Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday in Advent

When the Lord returned the captives of Zion,
We became like those who are comforted.
Then our mouth was filled with joy,
And our tongue with exceeding joy.
Then they shall say among the Gentiles,
“The Lord did great things with them.”
The Lord has done great things with us;
We were glad.
Return, O Lord, our captivity
Like streams in the south.
Those who sow with tears
Shall reap with exceeding joy.
They went forth and wept,
Carrying their seeds with them;
But they shall return with exceeding joy,
Carrying their sheaves. (Ps 126)

Consider, my brethren, what this means: “As torrents are turned in the south, so turn our captivity” (Ecclus 3:15). In a certain passage, Scripture says in admonishing us concerning good works, “Your sins also shall melt away, even as the ice in fair warm weather” (Ecclus 3:17). Our sins, therefore, bound us. How? As the cold binds the water that it does not run. Bound with the frost of our sins, we have frozen. But the south wind is a warm wind: when the south wind blows, the ice melts, and the torrents are filled. Now winter streams are called torrents; for filled with sudden rains they run with great force. We had therefore become frozen in captivity; our sins bound us: the south wind the Holy Spirit has blown: our sins are forgiven us, we are released from the frost of iniquity; as the ice in fair weather, our sins are melted. Let us run unto our country as the torrents in the south.

In this life, which is full of tears, let us sow. What shall we sow? Good works. Works of mercy are our seeds: of which seeds the Apostle says, “Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” Speaking therefore of almsgiving itself, what does he say? “This I say; he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly.” He therefore who sows plentifully, shall reap plentifully: he who sows sparingly, shall also reap sparingly: and he who sows nothing, shall reap nothing. Why do you long for ample estates, where you may sow plentifully? There is not a wider field on which you can sow than Christ, who has willed that we should sow in Himself. Your soil is the Church; sow as much as you can. But you have not enough to do this. Do you have the will? As what you had would be nothing, if you had not goodwill, so do not despond because you have not if you have goodwill. For what do you sow? Mercy. And what will you reap? Peace. Did the Angels say, Peace on earth unto rich men? No, but, “Peace on earth unto men of goodwill.” Zacchaeus had a strong will, Zacchaeus had great charity. Did then that widow who cast her two coins into the treasury, sow little? No, but as much as Zacchaeus. For she had lesser means, but an equal will. She gave her two mites with as good a will as Zacchaeus gave the half of his patrimony. If you consider what they gave, you will find their gifts different; if you look to the source, you will find them equal. She gave whatever she had, and he gave what he had.

Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms 126.7–8