THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Bless the Lord, O my soul! And may everything within me exalt His holy Name (Psalm 101:1). I believe that the psalmist is not referring to the physical components of our bodies, such as lungs and liver, bursting forth to proclaim the Lord's praise. Indeed, our lungs function like a mechanism, facilitating the process of breathing, which produces sound as we articulate words; however, this is not the intent of the message. Rather, it speaks to the attentive heart, for just as God has ears to listen, so too does the heart possess a voice. A person should call upon their innermost being to bless God and instructs, "All that is within me, bless His holy Name!" What lies within you? It is your very soul. Thus, invoking the phrase "All that is within me, bless His holy Name," echoes the earlier call, "Bless the Lord, O my soul," implying that the act of blessing is understood. Raise your voice, even if there is no one to hear; remain silent when none will attend to you. Always strive to hear the call from within you. The blessing has already escaped our lips as we repeat those words. We sang as long as we had the breath to sing and afterward fell silent; however, should our hearts also remain silent in praising the Lord? Let our voices resound in blessing Him, but let the song of our hearts be eternal. When you enter the sanctuary to sing hymns, your praise for God resonated; after leaving, may your soul continue that praise. As you engage in your daily tasks, let your soul declare His glory. As you partake of your meals, remember the apostle's words: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). Certainly, even in slumber, let your soul lift its praises to the Lord. Do not allow thoughts of wrongdoing, schemes of theft, or corrupted dealings to trouble you. Your innocence remains the voice of your soul, even in sleep.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His benefits (Psalm 102:2). Yet, one cannot truly appraise the rewards of the Lord unless they first perceive their sins. Do not let the enjoyment of past transgressions cloud your vision; rather, keep the condemnation of sin before your eyes—your condemnation alongside God's forgiveness. For how shall you return to the Lord for all His gifts? This reflection is common among the martyrs we honor today and all the saints who rejected worldly pleasures, as exemplified by the words of St. John, who laid down their lives for their brethren, revealing the perfection of love (1 John 3:16). Our Lord also affirms, "There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Such holy martyrs diminished their lives in this world to find them in the next, following Jesus’ teaching: "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake shall find it, unto eternal life..." (John 12:25). Do not forget to acknowledge all His gifts—note, it is not merely rewards, but true rewards. Those things which are owed and those which are undeserved have all been granted. Therefore, ponder the question, "What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me?" You have often returned evil for good; you have responded with malice when receiving kindness. How have you repaid God with your unrighteousness? You, who were once a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an aggressor (1 Timothy 1:13), rewarded your blasphemies. And what gain is there? First, simply your existence; but remember, even the beasts share this gift. What might you offer in gratitude to the Lord, who created you in His image and likeness, setting you above the beasts and the birds of the air (Genesis 1:26-27)? Seek not how to repay Him; rather, return unto Him His image—nothing more is required from you.
O soul, contemplate the manifold gifts of God, acknowledging all your misdeeds, for as numerous as your sins are, His rewards exceed them. What token, what offering, or sacrifice can you present to Him...? How will you repay the Lord? Reflect, and you may find nothing. My pledge is the cup of salvation. But wasn’t this cup of salvation freely given by the Lord? Never attempt to repay Him from your own resources; do not give Him surplus from what you possess, for it would be to repay sin itself. Everything you own is granted by Him; your transgressions are your own; God does not wish a repayment drawn from you. All good is from His hands. Just as if you were to bring an ear of wheat to the farmer from his own field, you are returning his own produce. Reward the Truth; in truth, give praise to the Lord. Should you seek to merit Him from your own, you engage in falsehood. For he who tells a lie speaks from his own nature (John 8:44); thus, to speak the truth is to proclaim the Lord’s will. What does it mean to accept the cup of salvation but to embrace the Passion of the Lord...? I will receive the cup of Christ; I will partake in the Lord's Passion. Ensure you do not falter. But I will call upon the name of the Lord, for those who falter rely on their own strength, never invoking the Lord’s aid. Remember, when you return, you are returning what you have received, thus let your soul bless the Lord, that you may not forget all His rewards.
Listen to all His benefits. He forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases (Psalm 101:3). Consider His gifts. What was due to the sinner other than punishment? What was deserved by the blasphemer except for the fiery torment? He grants no such returns, lest you be left in trembling fear without love... Yet you are a sinner. Return and accept His gifts: He pardons all your sins. Even after He forgives, the soul may still be troubled by passions; it remains amidst the temptations of life; it may desire some things, while rejecting others, and sometimes even consents to that which it favors; it is entangled. This is a weakness, yet He heals all your afflictions. Fear not; the Physician is greater than any infirmity. No ailment appears insurmountable to the Almighty Healer; only allow yourself to be treated, do not shy away from His gentle hands. You shall rejoice not only in the comfort He provides but also endure when He administers correction, contemplating future well-being. Do not linger in uncertainty; He who promises health cannot deceive. The human doctor may often err, lacking awareness of his own ailments. God fashioned your body and soul; He knows how to mend what He created, how to restore what has been lost—only accept the healing.
Who redeems your life from destruction (Psalm 101:4)? Behold, a decaying body weighs down the soul (Wisdom 9:15). What kind of life exists in a corrupt body, burdened by its weight? How many distractions hinder our thoughts from perceiving God? Countless interruptions invade our minds when we aspire to dwell on Him. What illusions crowd our hearts, resembling the corruption that gnaws away at humanity? We have recognized the depth of the ailment; let us now extol the Physician’s mercies. Would He, who formed you for health, fail to heal you, provided you observe His prescribed way towards wellness...? Prioritize your health above all else. Sometimes one suffers a minor ailment yet remains oblivious until forced to confront the truth. While one may be preoccupied with worldly concerns, the urgency of health calls louder. This message is directed to you and all: if you are free from illness, consider another; if your weaknesses point to sickness, prioritize healing. Christ embodies your health; therefore, focus on Him. Accept the cup of His salvation, which restores all your ills; if you desire healing, it is available. For your life has been redeemed from destruction; be at peace now: the covenant of grace has been established; no one deceives, tricks, or oppresses, your Redeemer. Here, the exchange has been made, the price paid; His blood was shed. The only begotten Son of God offered Himself for us; arise, O soul, understand your worth.
He adorns you with mercy and compassion. Maybe you felt pride when you considered the phrase "He crowns you." But let us ask, by what strength? Yours, yet provided by Him. He adorns you with gifts, not your merits. The Apostle declared, "I labored more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God within me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). And through that grace, you will receive your crown; be prideful over nothing; constantly praise the Lord and do not forget all His gifts. It is a blessing that, as a sinful creature, you are called to be redeemed. It is a gift that you are raised up and restrained from falling. It is a reward that you are empowered to endure to the end. It is a promise that even your mortal flesh shall be resurrected and no part of you shall be lost. It is a gift to praise God in eternity without end.
After the struggle, I shall receive a crown; and when crowned, what then? He who fulfills your longing for goodness (Psalm 102:5)—Look for what is good for yourself, O soul. For each creature finds goodness in different forms; all beings possess certain benefits unique to their nature. In matters essential to imperfection, strive for your fulfillment. Seek good for yourselves. The only true goodness is God (Matthew 19:17). What is lacking to him who has found the highest good? For there are lesser goods that pertain to various creatures. What benefits do cattle seek? Filling their stomachs, avoiding want, resting, playing, existing, thriving, procreating—such goods are granted within divinely established limits. Do you pursue such good? God provides, yet do not restrict your desires solely to these. Can you, co-heir with Christ, find joy alongside cattle? Set your hope on the highest good. He will be goodness to you, through whom you were made righteous, and in Him, all were created good, for God made all things very good.
When will your desire be fulfilled? When will your soul be satisfied with good? Your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's. You inquire when your spirit will be filled with blessings. When your youth returns. Yet, hidden within this statement is profound meaning; let us consider the eagle. Something extraordinary is expressed, and as the Holy Spirit spoke, we will not overlook it. Indeed, the eagle experiences a renewal of youth, though not in immortal form, for this analogy conveys the resurrection rather than ceaseless existence. When an eagle ages, its beak grows excessively long, preventing it from eating as it should. With a beak that curves unnaturally, it struggles to open its mouth adequately, ultimately weakening and becoming incapable of sustenance. Thus, to reclaim its youth, the eagle strikes its beak against a stone, shedding the burdensome length that hinders its ability to feed. In doing so, it regains vitality, experiences a revival of strength, and takes to the sky once more, invoking parallel imagery of resurrection. Like the moon that wanes and waxes, it signifies the cyclical nature of life; yet, our grace differs in that it rises eternally, while sins fall away forever. Therefore, do not rely on your own strength—the solid foundation is Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). In Him, our youth will be restored like the eagle's.
The Lord upholds mercy and justice for all burdened by injustice (Psalm 102:6). When the woman caught in adultery was presented under the Law, she was brought before the Lawgiver Himself. As He stooped to write on the ground, He demonstrated a profound truth. Before His head inclined to the earth, He wrote upon the stone—recording the Law that pointed to the cruelty of men. Yet, as He wrote upon the ground, it symbolizes life's potential under the grace of Christianity. The accusers approached like turbulent waves crashing against the Rock, yet His response calmed the storm: "Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone" (John 8:7). Bowing again, He resumed writing in the dust, prompting attendees to reconsider their own sinfulness. It was not the woman’s condemnation that repelled them but the weight of their guilt. They sought to judge, yet the Rock of Christ shattered their judgments.