5.11.2005

Prayer from Augustine's "Confessions"

"What then is the Lord, what but the Lord God? For "Who is Lord but the LORD, or who is God but our God?" O Thou, the greatest and the best, mightiest, almighty, merciful and most just, utterly hidden and utterly present, most beautiful and most strong, abiding yet mysterious, suffering no change yet changing all things: never new, never old, making all things new, "bringing age upon the proud and they know it not"; ever in action, ever at rest, gathering all things to Thee and needing nothing; sustaining and fulfilling and protecting, creating and nourishing and perfecting; ever seeking though lacking nothing. Thou lovest without subjection to passion, Thou art jealous but not with fear; Thou canst know repentance but not sorrow, be angry yet unperturbed by anger. Thou canst change the works Thou hast made but Thy mind stands changeless. Thou dost find and receive back what Thou didst never lose; art never in need but dost rejoice in Thy gains, art not greedy but dost exact interest manifold. Men pay Thee more than is of obligation to win return from Thee, yet who has anything that is not already Thine? Thou owest nothing yet dost pay as if in debt to Thy creature, forgivest what is owed to Thee yet dost not lose thereby. And with all this, what have I said, my God, my Life, my Holy Delight? What can anyone say when he speaks of Thee? Yet woe to them that speak not of Thee at all, since even those who say the most are but dumb." ("Confessions" book I, ch. IV. F.J. Sheed Trans.)

Hat-tip to a young layman referring to himself as "Augustinian"

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