On Wednesday of Holy Week our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter to the Hebrews (12:14-29) entitled "You have come to the mountain of the living God". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise on John 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.
Saint Augustine of Hippo made his primary contribution to the teachings of the Catholic Church by deeply explaining the relationship between God's grace and human salvation. In response to errors such as Pelagianism, he taught that humanity, wounded by sin, cannot save itself but is restored through the grace of God working within us. Augustine clarified the Church's understanding of original sin, divine grace, and the need for God's initiative in conversion, while also shaping Christian thought on the Trinity, the Church, and the inner life of the soul. His writings—especially the Confessions and The City of God—became foundational for Western Christian theology and continue to guide the Church's understanding of sin, grace, and redemption.
He fought bravely against the errors of his time and explained the Faith carefully and cogently through his writings. He 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.
The tractates on the Gospel of John by Augustine of Hippo is a collection of sermons in which Augustine carefully explains the meaning of the Gospel of John to ordinary Christians. In these reflections he guides believers through the words and signs of Jesus Christ, helping them understand both the literal meaning of the text and its deeper spiritual message.
These tractates, then give us a glimpse of the man that we do not often get from his other works. Augustine's preaching shows us not only his brilliant mind and rhetorical skills as he expounds upon the Scriptures but also the great love he had for Christ and for the faithful entrusted to his care.
The central teaching of these Tractates is that Jesus Christ is the eternal Word (the Logos) made flesh, and through Him we come to know God, receive grace, and are united in love as members of His Body.
Throughout these homilies, Augustine repeatedly emphasizes that:
In essence, Augustine teaches that to believe in Christ is to enter into a living relationship of faith and love that transforms us and binds us together as one in Him.
As early as the second century, this letter or treatise, which is of great rhetorical power and force in its admonition to faithful pilgrimage under Christ's leadership, bore the title "To the Hebrews." It was assumed to be directed to Jewish Christians. Usually, Hebrews was attached in Greek manuscripts to the collection of letters by Paul. Although no author is mentioned (for there is no address), a reference to Timothy suggested connections to the circle of Paul and his assistants. Yet the exact audience, the author, and even whether Hebrews is a letter have long been disputed.
The central message of the Epistle to the Hebrews is that Jesus Christ is the perfect and eternal High Priest who fulfills and surpasses the old covenant, offering Himself once for all for the salvation of humanity. The letter teaches that through Christ, believers have direct access to God, and it calls them to persevere in faith, especially in times of trial, trusting in His definitive sacrifice. By showing how Christ completes the meaning of the Law, priesthood, and sacrifices of the Old Testament, Hebrews urges Christians to remain steadfast, confident, and faithful to Him.
