On Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (22:10-21) entitled "Come, Lord Jesus, the fulfillment of our hope". Our treasure, which follows, is from a discourse on the psalms by Saint Augustine, bishop.
Saint Augustine was born at Tagaste in Africa in 354. He was unsettled and restlessly searched for the truth until he was converted to the faith in Milan and baptized by Ambrose. Returning to his homeland, he embraced an ascetic life and subsequently was elected bishop of Hippo. For thirty-four years he guided his flock, instructing it with sermons and many writings.
Saint Augustine is perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. He adapted Classical teaching and created a powerful theological system of lasting influence. He also shaped the practice of biblical exegesis and helped lay the foundation for much of medieval and modern Christian thought.
The legacy of Saint Augustine of Hippo is immense, shaping both Catholic theology and Western thought as a whole. He is best known for his profound writings—especially Confessions and City of God—which explore the human heart's restless search for God, the reality of sin and grace, and the meaning of history. In short, his legacy is that of a master teacher who showed that the journey to God is both deeply personal and firmly grounded in truth.
Saint Augustine is a preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church. His most important teachings shape not only Western theology but the entire intellectual tradition of the Church. His thought deeply influenced later figures such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and remains foundational in Catholic doctrine. He died in 430.
In our treasure today from a the discourse "The Easter Alleluia" by Saint Augustine, the main takeaway is that the joy expressed in "Alleluia" during Easter is a foretaste of the eternal joy of heaven. Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death, and believers are called to live now in hope and praise, even amid life's struggles. For Catholics, the message is to let their lives reflect this Easter joy by trusting in Christ's victory, persevering through trials, and looking forward to the day when they will praise God forever in perfect happiness.
The primary teaching in our first reading today from the Book of Revelation (22:10–21) is a final, urgent call to live in readiness for Christ's return, grounded in the certainty that He is coming soon to judge and to fulfill His promises.
The passage emphasizes that the message of this prophecy is not to be sealed up but proclaimed, because the time is near. Human choices are shown as decisive and ongoing—those who do good must continue in righteousness, and those who choose evil bear responsibility for their path. Into this urgency comes the voice of Jesus Christ, declaring that He is "the Alpha and the Omega" and that He will repay each person according to their deeds.
There is both invitation and warning: those who "wash their robes" are welcomed into eternal life, symbolized by access to the tree of life and the holy city, while those who reject God remain outside. The Spirit and the Church together extend an open invitation—"Come"—offering the gift of life freely to all who will receive it.
The book closes with a solemn affirmation of the truth of this revelation and a longing for Christ's return: "Come, Lord Jesus."
In essence, the teaching is that believers are called to persevere in faith and holiness, respond to God's invitation, and live with hopeful expectation, knowing that Christ's return will bring both justice and the fulfillment of eternal life.
