THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Look, a humble individual prays, and his voice is not muted. We can hear him and perceive his identity—could it be he whom the Apostle declared, "Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be enriched." 2 Corinthians 8:9 If this is indeed He, why does He find Himself in such poverty? How can one who is beyond sight be regarded as wealthy? Who can rival Him by whom all riches were formed, especially those that do not constitute true wealth? Through Him, we are granted those riches: our talents, memories, virtues, physical health, senses, and the framework of our being; as long as these remain intact, even the destitute can feel affluent. Through Him, we also receive priceless treasures like faith, devotion, righteousness, love, purity, and good conduct: for no one possesses these except through Him who justifies the unrighteous. What an abundance this is! How do we recognize such words from one so bountiful? “I ate ashes as bread, and mixed my drink with weeping.” Has such immense wealth been reduced to this? The disparity between the highest fortune and the lowest is striking. And yet, let us examine whether this poor man might be He; for the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14 Observe also these words: “I am Your servant, and the son of Your servant.” This servant is chaste, a virgin, and a mother; for in Him, we see our poverty taken upon himself as He assumed the form of a servant by emptying Himself. He did this so that you would not recoil from His wealth, and thus dare to approach Him in your state of want. Indeed, He donned the form of a servant, taking on our frailty; there He became poor so that we might become rich. As we draw closer to understanding these truths about Him, we still find ourselves hesitant to speak too boldly...
So let Him add poverty upon poverty: let Him transform our lowly body into His own; let Him be our Head, while we remain His body, so that the two may become one flesh. Philippians 3:21 ...For He desires to have us as His body. The repentant are also included in His body, for they are neither detached nor distant from His Church. The Church is His beloved, established through the call to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 Therefore, let us listen to the prayers of the Head and Body, the Bridegroom and the Bride, Christ and the Church—both united yet distinct. The Word and the flesh are not the same, for the Father and the Word are one, while Christ and the Church represent a single perfect entity in the fullness of His being...
Let us listen to Christ, who identifies with the poor among us, who is with us and for us. The title speaks of the poor. Remember, I have indicated who that poor man is; let us listen to His plea and identify His essence. Be careful not to misinterpret anything that does not pertain to His Head; this is why I explain that whatever you hear in this context may reflect the frailties of the body, revealing the voice of the body within the Head. This is termed “The Prayer of the Suffering Man,” uttered while he was tormented and offering his supplication to the Lord. This same poor man elsewhere states, “From the ends of the earth I will call upon Thee when my heart is in travail.” He suffers, for he is also Christ, who, as the Prophet states, calls Himself both Bridegroom and Bride: “He hath put a diadem upon me as the bridegroom, and as the bride hath adorned me with jewels.” Isaiah 61:10 He refers to Himself as the Bridegroom and the Bride; this symbolizes the union of the Head and the Body. They speak with one voice because they share the same flesh. Let us recognize ourselves within these declarations; if we find ourselves apart from this, let us strive to belong.
"Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to Thee" Psalm 100:1. To call upon the Lord is akin to asking, "Let my cry come to Thee": the intensity of the seeker’s heart is affirmed in this repetition. "Turn not away Thy face from me." When has God ever turned away from His Son? When did the Father reject Christ? But for the sake of my many members, please do not turn away from me; in the day of my mourning, incline Your ear to me. Psalm 101:2 ...You find yourself in turmoil now, I am in turmoil; tomorrow another will be in turmoil, and my anguish continues; throughout the ages, descendants beyond your own will experience this suffering, and my turmoil persists even to the end of the age for anyone enduring hardship within my body...
Peter prayed, Paul prayed, the Apostles prayed; the faithful in those times prayed, and the faithful of future generations will pray. I ask now with expectation, for I seek that which You are ready to provide. I do not inquire about worldly matters, as one ensnared in earthly concerns; rather, liberated at last from my previous bondage, I yearn for the kingdom of heaven. Respond to me swiftly, for it is in such yearning that You have declared: “Even while Thou speakest, I will say, Here am I.” Isaiah 58:9 For what do you call out? From what sorrow? From what want? O impoverished one, standing before the all-sufficient God, in what need do you request? From what lacks do you seek relief? From what necessity do you knock, hoping for the doors to open?
For my days have vanished like smoke. Psalm 100:3. O days! When we speak of days, the concept of light is understood. My days, my seasons; indeed, like smoke, are they not born from the puffing rise of pride? ...Observe how smoke, akin to pride, ascends and dissipates; hence it is rightfully fleeting and not enduring. "And my bones are burnt as in a furnace." My bones and my strength are not without pain, nor without the fire of anguish. Within Christ's body, is there greater strength than that of the holy apostles? Yet see how their bones too have been scorched. Who is troubled, and I am not? 2 Corinthians 11:29 They stand bold, faithful, adept interpreters and preachers of the truth, living what they proclaim and speaking from their experience; they demonstrate courage, and yet those who are offended become like a furnace to them. For there resides love, and even more deeply within the bones. The bones support all flesh; if anyone feels offense and risks their spirit, the bones suffer accordingly...
Consider Adam, the source of humanity. From him arose our shared despair. Through him came this inherited poverty. Let him, who once despaired in his body, now, placed within the body of Christ, proclaim with hope, "My heart is afflicted and withered like grass." Psalm 101:4. It is justly so, for all flesh is like grass. Isaiah 40:6 But how did this transpire? Because I neglected the bread given to me. God provided a commandment regarding bread. What is the soul's bread? The serpent enticed, and the woman erred; he touched the forbidden fruit, Gen 3:6, neglecting the commandment: his heart was struck justly, and withered as grass, due to this neglect in partaking of his bread. By abandoning his bread, he consumed poison, causing his heart to weaken and wither like grass...
Now, partake of that bread which you have disregarded. But this very Bread has come, in whose body you may recall the voice of your neglect and implore for the abundance amidst your poverty. Now eat, for you dwell in Him, declaring, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven." John 6:41 You had forgotten to eat your bread; but following His crucifixion, all the ends of the earth will be reminded and will turn to the Lord. After forgetting, let us recollect, and partake of the heavenly bread, that we may live; not the manna, for they consumed it and perished; John 6:49 rather the bread of which it is said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." Matthew 5:6
"From the voice of my groaning, my bones have cleaved to my flesh." Psalm 101:5. Many groan, and I too groan; even within this, I grieve because they mourn for an act committed wrongfully. If one loses a coin, they groan; if one loses faith, they do not. I assess both money and faith and discover far greater cause for mourning for one who groans inadequately or not at all. One commits fraud while rejoicing. What gain is there, what loss? He gains money while forfeiting righteousness. It is for this reason that he who understands groans in despair; he who clings righteously to the body of Christ experiences this groaning. Yet the carnal do not groan for this reason and fabricate their own discontent; we cannot disdain them, even if they do not groan or lament the wrongs as we might. We desire to correct, to guide them; when unable, we groan; and in our groaning, we remain connected...
"I have become like a pelican in the wilderness and like an owl among the broken walls." Psalm 100:6. Here, we find three birds in three places: the pelican, the owl, and the sparrow; alongside three distinct settings: the wilderness, the shattered walls, and the rooftops. The pelican dwells in the wilderness, the owl rests amid ruins, and the sparrow is found on the roof. First, we must understand what the pelican represents: it is born in a secluded environment, specifically along the banks of the Nile in Egypt. Whatever the nature of the bird, let us consider what the Psalm indicates about it: it signifies a solitary life. The owl is a creature of the night that inhabits desolate ruins where no roof shelters it. As for roofs and sparrows, you are familiar with them. Thus, I envision someone from Christ’s body, a preacher of the word, compassionate towards the weak, seeking the victories of Christ, attentive to his future Lord. Matthew 25:26 Let us reflect on these three instances regarding His stewardship. Did such a person visit non-believers? He becomes a pelican in the wilderness. Did he engage with Christians but then withdraw? He becomes an owl in the ruins; for he does not forsake even the darkness of those existing in night, desiring to bring them to light. If he has not approached Christians who reside in the house as if they have not believed or as if they forsook faith, yet walk warmly in their beliefs, the sparrow calls to them not from the wilderness. The sparrow cries out to them because they bear the name of Christians; not from the ruins, for they stand intact; but because they are sheltered, beneath the roof, rather under the flesh. The sparrow cries out over the flesh, unswayed by the commands of God, nor does it surrender to carnality under the shelter of the roof. What you hear whispered in your ears, proclaim from atop the roofs. Matthew 10:27 There are three birds representing three distinct places; one person may embody all three birds, and three individuals may represent each separately; yet together, they denote three categories of people. The wilderness, the broken walls, and the rooftop represent classes of humanity.