. Walking among pious love, the Magi and the terrible fear of Herod, they lost the path that they showed the Magi, and when Christ was born, they did not want to see Him; When they saw Him afterwards, they rejected Him, and when He preached, they killed Him. How could one not prefer the ignorance of the children killed by the frightened Herod to the knowledge of those whom he called to council in confusion! They suffered for Christ, not yet knowing Him; but these did not follow the true teaching of Him, whose very place they knew. The star led the Magi to the place where the Word of God became the Child. But here we should be ashamed of the blasphemous madness and this ignorant knowledge that claims that Christ was born according to the determination of the stars, because the Gospel describes that the Magi saw a star in the east at His birth. This is also false in relation to people who are not born as the Son of God was born - they are born not of their own will, but according to the conditions of mortal nature. In relation to the Son of God this is even more false; for the right believer in Christ is sure that no one is born in this way. Christ appeared not as under the dominion of the star, but as its Lord: she did not keep her own path in heaven, but showed those who were looking for Christ the way even to the place where He was born. Therefore, it was not she who produced the miraculous life of Christ, but Christ who created the miraculous manifestation of it; she did not have a miraculous influence on Christ, but Christ added her to his miracles. He who was born from his mother showed a new star from the sky to the earth - He who was born from the Father and created heaven and earth. At His birth, a new light shone in a star in the sky; at His death, the ancient light of the sun went out. At His birth, earthly beings appeared in a new dignity; at death, the underworld felt a new fear. At his resurrection, the disciples were kindled with a new love; at his ascension, the sky opened up with greater submission than before. Let us begin to celebrate the day on which the Magi, the first of the pagans, having come to know Christ, worshiped Him, with the same reverent triumph with which they spent the day on which the shepherds of the Jews saw the Born One. For our Lord and God Himself, having chosen the Apostles from among the Jews as shepherds, chose them precisely for this purpose, so that through them he could lead sinners from paganism to bliss. Amen 99. When reading this word, it should be borne in mind that in the Western Church, the main subject of the Feast of the Epiphany from ancient times was the remembrance of the worship of the Savior of the Eastern sages See “Sunday Reading”. I (1837–1838), countries. 235–237. You might be interested in: