SERMON 391: TO THE YOUTH

Date: 393-396 The older Renaissance editors had their doubts about this sermon, and one of them considered the style to be not unlike that of Ambrose. But the Maurists retort that it is not unlike that of Augustine either, in his early years. I give them the benefit of the doubt, and so assign the sermon an early date; but a very real doubt remains in my mind, especially when I come to the sermon's conclusion. ^†1

No age free from temptation, not even infancy

1. My words are for you, young people, in the prime of life, in a time of spiritual danger. No time indeed, no period of life, while we are carrying this perishable flesh, can be free from trials and temptations. And as long as good people are straining in the contest not to be beaten by their opponent, they are in danger; as long as they are wrestling with him in this mortal life, as on the sawdust of some stadium. I mean, the moment babies are born in this age, and proclaim their entry into a life full of misery with tearful cries, prophetic it would seem of their troubles to come, they can already be tempted; even if not in their own minds yet, still in the minds of their parents or any other people to whose hands the task is entrusted of rearing them in their feebleness; through them they can be snatched away by the devil's tricks, either by abominable amulets and charms, or the sacrilegious rites of the pagans, or if by any chance death is imminent, by neglecting to renounce the world through the saving sacrament of baptism. And to put it in a nutshell, children of that age are subjected to temptation when they are loved by their families in a worldly way, and neglected in their relationship with Christ.

They bring with them, you see, the seeds of death, and are rooted in that deadly wound of sin which the serpent's poisonous fangs inflicted on the first man, to whom we trace the origin of our corruption. That is, of course, original sin, which is not the sin committed by Adam and Eve, but its consequence, the corruption it has caused in our nature. ^†2 That's why Saint Job says that nobody is clean, from the filth of sin of course, not even an infant who has only lived a day on the earth. See Jb 14:4-5, LXX. ^†3 But why should I speak of one already born, when David cries out in a voice of woe, and says, In iniquity was I conceived, and in sin did my mother conceive me (Ps 51:5)? The baptism of newly born babies could well seem superfluous, after all, unless they all died in Adam, and unless original sin ran along its deadly track through the bodies of parents to bear its fruit in their offspring. The almighty Lord, for his part, both fashions the human creature as mortal according to the rules of the order he has established, and also as the best of fathers by his compassionate grace provides immortality through renewal.

Old age too has its temptations

2. But if not even the infancy of mortal humanity is free of temptations, because of this chain of corruption, what am I to say about the other stages of life? Or perhaps old age is the exception, is it, when in flesh already close to turning into a corpse the blood and instruments of unlawful lust have grown cold, and the material for temptation has dwindled away from a body that is tired out and as good as dead? On the contrary, however, such in bad old people is the whirlpool of greed, very often, and the insatiable maw of the belly and the palate, that however serene good old people may be in their wisdom, these others simply drown themselves in drunkenness. It's as though the only reason they grow gnarled and withered and sapless, is in order to be restored to their pristine vigor by being watered with a flood of intoxicants. What about avarice, which is the root of all evils (1 Tm 6:10)? Aren't frigid old people on fire with it, all the more fiercely set on acquiring things, the nearer they are to leaving behind what they are hoarding? A most extraordinary folly, undoubtedly. They are in a hurry, I mean, to burden themselves with more baggage than ever, now that they are already, as near as makes no difference, at journey's end.

Youth a kind of ulcer inflamed with desire, swollen with hope, bursting with pleasure

3. So if childhood and old age are not free from temptation, of which the one, that is childhood, has scarcely entered this life, and the other is already departing from it; the one a short while before did not exist, the other a short while later will exist no more; what are we to think, what are we to say, about the fires of youth, which being set in between these other two periods, has already moved away from the feebleness of childhood, and has not yet reached the weariness of old age? It is this period that is tossed about by the most frequent and severe storms of temptation, this that is battered and overwhelmed most often by the tidal waves of the world and this age. Youth is over-confident about its strength, boastful about its handsome appearance, either aims at making a show with the glitter and gloss of temporal possessions, or is delighted at actually doing so. And thus for bad young people, whatever truth has commanded is poison, whatever the devil has suggested is food. But in fact the bitter taste of justice is the right medicine for the ulcer of youth, while the sweet taste of injustice is the bait in the mousetrap to catch its headstrong rashness.

This is what is referred to by the text, Wounds from a friend are sweeter than the freely offered kisses of an enemy (Prv 27:6); and also by the thing David said, The just man will censure me in mercy and rebuke me; but let not the oil of the sinner grease my head (Ps 141:5). Truth burns, but for all that it heals, while the oil of the sinner, the flattery of the yes-man, is gratifying, but deceitful. Pride, you see, is soothed by it, but life is undermined. The prophet, That is, David, the psalmist. ^†4 after all, is speaking in the person of those who are already seeking out the doctor, who bear with the sharp pain his healing hand inflicts, who desire to have their illness cured rather than praised. The ulcer of youth, however, is dangerous, being

inflamed with lust, swollen with hope, bursting with pleasure. But this hope is for hopeless things, hope for perishable things, which doesn't release the wretched soul from its passions but inflates them, and makes it intolerant of the touch of truth. The result is that it even despairs of its immortality, and loves to say, loves too those who say to it, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die, while it hates to say and hear, Be sober, you just, and do not sin (1 Cor 15:32.34); loves the pernicious smoothness of the enemy, hates the salutary harshness of the doctor. Such perversity, such madness is what above all else has to be dreaded during youth.

How self-indulgence also breeds cruelty

4. From such mad perversity spring those words of men so abandoned to their shameless pleasures that they go on to violent crimes: For they said, reasoning unsoundly to themselves, Short and wearisome is the time of our life, and there is no rest at the end for man, and no one is known to have returned from the underworld. And a little later, Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things there are, and use creation with zest as in youth. Let us take our fill of costly wine and ointments (Wis 2:1.6-7); and the other things which are added in the same place, expressing the self-indulgent words of people who have no hope of eternal life, and place all their hope, so to say, in the sand of the torrent, See Ps 124:4. ^†5 that is in the temporal, perishable flesh. But from such immoderate lusts, and stinking, worm-ridden shamelessness, see to what misdeeds and what monstrous crimes there is but a short leap. Ruined and drained of all decency by the corrupting effect of their unrestrained foul behavior, and hating the severity of truth that opposes them, So let us oppress the poor just man, they say, and not spare the widow, nor honor the gray hairs and many years of the old. But let our strength be the standard of justice; for what is weak is found to be useless. Let us therefore lay siege to the just man, since he is useless to us, and opposes our activities. Such were the thoughts the godless Jews had about our Lord Jesus Christ, which becomes clearer in the words that follow. A moment later, you see, they are saying, He claims to have knowledge of God, and calls himself the Son of God. Then again, a little later they are saying, Let us question him with abuse and torture, so that we may know his devotion. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for from his own words he will be respected. But notice what a judgment the Holy Spirit passes on them, when he immediately adds, Such were their thoughts, and they erred; for their wickedness had made them blind (Wis 2:10-12.13.19-21).

Wine is followed by rage, ointments by torture, roses by blood, enjoyment by anger. By such people was the Lord bound, beaten, slain. Who would suspect that wreaths of flowers could turn into bloodsoaked chains, who foresee the most savage pains issuing from pleasant cups of wine, who foretell from lush meadows the cruel wood of the cross? And yet the only time of life, in this matter of self-indulgence, that has been compared to the time of blossom Another inverted genitive; compared, it says, flori temporis, to the blossom of time. ^†6 is the period of youth.

Young men exhorted to follow Daniel's example, and to love wisdom

5. So, young men, it is you in particular that I am warning and urging to be captivated by the beauty of true manly virtue and strength. By just the beauty of virtus in the Latin. But this word's basic meaning of manliness is plain to see in the Latin, while it goes totally unobserved in the English “virtue.” The preacher is alluding, I think, to Wis 2:11, let our strength be the standard of justice. ^†7 Do not dream of comparing any earthly loveliness, any glitter of precious metals, any pleasant groves, any brightly colored flowers, any natural or artificial adornment of the body, any sound of violins and flutes, any delightful fragrance, any delicious flavors, any sweet embrace, with the beauty, the inspiration, the delights, the consolations of wisdom. You see, I am only forbidding you things it is a disgrace to love, not love itself. Do you wish to love? Love wisdom, let attaining her be your ambition.

So that the sight of her may not alarm you unduly, Is he tacitly comparing Wisdom to the Gorgon Medusa? ^†8 bring some order into your inner life. Just as roving, wanton eyes are on the look-out for the embellishments of the body, so is she for those of the heart. And don't imagine you can furnish these embellishments from your own jewel cases, because she hates the proud, and those who are only eager to boast of such things as though they came from themselves. What, though, do you have that you have not received? (1 Cor 4:7). So it is she that grants you the means of pleasing her. Only love her, and she will keep you safe; lay siege to her, and she will exalt you; honor her, and she will embrace you, and will place upon your head a wreath of graces (Prv 4:8-9). Wisdom is radiant and never fades, and is easily found by those who love her (Wis 6:12). Make it your purpose to wed her, sigh for her, be on fire for her, fall head over heels in love with her. Deny yourself to yourself, or you may deny yourself to her, while you are pleasing yourself. There is no bitterness in her companionship (Wis 8:16).

If you are lovers, love her; if you are handsome fellows, think of pleasing God; if you are young, overcome the devil. See 1 Jn 2:13. ^†9 Daniel was called by the angel a man of desires (Dn 10:11). What were those desires of his, but ardent longings for the beauty of wisdom? Because in his youth he had trampled on lust, as a prisoner he had crushed the pride of kings, when shut in close he had shut the mouths of lions.

Young women advised to follow the examples of Susanna, Anna, and Mary

6. Nor should you, young women, conclude that this sermon has nothing to do with you. I'm saying these things also to you, after all, not in order to disconcert you, but to advise you as my dearest daughters; shun youthful desires. Think about Susanna if you're married, about Anna if you're widows, about Mary if you're virgins. And don't go around in public, seeking death as a matter of fact in the house of life, An odd phrase; but I think it is evoking, and as it were parodying, Prv 9:13-18, where the “foolish woman”—the prostitute—sits at the door of her house enticing young men to enter what is in fact “a house of death.” See also Prv 7:27. ^†10 in your eagerness to show off the flowers of your grass to the eyes of men. For all flesh is grass, and the glory of man like the flowers in the grass. So what will you do when the grass withers, and the flowers droop? But do you imagine that the Word of the Lord, which abides forever (Is 40:6-8), and which you now ignore in the proud vigor of your youth, is not easily going to find your ashes? And so bring you to judgment in the resurrection. ^†11 Look, I say it again, I adjure you, shun youthful desires.

If you all Now, I think, addressing all the young people, male as well as female; his adjectives are from now on in the masculine gender. ^†12 listen to this, if you comply, if you take it with respect and fear as the word of God, you will not only be beautiful but also healthy in the eyes of God. But if from these warnings of mine you even, maybe, start making lovers' jokes among yourselves, you will be using the doctor's scalpels to inflict deadly wounds on yourselves. Sure, the Jews who crucified the Lord (when we hear the story we are horrified, and attack them with intense loathing He does presumably identify the Jews with the wicked of Wis 2. But the thought occurs to me that this parenthesis is the marginal comment of a medieval copyist, justifying the occasional pogrom. The sentence is left unfinished. ^†13); but still, when they gave thought to their lascivious pleasures, their minds turned to delightful country nooks, and they said, Let there be no meadow through which we have not passed on our revels (Wis 2:8 Lat). So how would those people spare Christ, if they found him on earth, who have chosen, not lonely meadows for stimulating their lusts, but his crowded churches as he reigns in heaven? Look, this is the third time I adjure you, and say: Shun youthful desires. Be on fire with the same desires as Daniel. My children, from your youth up choose instruction, and you will keep finding wisdom until your hairs are gray (Sir 6:18).

NOTES

^†1 The older Renaissance editors had their doubts about this sermon, and one of them considered the style to be not unlike that of Ambrose. But the Maurists retort that it is not unlike that of Augustine either, in his early years. I give them the benefit of the doubt, and so assign the sermon an early date; but a very real doubt remains in my mind, especially when I come to the sermon's conclusion.

^†2 That is, of course, original sin, which is not the sin committed by Adam and Eve, but its consequence, the corruption it has caused in our nature.

^†3 See Jb 14:4-5, LXX.

^†4 That is, David, the psalmist.

^†5 See Ps 124:4.

^†6 Another inverted genitive; compared, it says, flori temporis, to the blossom of time.

^†7 By just the beauty of virtus in the Latin. But this word's basic meaning of manliness is plain to see in the Latin, while it goes totally unobserved in the English “virtue.” The preacher is alluding, I think, to Wis 2:11, let our strength be the standard of justice.

^†8 Is he tacitly comparing Wisdom to the Gorgon Medusa?

^†9 See 1 Jn 2:13.

^†10 An odd phrase; but I think it is evoking, and as it were parodying, Prv 9:13-18, where the “foolish woman”—the prostitute—sits at the door of her house enticing young men to enter what is in fact “a house of death.” See also Prv 7:27.

^†11 And so bring you to judgment in the resurrection.

^†12 Now, I think, addressing all the young people, male as well as female; his adjectives are from now on in the masculine gender.

^†13 He does presumably identify the Jews with the wicked of Wis 2. But the thought occurs to me that this parenthesis is the marginal comment of a medieval copyist, justifying the occasional pogrom. The sentence is left unfinished.