ACC ~ Matthew 22 v14

THOSE WITH THE GARMENT OF CHARITY

AUGUSTINE: What is that wedding garment, then? This is the wedding garment: “The goal of this command is charity,” says the apostle, “which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” [1] This is the wedding garment. Not charity of any kind whatever—for very often they who are partakers together of an evil conscience seem to love one another. Those who commit robberies together, who love the destructive arts of witchcraft, and who go to the coliseum together and join together in the shout of the chariot race or the wild beast fight—these too in some sense very often may be said to love one another.

But in these is no charity from a pure heart, a good conscience and a faith unfeigned. The wedding garment is charity such as this: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I have become like a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.” [2] Suppose someone who speaks in tongues comes in and is asked, “How did you get in here without a wedding garment?”

Suppose he answers, “But I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains.” But if he has no charity, he has nothing. Such may be the clothing of those who in fact lack the wedding garment. “Though,” he says, ” I have all these and have not Christ, [3] I am nothing.” Is then “the gift of prophecy” nothing? Is then “the knowledge of mysteries” nothing? It is not that these are nothing. But “I, if I have them, and have not charity, am nothing.” [4] SERMON 90.6. [5]

[1] 1 Tim 1:5.

[2] 1 Cor 13:1.

[3] The love of Christ.

[4] 1 Cor 13:2.

[5] PL 38:562; NPNF 1 6:394** (Sermon 40).