August 28: Saint Augustine / San Agustín

As we celebrate the feastday of St. Augustine, let us ponder some of his own words, words which are among the most powerful expressions of the love of God that we have in our long and rich tradition.

Perhaps these quotes will inspire us today:

• “Great are you, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is your power, and of your wisdom there is no end … for you have formed us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in you.”
• “In a spirit of thankfulness let me recall the mercies you lavished on me, O my God; to you let me confess them. May I be flooded with love for you until my very bones cry out, ‘Who is like you, O Lord?’”
• “Ah, how high you are in the heights of heaven, how deep in the depths! From no place are you absent, yet how tardily do we return to you! Come, Lord, arouse us and call us back, kindle us and seize us, prove to us how sweet you are in your burning tenderness; let us love you and run to you.”

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Algunos necesitan la mitad de su vida para descubrir que estaban equivocados, o quizás para tener el valor de ser suficientemente honestos consigo mismos y para enfrentarse a Dios y a sí mismos – como San Agustín. Tenía un corazón inquieto, era un buscador. Una vez que encontró ese valor, su tranquilidad en Dios, reflexionó profundamente sobre su fe. Llegó a ser un teólogo muy brillante, pero al mismo tiempo un hombre accesible para la gente sencilla y un modelo de amor para todos los que le rodeaban.