St. Augustine's City of God: The Sacrifice of Compassion and Unity in Christ
A Reflection from the Office of Readings, Friday of Week 28 in Ordinary Time
From St. Augustine: The City of God
Everywhere a spotless sacrifice is being offered to my name
A true sacrifice is anything that we do with the aim of being united to God in holy fellowship – anything that is directed towards that supreme good and end in which alone we can be truly blessed. It follows that even an act of compassion towards men is not a sacrifice, if it is not done for the sake of God. Although it is performed by man, sacrifice is still a divine thing, as the Latin word indicates: “sacrificium,” “holy-doing” or “holy-making.” Man himself can be a sacrifice, if he is consecrated in the name of God, and vowed to God–a sacrifice insofar as he dies to the world in order to live to God. This is also an act of compassion: compassion of a man for himself. Thus it is written: take pity on your own soul by doing what is pleasing to God.
True sacrifices are acts of compassion to ourselves or others, done with God in mind. Such acts have no other object than the relief of distress or the giving of happiness. Finally, the only true happiness is the one the psalmist speaks of: but for myself, I take joy in clinging to God. From all this it follows that the whole redeemed city (that is to say, the congregation or community of the saints) is offered to God as our sacrifice through the great High Priest who offered himself to God for us so that we might be the body belonging to so great a head. He took on the form of a servant and suffered for us. It was under this form that he both offered and was offered: at the same time mediator, and priest, and sacrifice.
St. Paul starts by exhorting us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, as an act of homage justly owed to him. He tells us not to conform ourselves to the world but to be transformed by renewing our will and our thinking: seeking to find out the will of God, to discover what is good, what is acceptable, what is perfect; for we ourselves are the whole of that sacrifice. He continues: In the light of the grace I have received, I want to urge each one among you not to exaggerate his real importance. Each of you must judge himself soberly by the standard of the faith God has given him. Just as each of our bodies has several parts and each part has a separate function, so all of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other. Our gifts differ according to the grace given us.
This is the sacrifice of Christians: we, being many, are one body in Christ. And, as the faithful know, this also is the sacrifice which the Church continually celebrates in the sacrament of the altar, in which she teaches that she herself is offered in the offering she makes to God.
A Simple Reflection on the Reading
St. Augustine’s City of God delves into the essence of true sacrifice, which he situates as actions conducted with the ultimate aim of union with God. Augustine expands the notion of sacrifice beyond ritual or offerings to include acts of compassion and benevolence, provided these are executed with a view toward God.
Sacrifice as Union with God
Augustine’s focus on union with God as the essence of sacrifice draws from biblical texts, particularly those in the New Testament that call Christians into a life of love and holiness. This can be seen in Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John 17, where Christ prays for unity and sanctification: "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth" (John 17:17-19, NRSV).
Sacrifice Beyond Compassion: Divine Orientation
Augustine discerns that even an act of compassion isn't sacrificial unless it is oriented toward God. This theological stance is grounded in the greatest commandments as elucidated by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39, where love for God is positioned before love for neighbor. This notion of divine orientation in all things aligns with the concept of coram Deo, living one's entire life in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the glory of God.
Man as Sacrifice: Consecration and Transformation
St. Augustine beautifully articulates that a man himself can become a sacrifice through his consecration to God and his vow to die to the world to live for God. This echoes St. Paul's teachings in Romans 12:1-2 about offering oneself as a "living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God." Augustine specifies that this is also an act of compassion a man performs for himself, showing his keen grasp of the virtue of prudence, which allows an individual to discern the good in every circumstance and choose the right means of achieving it.
The Community of Saints as Sacrifice
Augustine closes his reflection by connecting individual sacrifice to the collective offering of the Church, “the congregation or community of the saints.” This resonates deeply with Pauline theology where the Church is described as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31), each member serving unique roles but contributing to the unity of the whole. Augustine sees this communal aspect as being represented in the sacrament of the altar (the Eucharist), a constant celebration of the Church’s self-offering to God, consistent with Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
Conclusion
St. Augustine's "City of God," we are compelled to re-examine our understanding of sacrifice, broadening it from mere ritual to a life wholly oriented towards divine union. Rooted deeply in Scripture and early Christian wisdom, Augustine's teachings serve as an existential blueprint for living coram Deo—in the presence of God. St. Augustine harmoniously integrates the individual and communal aspects of sacrifice, culminating in the Eucharistic celebration of the Church.
A Personal Prayer of Praise for God's Mercy, Grace, and Guidance
O Most Gracious Father, we bow before You in awe and wonder at the depth of wisdom You granted Your servant, St. Augustine. We thank You for the clarity of vision that enabled him to perceive the manifold layers of true sacrifice. As we strive to offer ourselves—individually and collectively—as a living sacrifice to You, we pray for Your boundless mercy to cleanse us, Your grace to fortify us, and Your wisdom to guide us. May we, in our acts of compassion and in the entirety of our lives, be wholly directed towards union with You.
Through Jesus Christ, our High Priest, Mediator, and ultimate Sacrifice, we offer this prayer. Amen.