St. Augustine: ‘The Good Must Not Enter Schism’

But what did Our Lord say to the Apostles when He had them cast forth nets after fishing the whole night without any success? He told them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And, indeed, if those fishermen had not gone before us, who would have taken us?

Now, any great orator is esteemed if he can well expound on that which the fisherman has written. The multitude of those living badly disturbs those living well. When therefore the Lord Jesus Christ had chosen fishermen of fish and made them fishers of men, in those very activities of their fishing, He also wished to instruct us about the calling of peoples.

Observe two distinct fishings necessary for distinction: one [before the Resurrection] when the Lord chose them [the Apostles] from fishermen and made them His disciples, the other that is read … after the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must carefully consider the difference between these fishings; this navigation is our instruction.

The new preaching of the Gospel; at that time He found them fishing; He approached and said to them: Cast the nets. They said to Him: We have labored all night and caught nothing, labored in vain. Behold, in Your name we will cast the nets. They cast and caught so much that they filled two boats which were so burdened with the multitude of fish that they almost sank.

Then, He said to them: Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. Then, leaving their nets and boats, they followed Christ.

Now, after the Resurrection, the Lord Christ showed us another fishing, different from that earlier one. At this time He said: Cast the nets - neither "to the left" nor "to the right" but simply, Cast the nets. For if He had said: "to the left," He would signify the wicked alone; "to the right," the good alone. Since He did not say "to the right" or "to the left," both good and wicked are signified, of whom the Gospel speaks elsewhere, because the householder sent his servants to the prepared meal and they brought in whom they could find, both good and wicked, and the marriage feast was filled with those reclining.

Such now is the Church, full of good and wicked. The Church is filled with a multitude, but sometimes this multitude oppresses and almost leads it to shipwreck. The multitude of those living wickedly disturbs those living well, so much so that the one living well thinks himself foolish when he notices others living wickedly, especially because according to this world, many guilty are found happy, while many innocent are found unhappy.

And how fearful it is lest it be overwhelmed and sunk in shipwreck! How fearful it is, dearest ones, lest the one living well says: What use is it to me to live well? Behold, for that one lives wickedly and is more honored than me. What good is it to me that I live well? …

You observe that another lives wickedly and is fortunate! You are mistaken, he is unfortunate and all the more unfortunate the happier he seems to himself. It is madness not to recognize his own misery. If you saw a feverish person laughing, you would lament over the madman. What is promised to you has not yet come.

He who seems happier to you is fed with visible and temporary things; he rejoices in them. But he neither brought them into the world with him, nor will he take them; naked he came in, naked he will go out. From false joys, he will come to real pains. But what is promised to you has not yet come. Endure to reach it; persevere lest by failing you deceive yourself, for God cannot deceive you. Behold, I have spoken briefly lest the boats sink.

But another comes to that fishing with a greater curse, so the nets were torn. The nets were torn, heresies were made. For what else is schisms but tears?

Thus the first fishing must be borne and tolerated, lest anyone is worn out with weariness, although it is written: "I was weary from the sinners forsaking your law." The ship cries out that it is burdened by the multitude, as if the ship itself has this voice: "I was weary from the sinners forsaking your law."

Even if you are burdened, always see to it that you are not sunk. The wicked must be tolerated for now, not separated. We will sing mercy and judgment to the Lord; first mercy is bestowed, and later judgment is exercised; separation will be done in judgment.

Now let the good hear me and be better, let the wicked hear and become good; for it is the time of repentance, not the time of judgment. Let us pass from this fishing, which has joys mixed with tears; joys because the good are gathered, mixed with tears because the wicked are hardly borne.

Excerpts from St Augustine,SERMO 250
Posted on June 27, 2026