Augustine of Hippo: Sermon on the Nativity (Full Text)

Introduction

This sermon was delivered by Augustine at Hippo on Christmas Day. It reflects the wonder of the Incarnation and the humility of Christ’s birth. The text below follows the public-domain translation in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 6 (1888), lightly standardized for punctuation.

The Sermon

Our Lord Jesus Christ, dearly beloved, was born this day according to the flesh. Let us therefore rejoice and be glad; no one should permit himself to be saddened by this day’s festival. For it is the birthday of Life, which destroys the fear of death, and gives us the joy of the promised eternity.

No one is shut out from sharing in this gladness: all have one and the same cause of rejoicing. For our Lord, the destroyer of sin and death, finds none excluded from His mercy. The saint exults, for he draws nearer to his crown; the sinner rejoices, for he is invited to forgiveness; the Gentile is heartened, for he is called to life.

For the Son of God, in the fullness of time determined by the unsearchable depth of divine wisdom, assumed the nature of man to reconcile it with its Maker, so that the inventor of death might be conquered by that very nature which he had deceived.

In this conflict which our Redeemer undertook for us, the greatness of His mercy and power appeared alike: in that He fought against the author of pride not by might, but by humility; by His lowliness He triumphed over him who had been puffed up by his own haughtiness. Against the immense cruelty of the devil He opposed His own unutterable compassion.

The Son of God, therefore, comes in the flesh, and enters this world in a new order, born in a new manner. A new birth, because He who is invisible in His own nature was made visible in ours; He who cannot be contained willed to be contained; existing before time, He began to be in time. The Lord of the universe veiled the glory of His majesty, and took the form of a servant. The God who made man was made man for man’s sake.

For unless He had been born in the flesh, He could not have been crucified in the flesh; and without the cross there could have been no shedding of blood; and without the shedding of blood there could have been no remission of sins; and without remission of sins there could have been no salvation.

Let us then give thanks to God the Father, through His Son in the Holy Spirit; who for His great mercy wherewith He has loved us, had pity on us when we were dead in sins, and quickened us together in Christ.

Therefore, dearly beloved, let us celebrate this day’s festival not after the manner of the flesh but of the Spirit. And let us not set our thoughts on earthly things, but raise our hearts to the heavenly. Let us remember that He who took our earthly nature has raised us to heavenly places; that we may seek what is above, not what is on the earth.

The angels exult today, and sing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. They announce the reconciliation of heaven and earth. The very Creator of the heavens has taken on our humanity, that He might make men partakers of His divinity.

Let every believer, therefore, exult. Let the just man rejoice, for he draws near to his reward; let the sinner be glad, for he is invited to pardon. Let the Gentile take courage, for he is called to life. For the Lord, as the destroyer of sin and death, comes not to condemn but to save.

He whom the heavens cannot contain lay in a manger; He by whom all things were made was made one of the things He made. He was born of a woman whom He Himself created. He was carried by hands which He Himself had formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy—He the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute.

O the deep humility of God! O the wondrous condescension of mercy! He who sits upon the highest heavens finds no place in an inn, but finds room in a stable. He who feeds the angels with truth is fed with milk by His mother. Strength becomes weakness, that weakness may be made strong.

Let none despair of himself, seeing that God has come so near to man. Let the sinner be not afraid to approach, since God has taken flesh to redeem. For this reason He who is the Lord of majesty took the form of a servant: that the unholy might be made holy, and the captive set free.

Therefore, beloved, let us rejoice. This is not a day of wrath, but of mercy; not a day of sorrow, but of joy. On this day heaven and earth are joined, God and man are reconciled. On this day the devil’s works are destroyed, death is swallowed up, and life is renewed.

Let us therefore celebrate with pure hearts and joyful spirits. Let us love Him who has first loved us. Let us be what He has made us. For He came to us that we might return to Him; He descended to us that we might be lifted up; He humbled Himself that we might be glorified.

Amen.

Closing Note

This text follows Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, vol. 6: St. Augustine, Sermons on the New Testament Lessons (1888), translated by R. G. MacMullen, public domain.