Thursday, July 05, 2007

One Augustine a day keeps the pagans Away !

Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy
power, and Thy wisdom infinite. And Thee would man praise; man, but
a particle of Thy creation; man, that bears about him his mortality,
the witness of his sin, the witness that Thou resistest the proud:
yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy creation. Thou
awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself,
and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee. Grant me, Lord,
to know and understand which is first, to call on Thee or to praise
Thee? and, again, to know Thee or to call on Thee? for who can call
on Thee, not knowing Thee? for he that knoweth Thee not, may call
on Thee as other than Thou art. Or, is it rather, that we call on
Thee that we may know Thee? but how shall they call on Him in whom
they have not believed? or how shall they believe without a preacher?
and they that seek the Lord shall praise Him: for they that seek shall
find Him, and they that find shall praise Him. I will seek Thee, Lord,
by calling on Thee; and will call on Thee, believing in Thee; for
to us hast Thou been preached. My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee,
which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through
the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.

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