“I probably felt more resentment for what I personally was to suffer than for the wrong they were doing to anyone and everyone. But at that time I was determined not to put up with badly behaved people more out of my own interest than because I wanted them to become good people.” LeadershipEducationCompassionTeachingServanthood Book:Confessions Source: Confessions
“Nondum amabam, et amare amabam” LoveLonelinessLongingYearningDivine Love Author:St. Augustine of Hippo
“There is no sin unless through a man's own will, and hence the reward when we do right things also of our own will." (Against Fortunatus)” SinSalvationFree WillSelf Determination Book:The Manichean Debate: The Works of Saint Augustine Source: The Manichean Debate: The Works of Saint Augustine
“I inquired what wickedness is, and I didn't find a substance, but a perversity of will twisted away from the highest substance – You oh God – towards inferior things, rejecting its own inner life and swelling with external matter.” SinWickednessIdolatry Book:Confessions Source: Confessions
“When it happens that I am more moved by the song than the thing which is sung, I confess that I sin in a manner deserving punishment” Music Author:St. Augustine of Hippo
“You are not the mind itself. For You are the Lord God of the mind. All these things are liable to change, but You remain immutable above all things.” ThoughtsEmotions Book:Confessions Source: Confessions
“He was not utterly unskilled in handling his own lack of training, and he refused to be rashly drawn into a controversy about those matters from which there would be no exit nor easy way of retreat. This was an additional ground for my pleasure. For the controlled modesty of a mind that admits limitations is more beautiful than the things I was anxious to know about.” Humility Book:Confessions Source: Confessions
“Even at that age I already believed in you, and so did my mother and the whole of my household except for my father. But, in my heart, he did not gain the better of my mother's piety and prevent me from believing in Christ just because he still disbelieved himself. For she did all that she could for me to see that you, my God, should be a father to me rather than he. In this you helped her to turn the scales against her husband, whom she always obeyed because by obeying him she obeyed your law, thereby showing greater virtue than he did.” ReligionChristianityTheologyCatholicismTheologianCalvinismLutheranismReformedPresbyterian Book:Confessions Source: Confessions
“I heard Your voice from on high. "I am the food of the fully grown. Grow and you will feed on me. And you will not change Me into you, like the food of flesh eats. But you will be changed into Me.” Spiritual Maturity Book:Confessions Source: Confessions
“Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.” InspirationalFaithUnderstanding Author:St. Augustine of Hippo
“Do they desire to join me in thanksgiving when they hear how, by your gift, I have come close to you, and do they pray for me when they hear how I am held back by my own weight? ...A brotherly mind will love in me what you teach to be lovable, and will regret in me what you teach to be regrettable. This is a mark of a Christian brother's mind, not an outsider's--not that of 'the sons of aliens whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity' (Ps. 143:7 f.). A brotherly person rejoices on my account when he approves me, but when he disapproves, he is loving me. To such people I will reveal myself. They will take heart from my good traits, and sigh with sadness at my bad ones. My good points are instilled by you and are your gifts. My bad points are my faults and your judgements on them. Let them take heart from the one and regret the other. Let both praise and tears ascend in your sight from brotherly hearts, your censers. ...But you Lord...Make perfect my imperfections” FriendshipAccountabilityDiscipleshipIntercession Book:Confessions Source: Confessions