St. Augustine - How to love
If the
things of this world delight you, turn your love to their Creator so that in
what pleases you, you may not displease him.
If you love
people, love them in God because they too are frail and only stand firm when
they hold on to him. Love them in him, and draw as many to him as you can.
The world was made by him, and exists in him.
Wherever we taste truth, there is God. He is in our very inmost hearts, but we
have strayed from him. Cling to him who made you, and peace will be yours.
The good things we love are all from God, but
they are good and sweet only when they are used to do his will; they will turn
bitter if they are wrongly loved. In this land of death you try to make
yourself a happy life. You won’t find it there.
Our life himself came down into the world, and
took away our death, calling us to return to him in Heaven. He went from our
sight, so that we should find him in our hearts.
Your life has come down from Heaven, will you
not now at last with him and live? But how can you rise if you sit in high
places and your clamour reaches to Heaven? Come down from your heights and this
time climb to God.
