Giving life for death; Angels: Day 310

Giving life for death; Angels: Day 310 May 29, 2017

angels_augustine_1St. Augustine portrays Christ as a merchant buying and selling. But the deal hoffers us is one we can’t refuse. We can trade our death and hard work for his life and endless bliss.

Christ is himself the Bread which came down from Heaven ( John 6:51); but Bread that refreshes the failing, and does not fail; Bread that can be tasted, and cannot be wasted.

This Bread is what the manna prefigured. This is why it is said, “He gave them the Bread of Heaven,” and “man ate the bread of angels” (Ps. 78:24-25). Who is the Bread of Heaven, but Christ?

But in order that man might eat angels’ Bread, the Lord of angels was made man. For if he had not been made man, we would not have his flesh. If we had not his flesh, we would not eat the Bread of the altar.

Let us hasten to the inheritance, since we have already received a great secu- rity deposit from it. My brethren, let us long for the life of Christ, seeing we hold as a deposit the death of Christ. How could he not give us his good things, when he has suffered our evil things?

In this our earth, in this evil world, what is there that is plentiful, but to be born, to work, and to die? Examine thoroughly the human condition—convict me if I lie—consider whether all of us are in this world for any other purpose than to be born, to work, and to die. This is the merchandise of our country: these things are plentiful here. To such merchandise did that Merchant descend. Now, every merchant gives and receives—gives what he has, and receives what he does not have. When he procures anything, he gives money, and receives what he buys. So Christ too in this his business gave and received. But what did he receive? He received what is plentiful here: to be born, to work, and to die. And what did he give? To be born again, to rise again, and to reign forever. –St. Augustine, Sermon 80 on the New Testament

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Do I willingly offer up the trials of birth, labor, and death, or do I still cling to this earthly existence in spite of the bread of angels that Christ offers me?

CLOSING PRAYER

O Good Merchant, I give you thanks that you have already bought me and paid the price. Feed me with the bread of angels, so that I may rise again and reign forever.


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