Dying Wickedly

Nec in his verbis quae dixi: Vivite bene, ne moriamini male, attendatis eos qui forte male vixerunt, et in lectulis suis mortui sunt; et acta est pompa funeris eorum, et positi sunt in pretiosis sarcophagis, in sepulcris pulcherrime et operosissime fabricatis: et quia forte dicit sibi unusquisque vestrum, Vellem sic mori, putetis me rem vanam dicere voluisse; quoniam dixi velle me ut bene vivatis, ne male moriamini. Contra forte occurrit aliquis, qui et bene vixit, et secundum opinionem hominum male est mortuus: forte a ruina est mortuus, a naufragio mortuus est, a bestiis mortuus est; et dicit unusquisque carnalis in corde suo, Quid est bene vivere? Ecce ille sic vixit, et sic est mortuus. Redite ergo ad cor; et si fideles estis, invenietis ibi Christum; ipse vobis loquitur ibi. Ego enim clamo: ille vero in silentio plus docet. Ego loquor per sonum sermonis: ille intus loquitur per timorem cogitationis. Ergo ipse inserat in corde vestro verbum meum: quoniam dicere ausus sum, Bene vivite, ne male moriamini. Ecce quoniam fides est in cordibus vestris, et ibi est Christus, et ipse habet docere quod ego cupio personare Recordamini in Evangelio divitem illum, et pauperem illum: divitem indutum purpura et bysso, et quotidianis epulis saginatum; pauperem vero illum iacentem ante ianuam divitis, esurientem, et de mensa eius micas requirentem, ulceribus plenum, a canibus linctum. Recordamini ergo: unde recordamini, nisi quia ibi est Christus in cordibus vestris? Dicite mihi quid ipsum intus interrogaveritis, et responderit vobis. Sequitur enim, et dicit: Contigit mori inopem illum, et auferri ab Angelis in sinum Abrahae. Mortuus est autem et dives, et sepultus est in infernum. Cum autem in tormentis esset, levavit oculos suos, et vidit Lazarum requiescentem in sinu Abrahae. Tunc clamavit, dicens: Pater Abraham, miserere mei, et mitte Lazarum, ut intingat digitum suum in aquam, et stillet in linguam meam, quia crucior in hac flamma 4. Superbus temporis, mendicus inferni. Pauper enim ille perveniebat ad micam: ille vero non perveniebat ad guttam. De duobus ergo istis, dicite mihi, quis est bene mortuus, et quis est male mortuus? Nolite oculos interrogare, ad cor redite. Si enim oculos interrogaveritis, falsa vobis respondent. Multum enim splendida sunt, et saeculariter fucata, quae illi diviti morienti exhiberi potuerunt. Quae potuerunt agmina plangentium esse servorum et ancillarum? quae pompa clientium? qui splendor funeris? quod pretium sepulturae? Credo eum aromatibus obrutum. Quid ergo dicturi sumus, fratres, bene istum mortuum, an male mortuum? Si oculos interrogatis, optime mortuus est: si magistrum vestrum interiorem requiritis, pessime mortuus est. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo CII, De Verbis Evangellii Qui Vos Spernit, Me Spernit Source: Migne PL 38.611-612

Nor in these words which I have said, 'Live well, lest you die wickedly,'  think of those who have lived wickedly, and on their beds have perished, and there is great pomp at their funerals, and they are placed in precious tombs, and in sepulchers beautifully and exquisitely wrought, and because of this perhaps one of you say to yourself, 'I wish to die so,' and you think it a vain thing what I chose to say, because I said it was my wish that you live well lest you die wickedly. In opposition to this it may perhaps occur to someone that another fellow has lived well, and according to human opinion is dead, and perhaps by some disaster he is dead, or by shipwreck, or slain by beasts, and this someone says in the carnality of his heart: 'What is it to live well? Behold, he lived so, and so he died.' Turn to your heart 1 and if you are faithful, you shall find Christ there, who speaks to you there. For I cry out, He in silence teaches more. I speak with the sound of words, He  speaks within through the fear of thought. Therefore He shall sow in your heart my word, because I have dared to say,' Live well, lest you die wickedly.' Behold, because you are faithful in your heart, and so there is Christ, so He can teach what I desire to shout out. Remember in the Gospel that rich man and the poor man, the rich man wore purple and jewels and every day he feasted plentifully, the poor man, however, lay down at the door of the rich man, hungering, and from his table sought crumbs, and he was covered with ulcers which the dogs licked. 2 Remember, then, how you remember: how unless Christ is in your hearts? Tell me what you would ask Him within and He shall answer you. Then it continues and says: 'Death touched the poor man and the angels carried him off into the lap of Abraham. And the rich man died and was buried and went to hell. And when he was in torment he lifted up his eyes and he saw Lazarus resting in the lap of Abraham. Then he cried out, saying, 'Father Abraham, be merciful to me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip his finger into water and drop a little on my tongue because I am tormented in his fire.' A great man he was in his time, now he is a beggar in hell. The poor man approached for a crumb, the other never neared the gutter. Therefore concerning these two, tell me, who died well and who died wickedly? Do not ask your eyes, turn to your heart. For if you question your eyes, lies will be told you. Many splendid things there are, many adornments of the world, which dying rich men can show. Are they not able to exhibit the floods of tears from servants and handmaids? And the pomp of dependents? And the splendour of their funeral? And the reward of a tomb? And I believe he was smothered with aromatics. What shall I say then, brothers? That this fellow has died well or wickedly? If you ask the eye, he has died excellently; if you seek the teacher of the interior, he has the worst death. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 101, On the words of the Gospel: 'He who spurns you, I spurn.' 1 Isai 46.8 2 Lk 16, 19-21.