The wicked exist in this world either to be converted or that through them the good may exercise patience. Saint Augustine More Quotes by Saint Augustine More Quotes From Saint Augustine To withhold forgiveness is to take poison and expect the unforgiven to die. Saint Augustine diespoison Two works of mercy set a person free: Forgive and you will be forgiven, and give and you will receive. Saint Augustine catholicgivingtwo Nothing, therefore, happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen. He either permits it to happen, or He brings it about Himself. Saint Augustine permitchristianhappens What difference, if you are mistaken? For if I am mistaken, I am. For he who is not, assuredly cannot be mistaken; and therefore I am, if I am mistaken. Therefore because I am if I am mistaken, how am I mistaken that I am, when it is sure that I am, if I am mistaken. Saint Augustine mistake And he departed from our sight that we might return to our hearts and find him there. For he left us, and behold, he is here. Saint Augustine eastersightheart There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who love Thee for Thine own sake, whose joy Thou Thyself art. And this is the happy life, to rejoice to Thee, of Thee, for Thee; this it is, and there is no other. Saint Augustine joyhappy-lifeart God judged it better to bring good out of evil than to suffer no evil to exist. Saint Augustine philosophicaljudgingevil Oh, beauty, ever ancient and ever new. Saint Augustine ancientbeauty AugustineThe wounds of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemy. To love with sternness is better than to deceive with gentleness.... In Luke [14:23] it is written: "Compel people to come in!" By threats of the wrath of God, the Father draws souls to his Son. Saint Augustine kissingfatherson Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked. Saint Augustine catholicbeautythinking Late have I loved you, O beauty ever ancient, ever new. Late have I loved you. You have called to me, and have called out, and have shattered my deafness. You have blazed forth with light and have put my blindness to flight! You have sent forth fragrance, and I have drawn in my breath, and I pant after you. I have tasted you, and I hunger and thirst after you. You have touched me, and I have burned for your peace. Saint Augustine hunger-and-thirstancientlight As to those other things which we hold on the authority, not of Scripture, but of tradition, and which are observed throughout the whole world, it may be understood that they are held as approved and instituted either by the apostles themselves, or by plenary Councils, whose authority in the Church is most useful, e.g. the annual commemoration, by special solemnities, of the Lord's passion, resurrection, and ascension, and of the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven, and whatever else is in like manner observed by the whole Church wherever it has been established. Saint Augustine passionspecialheaven No one knows what he himself is made of, except his own spirit within him, yet there is still some part of him which remains hidden even from his own spirit; but you, Lord, know everything about a human being because you have made him...Let me, then, confess what I know about myself, and confess too what I do not know, because what I know of myself I know only because you shed light on me, and what I do not know I shall remain ignorant about until my darkness becomes like bright noon before your face. Saint Augustine ignorantlightdarkness The one who sings, prays twice. Saint Augustine singingvoicepraying The world is a great book, of which they that never stir from home read only a page. Saint Augustine homelifebook The peace of the celestial city is the perfectly ordered and harmonious enjoyment of God, and of one another in God. (City of God, Book 19) Saint Augustine saintcitiesbook He indeed possesses the Character imposed on him, but he wanders as a renegade. Saint Augustine renegadeswandercharacter The greatest evil is physical pain. Saint Augustine physical-painpainevil For if a thing is not diminished by being shared with others, it is not rightly owned if it is only owned and not shared. Saint Augustine ifs The entire life of a good Christian is in fact an exercise of holy desire. You do not yet see what you long for, but the very act of desiring prepares you, so that when he comes you may see and be utterly satisfied. Saint Augustine inspirationchristianfaith
