Christian Art | Jesus Christ The Good Shepherd
Office Of Readings | Week 24, Friday, Ordinary Time | From The Sermon Of Saint Augustine On The Shepherds | Prepare Your Soul For Temptation
‘Prepare your soul for temptation.’
Saint Augustine continues his critique of negligent shepherds by focusing on what they fail to provide for the flock. The concern here is not only with material exploitation, but with a more fundamental dereliction: the refusal to prepare believers for the trials that accompany the Christian life.
Augustine draws upon the imagery of Ezekiel’s prophetic indictment of false shepherds (Ezekiel 34:4) to catalogue the failures of pastoral care: the weak remain unstrengthened, the sick uncared for, the injured unbound, the straying uncalled, and the lost unsearched. To these he adds the destruction of the strong, which occurs when those with firm faith are unsettled by misleading teaching or bad example.
The central theme is the necessity of preparing believers for temptation. The negligent pastor fails to instruct the weak with the exhortation: ‘My son, come to the service of God … prepare your soul for temptation’ (a reference to Sirach 2:1). Without this preparation, Christians risk being corrupted by prosperity or crushed by adversity. Augustine here contrasts two foundations for faith, following Matthew 7:24–27: the sand of worldly security, and the rock which is Christ. Only those built upon Christ’s example of suffering and endurance will stand firm.
The reference to Christ’s passion highlights the formative role of his suffering: he endured humiliation, accusation and crucifixion not for his own sake, but for humanity’s strengthening. By meditating upon his endurance, the believer finds a pattern for perseverance. The shepherd’s responsibility is therefore to direct attention away from promises of worldly ease and toward the reality of discipleship marked by suffering.
Augustine warns against those who, fearing to offend, promise the faithful a life of worldly happiness. Such teaching, he argues, not only departs from Scripture but contradicts the apostolic witness: ‘All who desire to live a holy life in Christ will suffer persecution.’ (2 Timothy 3:12) To teach otherwise is to construct faith on fragile ground, leaving it exposed to collapse when difficulties arise.
For Augustine, hardship and discipline are not signs of abandonment but of divine recognition, echoing Hebrews 12:6: ‘He chastises every son whom he acknowledges.’ The Christian must therefore interpret trials not as punishment but as confirmation of sonship. The pastor’s task is to ensure the flock understands this, so that when adversity comes they are neither scandalised nor shaken but confirmed in their union with Christ.
From The Sermon Of Saint Augustine On The Shepherds | Prepare Your Soul For Temptation
You have already been told about the wicked things shepherds desire. Let us now consider what they neglect. You have failed to strengthen what was weak, to heal what was sick and to bind up what was injured, that is, what was broken. You did not call back the straying sheep, nor seek out the lost. What was strong you have destroyed. Yes, you have cut it down and killed it. The sheep is weak, and so, incautious and unprepared, it may give in to temptations.
The negligent shepherd fails to say to the believer: My son, come to the service of God, stand fast in fear and in righteousness, and prepare your soul for temptation. A shepherd who does say this strengthens the one who is weak and makes him strong. Such a believer will then not hope for the prosperity of this world. For if he has been taught to hope for worldly gain, he will be corrupted by prosperity. When adversity comes, he will be wounded or perhaps destroyed.
The builder who builds in such manner is not building the believer on a rock but upon sand. But the rock was Christ. Christians must imitate Christ’s sufferings, not set their hearts on pleasures. He who is weak will be strengthened when told: ‘Yes, expect the temptations of this world, but the Lord will deliver you from them all if your heart has not abandoned him. For it was to strengthen your heart that he came to suffer and die, came to be spit upon and crowned with thorns, came to be accused of shameful things, yes, came to be fastened to the wood of the cross. All these things he did for you, and you did nothing. He did them not for himself, but for you.’
But what sort of shepherds are they who for rear of giving offense not only fait to prepare the sheep for the temptations that threaten, but even promise them worldly happiness? God himself made no such promise to this world. On the contrary, God foretold hardship upon hardship in this world until the end of time. And you want the Christian to be exempt from these troubles? Precisely because he is a Christian, he is destined to suffer more in this world.
For the Apostle says: All who desire to live a holy life in Christ will suffer persecution. But you, shepherd, seek what is yours and not what is Christ’s, you disregard what the Apostle says: All who want to live a holy life in Christ will suffer persecution. You say instead: ‘If you live a holy life in Christ, all good things will be yours in abundance. If you do not have children, you will embrace and nourish all men, and none of them shall die.’ Is this the way you build up the believer? Take note of what you are doing and where you are placing him. you have built him on sand. The rains will come, the river will overflow and rush in, the winds will blow, and the elements will dash against that house of yours. It will fall, and its ruin will be great.
Lift him up from the sand and put him on the rock. Let him be in Christ, if you wish him to be a Christian. Let him turn his thoughts to sufferings, however unworthy they may be in comparison to Christ’s. Let him center his attention on Christ, who was without sin, and yet made restitution for what he had not done. Let him consider Scripture, which says to him: He chastises every son whom he acknowledges. Let him prepare to be chastised, or else not seek to be acknowledged as a son.
Christian Prayer With Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus,
you endured suffering and shame for the sake of your people.
Strengthen us in weakness,
heal us in our wounds,
and prepare us for the trials of this life.
Keep our feet firm upon your rock,
that in adversity we may not fall,
and in prosperity we may not be corrupted.
Teach your Church to speak truth with courage,
that your people may be built up in faith,
and share in the hope of your kingdom,
where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Glossary Of Christian Terms
Ezekiel 34:4 – A prophetic denunciation of Israel’s false shepherds who neglected and exploited the flock. Augustine repeatedly draws on this chapter in On Pastors.
Sirach 2:1 – ‘My child, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing.’ A key text for Augustine’s argument about preparing Christians for temptation.
Rock / Sand (Matthew 7:24–27) – The parable of the wise and foolish builders, contrasting faith founded on Christ with that based on worldly securities.
2 Timothy 3:12 – Paul’s warning that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ will suffer persecution.
Hebrews 12:6 – ‘The Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he acknowledges.’ Used to frame adversity as divine discipline.
Pastoral negligence – For Augustine, the failure not only to feed or protect the flock materially, but also to teach and prepare them spiritually for the trials of faith.
Let us bless ourselves as we seek refuge in the night’s sleep, our day’s labour done. Let us be be safe in Jesus. Let us pray. May our prayer come to God. It is perfectly done to accompany a reading of this psalm (91/90) with a recital of the nunc dimittis, and indeed fully to pray compline – the night prayer. Such prayer lends itself to peace and silence – a restful sleep [ … ]
Christian Art | Life Of Jesus In The Gospels | King James Audio Bible KJV The Gospel Of Saint John 14: 1-7 | King James Audio Bible YouTube: Connection With The Life Of Jesus In The Gospels | King James Audio Bible The Gospels are not just a collection of stories or teachings, but a window into the life of Jesus. By reading and reflecting on the Gospels, we gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus was and what he came to do. As we read the Gospels, we see that Jesus was a man of great compassion and love. Jesus showed mercy to the outcasts and the marginalized, and he offered healing and hope to those who were in need. He also taught with authority, challenging the religious leaders of his day and offering a new way of living based on love and service. But the Gospels are not just a history lesson. They are also an invitation for us to enter into a relationship with Jesus. By reading and meditating on the Gospels, we can come to know Jesus more personally and deeply. We can learn from his example and seek to follow in his footsteps. So we may be encouraged to read the Gospels, perhaps starting with the Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of John, as we read paying attention to how Jesus interacted with others and how he responded to different situations. We may ask ourselves what you can learn from his words and actions, and how we can apply them to our own lives. And as we read, we can allow ourselves to be drawn into a closer relationship with Jesus. There truly is an historical Jesus. May the Gospels be a source of guidance, inspiration, and transformation for us all. How Much In The Gospels Is Historical, And How Much Is Myth, Legend, Trope, Figurative Thinking? It is difficult to say with certainty how much of the Gospels is historical in the modern sense of the word and how much is myth, legend, trope, or figurative thinking. The Gospels were written some years after the events they describe, and they were written from the perspective of the early Christian community. This means that the Gospels may contain a mix of historical facts and interpretation, as well as elements of myth, legend, and figurative thinking. That being said, scholars believe that the Gospels contain a good deal of historical information. For example, the Gospels describe specific places and events, such as the places where Jesus preached and the events of his trial and Crucifixion. These details suggest that the writers of the Gospels had access to historical information and intended to provide an accurate account of what happened. On the other hand, the Gospels also contain elements that are not seen by all as historical, howsoever this goes to the root of the faith, such as the miracles performed by Jesus and the accounts of his resurrection. Some see these as legends or myths that were added to the Gospels to help convey the message of the early Christian community. The question of how much of the Gospels is historical and how much is myth, legend, or figurative thinking is complex. What is important is that we approach the Gospels with an open mind and a willingness to engage with the stories and teachings they contain. We are in the Gospels in conversation with God – and with the many people who have had such faith and conversations – as with the historical Jesus. Why Do The Gospels Say Were People Afraid Of Jesus? There are several reasons why people may have been afraid of Jesus, according to the Gospels. One reason is that Jesus was a powerful and charismatic figure who challenged the religious and political authorities of his time. He spoke out against corruption and injustice, and he called on people to repent and turn to God. This type of behaviour was seen as threatening by those in positions of power, and they may have been afraid of losing their influence or authority. Another reason is that Jesus performed many miracles, such as healing the sick and casting out demons. These miracles were seen as evidence of his divine power, and they may have made people afraid of him. Some people may have been afraid of being healed or possessed by Jesus, while others may have been afraid of what would happen if they did not believe in him. Finally, some people may have been afraid of Jesus because of the prophecies and expectations of the coming of a messiah. The Jews of Jesus’ time were looking for a saviour who would deliver them from oppression and establish a kingdom of God on earth. When Jesus arrived on the scene, he may have been seen as a threat to the status quo, and some people may have been afraid of what he might do. Might The Fear Be Related To The Fear Of God – The Injunction To Fear God? Yes, it is possible that the fear of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels may be related to the fear of God. In the Old Testament, the fear of God is often used to describe a deep reverence and awe for God, as well as a sense of humility and obedience in the face of his greatness. This fear of God is seen as a positive and necessary quality for a faithful believer, and it is often linked to the idea of fearing God’s punishment or judgement. In the New Testament, the fear of God is also mentioned, but it is often portrayed in a more positive light. For example, in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells his followers not to be afraid of those who can only kill the body, but to fear God, who can destroy both body and soul (Luke 12:4-5). This suggests that the fear of God is not just about punishment, but about a deep respect for […]
Jesus returns with Peter and James and John from the mountain of the transfiguration. He finds a scene which is crowded and confused. The scribes are present, arguing with Jesus’ disciples. They are surrounded by many people, who now catch sight of Jesus and rush to greet him. Jesus asks what has happened to create such a hubbub, and we learn that at its focal point there is sickness, in the form of possession, and inability on the part of the disciples to cast the evil out of the child [ … ]
