E04525: Augustine of Hippo preaches in Latin a sermon on the anniversary of the death of an unnamed just man, emphasising that the purpose of this commemoration is not to honour this man, but to reflect upon his example. Sermon 335L, delivered in an unknown city in North Africa, possibly in Hippo, c. 391/430.

Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 335L

[Sermo unius iusti

'In memory of a just man']


1. Memoriam iusti hodie celebramus. Hic ergo sermo uestrae caritati nostro ministerio debetur, ut aliquid loquamur ex eo quod Domino consentiente corde et ore cantauimus: in memoria aeterna erit iustus, ab auditu malo non timebit.Psalmus quippe iste lectus est ut nos commemoraret cui bono fiat ista sollemnitas. Non enim, quia dies extremos eorum qui de hoc saeculo exeunt iustorum atque sanctorum ecclesia sancta anniuersario reditu celebrat, ideo hinc illis iustis honor augetur, sed nobis imitandi exemplum proponitur.

'Today we are celebrating the memory of a just man. So in this sermon that I owe you your graces in carrying out my ministry, I must say something about what we have been singing to the Lord with full and harmonious hearts and voices: "The just man will be held in eternal memory, he will not be afraid of an evil hearing" (Ps 112:6-7). The psalm, clearly, was read in order to remind us what good purpose is served by this sort of solemn celebration. The reason that the holy Church celebrates every year the anniversary of the last days of the just and holy people who have departed from this world, is not thereby to increase the honour enjoyed by these just persons, but to set before us an example to be imitated.'

In what follows Augustine encourages his audience to live their lives in such a way as to earn heaven.

Text: Patrologiae Latinae Supplementum 2, 821. Translation: Hill 1994, 260 (slightly changed). Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.