My mouth will proclaim your righteousness, all the day your salvation. What does your salvation mean? That" salvation is the Lords" (Ps 3:9). No one should claim that he has saved himself: salvation is the Lords.... Vain is the salvation of man (Ps 59:13). All the day your salvation means all the time. Are you experiencing adversity? Proclaim the Lords salvation. Are you experiencing prosperity? Proclaim the Lords salvation. Dont proclaim in prosperity and be silent in adversity. If you do, youll not be doing what is said: all the day. ... The whole day, then, with its night; night serves day not day night. Whatever you do in this mortal life ought to serve righteousness; whatever you do at Gods command ought not be done for fleshly gain; if it were, day would be serving night. Speak Gods praise all day, then, in prosperity and in adversity: in prosperity as if it were daytime, in adversity as if it were nighttime. Speak Gods praise all the day so that you wont have sung in vain: I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise ever in my mouth (Ps 33:2). Weve praised God in the day. Shall we fail to do so in the night? All the day, that is, along with its night, your salvation. (EnPs 70/1, 16; PL 36, 885-886)Later in the same sermon, Augustine has the Church speak the Psalms sentiment:Let my mouth be filled with praise that I may speak your glory, your greatness all the day (Ps 70: 8). What does all the day mean? Without interruption. In prosperity because you give me comfort, Lord. In adversity, because you are correcting me. Before I existed, because you made me; while I existed, because you gave me health; when I sinned, because you forgave me; when I was turned around, because you aided me; when I shall have persevered, because you crowned me. Thus let my mouth be completely filled with praise that I may speak your glory, your greatness all the day. (EnPs 70, 10; PL 36, 881)

Rev. Joseph A. Komonchak, professor emeritus of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of New York.

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