St. Boniface on Life with God

Historical Background

The holy Benedictine St. Boniface, who lived between 675-754, is aptly described as the “Apostle to the Germans.” Though Boniface lived during a time when Christianity had spread throughout much of Western Europe, the Church remained beset by political strife, heretical outbreaks, and the lingering remnants of pagan culture. His efforts, which left a lasting impact on the organization of the Latin Church that remains to this day, came to a violent end when he and his companions were martyred by a band of Frisian bandits.

St. Boniface was a renowned preacher, and a collection of his sermons was produced some time after the saint’s death, with the oldest extant manuscript being dated to the late 8th century. Though scholars have long debated which of the collection’s 15 sermons properly belong to Boniface, thus leading the collection to take on the unfortunate title Sermones (Pseudo)-Bonifatii, there is little doubt that at least some of these works came directly from Boniface, with the rest bearing the hallmarks of his missionary endeavors.

Sermon XV or Renunciation

The 15th sermon attributed to Boniface, sometimes referred to as Renunciation, recalls in stark terms those evils Christians renounce at their baptism. Strikingly, the structure and contents of the sermon reflects the so-called “two ways tradition” whereby one path leads to death and the other to eternal life with God. (This tradition is discussed in greater detail in the aforementioned series on the Didache.) More specifically, the sermon appears to summarize the catechetical content of both the Didache and the Doctrina Apostolorum. It should come as no surprise, then, that this brief sermon is also found appended in two early Latin manuscripts of the Doctrina Apostolorum.

The sermon is atypical to the extent that it is not connected to a particular day in the liturgical cycle, nor is it directed at those about to be baptized. Rather, it is an immediate and compact reminder concerning the core tenets of the Christian life—a life that begins with the renunciation of evil at baptism that ultimately leads to God. Like all great works of Christian history, it remains as timely and impactful today as it was when it was first delivered over a thousand years ago.

The following text of the sermon is taken from Phillip Schaff, The History of the Christian Church, Volume IV, Chapter 2.

I. Listen, my brethren, and consider well what you have solemnly renounced in your baptism. You have renounced the devil and all his works, and all his pomp. But what are the works of the devil?  They are pride, idolatry, envy, murder, calumny, lying, perjury, hatred, fornication, adultery, every kind of lewdness, theft, false witness, robbery, gluttony, drunkenness, slander, fight, malice, philters, incantations, lots, belief in witches and were-wolves, abortion, disobedience to the Master, amulets. These and other such evil things are the works of the devil, all of which you have forsworn by your baptism, as the apostle says: “Whosoever doeth such things deserves death, and shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven”. But as we believe that, by the mercy of God, you will renounce all these things, with heart and hand, in order to become fit for grace, I admonish you, my dearest brethren, to remember what you have promised Almighty God.

II. For, first, you have promised to believe in Almighty God, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, one almighty God in perfect trinity.

III. And these are the commandments which you shall keep and fulfil: to love God, whom you profess, with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourselves; for on these commandments hang the whole law and the prophets. Be patient, have mercy, be benevolent, chaste, pure. Teach your sons to fear God; teach your whole family to do so. Make peace where you go; and let him who sits in court give a just verdict and take no presents, for presents make even a wise man blind.

IV. Keep the Sabbath and go to church-to pray, but not to prattle. Give alms according to your power, for alms extinguish sins as water does fire. Show hospitality to travelers, visit the sick, take care of widows and orphans, pay your tithes to the church, and do to nobody what you would not have done to yourself. Fear God above all. Let the servants be obedient to their masters, and the masters just to their servants. Cling to the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed, and communicate them to your own children and to those whose baptismal sponsors you are. Keep the fast, love what is right, stand up against the devil, and partake from time to time of the Lord’s Supper. Such are the works which God commands you to do and fulfil.

V. Believe in the advent of Christ, the resurrection of the body, and the judgment of all men. For then the impious shall be separated from the just, the one for the everlasting fire, the others for the eternal life. Then begins a life with God without death, a light without shadows, a health without sickness, a plenty without hunger, a happiness without fear, a joy with no misgivings. Then comes the eternal glory, in which the just shall shine like suns, for no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, no heart has ever dreamed, of all that which God has prepared for those whom he loves.

VI. I also remind you, my beloved brethren, that the birth-day of our Lord is approaching, in order that you may abstain from all that is worldly or lewd or impure or bad. Spit out all malice and hatred and envy; it is poison to your heart. Keep chaste even with respect to your own wives. Clothe yourselves with good works. Give alms to the poor who belong to Christ; invite them often to your feasts. Keep peace with all, and make peace between those who are at discord. If, with the aid of Christ, you will truly fulfil these commands, then in this life you can with confidence approach the altar of God, and in the next you shall partake of the everlasting bliss.