Sunday, January 14, 2024

St. Augustine: The Two Cities; On the Psalms: 64:2

 


St. Augustine: The Two Cities; On the Psalms: 64:2

 

There are two cities; the one called Babylon, the other Jerusalem. Babylon means "confusion"; Jerusalem, "the vision of peace". Look well at the city of confusion and you will understand better the vision of peace; endure the first, long for the second.

 

Whereby can these two cities be distinguished? Can we now separate the one from the other? They have been mingled together since the beginning of mankind and they will continue so until the end of time. Jerusalem received its beginning through Abel, Babylon through Cain. The towns of stone called Jerusalem and Babylon were built later and it was only to provide a striking image of these two cities, begun long before, destined to remain even to the end of the world and not to be separated till then. How then can we distinguish them now, since they are still mingled?

 

The Lord himself will show which is which at the day of judgement, by placing one on his right and the other on his left. Jerusalem on the right, Babylon on the left. To Jerusalem he will say: Come, you that have received a blessing from my Father, take possession of the kingdom which has been prepared for you since the foundation of the world; to Babylon, Go far from me, you that are accursed, into that eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. However, with the help of God, we can suggest a sign by which to distinguish good Christians, citizens of Jerusalem, from the citizens of Babylon even now. What are the two cities? They are two loves. The love of God makes Jerusalem, the love of the world makes Babylon. Ask yourself which you love and you will know to which you belong. If you find yourself a citizen of Babylon, root out lust, implant charity; if you find yourself a citizen of Jerusalem, endure captivity patiently, hoping for your liberty.

 

How, indeed, do men go forth from this Babylon, which is confusion? That which mingles us with it is to have the same lusts, and by charity we begin to separate ourselves from it; to be separated is not to be mingled any more. We may be mingled with it physically, but holy desire distinguishes us from the others; by the bodily proximity we are yet in Babylon, by the longing of the heart we are already partly separated.

 

Therefore, my brethren, let us long for this city which is our true country. But how are we to arouse in ourselves the love of this country, of which our long exile has made us forgetful? The Father himself writes to us from there and, though we have taken a liking to our exile, gone over to the enemy and turned our backs on our fatherland, by his letters, which are the holy scriptures, makes us long for home.

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