Captivity and Liberation

"We must know first our captivity, then our liberation:  we must know Babylon and Jerusalem.  These were two cities recorded in the Bible.  They were founded to symbolize those two "cities" that began in the far past and will continue to the end of time".

St. Augustine Commentary on Psalm 64, 1-2

 

 

Prayer:  Lord, while I move and bear this body, I pray that I may be pure, generous, just, and prudent.  May I be a perfect lover and knower of Your Wisdom.  Finally, may I be worthy of Your Dwelling Place and live in Your most blessed Kingdom.

St. Augustine Soliloquies 1,1

The Providence of God

Meditation for August 19

God is the unchanging conductor as well as the unchanged creator of things that change.  When He adds, abolishes, curtails, increases, or diminishes the rites of any age, He is ordering all events according to His providence.
This will hold good until the beauty of the completed course of time-whose parts are the dispensations suitable to each different period-shall have played itself out, like the great melody of some ineffable composer. --St. Augustine Letter 138, 1

Prayer:  Instruct me, Lord, and command what you will.  But first heal me and open my ears that I may hear Your words.  --St. Augustine Soliloquies 1, 1

Seek What Is Better

Meditation for May 25th

Seek what is better than you are so that you can be made better by it.  If you desire gold, you may or may not obtain it.  But you can always possess God whenever you wish.  Desire God so that you may have Him, and then finally you will be really happy.  This alone will make you truly happy.  Love this, possess this; you can have this when you wish and without cost.  -St. Augustine Commentary on Psalm 32, 16

Prayer:  My faith, O Lord, which You gave me through the humanity of Your Son, calls upon You. -St. Augustine Confessions 1,1

Sign of Love

May 14th Meditation

Know that those who have love are born of God; those who do not have it are not born of God.  This is the distinctive sign par excellence.  No matter what else you might have, if you lack this, it profits you nothing.  And no matter what else you lack, if you have this you have fulfilled the law.  -St. Augustine Sermon on 1 John 5,7

Prayer:  O God, be my inheritance, for I love You totally.  With all my heart, with all my mind.  I love You.
-St. Augustine Sermon 334,3

Love Your Neighbor-Receive the Spirit

May 11 Meditation

How do we come to know that we have received the Holy Spirit? We must question our own heart. If we love our neighbor, the Spirit of God dwells in us. We must put ourselves to the test before God by seeing if there is in us love for peace and unity and love for the Church spread throughout the world. -St. Augustine Sermon on John 1:6, 10

Prayer: O Lord my God, let my soul praise You that it may love You. And let it recount to You Your mercies that it may praise You for them all. -St. Augustine Confessions 5, 11


Lord Jesus, do I love my neighbor enough? How can I know? Please show me!

Possessing the Scriptures

May 10th Meditation

When you understand anything in the Scriptures, it is love that is manifesting itself to you; when you fail to understand, it is love that is hiding itself from you.  Those, therefore, who possess charity possess both what is manifest in the divine words and what is hidden in them.  -St. Augustine Sermon 350, 2

Prayer:  Lord, increase my faith, hope, and love!  How wonderful and unmatched is Your goodness!  -St. Augustine Soliloquies 1,1


Heavenly Father, please lead me to a deeper understanding of charity.

Spiritual Progress Draws Detractors

May 8th Meditation

People who change their way of life and begin to think about making spiritual progress also begin to suffer from the tongues of detractors.  Whoever has not yet suffered this trial has not yet made progress, and whoever is not ready to suffer it does not even endeavor to progress.  -St. Augustine Commentary on Psalm 119,3

Prayer: Come to my aid, O God, the one eternal, true reality!  In You there is no strife, no disorder, no change, no need, and no death; only supreme charity, supreme permanence, supreme fullness, and supreme life.  -St. Augustine Soliloquies 1,1

O God, may I suffer the tongues of detractors for your sake!

Withdrawal from God

May 7th Meditation

Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God; and this why those who praise themselves cannot praise God. -St. Augustine Sermon 170,11.

Prayer: The human being is one of Your creatures, Lord, and its instinct is to praise You. -St. Augustine Confessions 1, 1

Lord Jesus....please send Your Spirit to prevent me from withdrawing from you! I want to be within the light and warmth of Your Presence. Amen.