E02432: Augustine of Hippo preaches in Latin a sermon on the feast of *John the Baptist (S00020). Sermon 293A, preached c. 397/405, at an unknown place in North Africa.

Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 293A (Sermo Dolbeau 3)

Augustine opens the sermon saying that it was God's decision to make him speak today to this congregation.

2. Vnde ergo loquamur hodie, nisi de illo cuius natalis est hodie? Iohannes ergo sanctus natus de sterili, praecursor domini nati de uirgine, factus est domini sui salutator ex utero, adnuntiator post uterum ... Cum ergo multos praecones ante se miserit Dominus, quid tantum iste meruit, quid excellentiae amplius habuit, cuius natalis nobis hodie commendatur? Nam neque hoc sine signo cuiusdam magnitudinis est, ut non lateat dies natalis eius, sicut non latet dies natalis Domini eius. Alii prophetae quando nati fuerint ignoramus; de Iohanne nescire non licuit.

'So what else should we talk about today, but about the person whose birthday (natalis) it is? So Saint John, born of a barren woman as the forerunner of the Lord who was born of a virgin, was to greet his Lord from the womb, to proclaim him after leaving the womb ... So considering that the Lord had sent many heralds before him, what was the extra special merit of this man, whose birthday is being brought to our notice today; what altogether superior excellence was to be found in him? I mean, even the fact that his birthday is not unknown to us, just as his Lord's birthday is not unknown to us, is a sign of some special greatness. When other prophets were born we don't know; about John we have not been allowed to remain in ignorance.'

In what follows Augustine comments upon the relation between Christ and John the Baptist and shows John as an example of humility, and reflects on the issue of rebaptism.

Text: Dolbeau 1996, 484. Translation: Hill 1994, 159. Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.