The Earthly City and the City of God

One of Augustine's greatest works, the City of God, was a reaction to criticism against the Church due to the sack of Rome in 410 by the Visigoths.  Some attributed this to Christianity becoming the official religion of Rome a century earlier.

Augustine text is based in a juxtaposition of the earthly city and the City of God, arguing that human history is characterized by a conflict between the two; the earthly city representative of the sin evident in the world, and the City of God as representative of God's will for humanity.  According to Augustine, the task of the Church is to manifest the City of God and seek its realization

A similar juxtaposition is found in Matthew's account of the visit of the three wise men, where Herod evidences the kingdoms of this world, in contrast to Christ, who represents the Kingdom of God.  The wise men, as foreigners, become the unlikely heroes of the story, saving Christ from Herod's intended genocide.  Herod is driven by the engine of fear; the loss of power and status.  The Kingdom of God, as evident in the life of Christ, is driven by sacrificial love; revealed in God's activity as creator and redeemer of all things.  The Church is called to reveal the nature of this kingdom, even as we remain present in the kingdoms of this world that continue to reflect Herod's fear