Before posting the Bible citations regarding the gift of the Holy Spirit Understanding, and before moving on to discuss the gift of the Holy Spirit that rests on all the previous gifts, Wisdom, here is a prayer that is written by a holy man who not only had great fullness of all seven gifts, but also demonstrates the gifts in this prayer that he wrote. This is by the great St. Augustine, who was born and lived in Africa 354-430. It is quite an understanding of the reality of the temptations and realities of human nature. Only a man so thoroughly receptive of the gifts of Fear of the Lord, Piety, Knowledge, Fortitude, Counsel, Understanding and Wisdom could comprehend humans and God so well, and write this.
Prayer of St. Augustine
Before Thine eyes, O Lord, we bring our sins, and we compare them with the stripes we have received.
If we examine the evil we have wrought, what we suffer is little, what we deserve is great.
What we have committed is very grievous, what we have suffered is very slight.
We feel the punishment of sin, yet withdraw not from the obstinacy of sinning.
Under Thy lash our inconstancy is visited, but our sinfulness is not changed.
Our suffering soul is tormented, but our neck is not bent.
Our life groans under sorrow, yet amends not in deed.
If Thou spare us, we correct not our ways: if Thou punish, we cannot endure it.
In time of correction we confess our wrongdoing: after Thy visitation we forget that we have wept.
If Thou stretchest forth Thy hand, we promise amendment; if Thou withholdest the sword, we keep not our promise.
If Thou strikest, we cry out for mercy: if Thou sparest, we again provoke Thee to strike.
Here we are before Thee, O Lord, confessedly guilty; we know that unless Thou pardon we shall deservedly perish.
Grant then, O almighty Father, without our deserving it, the pardon we ask; Thou who madest out of nothing those who ask Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
V. Deal not with us, O Lord, according to our sins.
R. Neither reward us according to our iniquities.
Let us pray.-O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy suppliant people, and turn away the scourges of Thy wrath, which we deserve for our sins. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
Showing posts with label St. Augustine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Augustine. Show all posts
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Interesting St. Augustine sermon quote re belief
Still researching my original topic. Anyway, I wanted to share this quote from the great St. Augustine (354-430) from one of his sermons. I want to use it as a way to illustrate some of the faith and reason interpretive skills I've been teaching. He said:
The Church is spread throughout the whole world: all nations have the Church. Let no one deceive you; it is true, it is the Catholic Church. Christ we have not seen, but we have her; let us believe as regards Him. The Apostles, on the contrary, saw Him, but they believed as regards her. (Sermon 238).
Rather than just gliding over these sentences and thinking, "Well, that's a nice statement of faith," analyze it like a scholar. You can glean these observations by doing so:
1. During the 4Th century every nation (that is, all the nations that were known of at that time in history) had at least a few Catholic present.
2. Therefore, people who state that the faith does not exist are incorrect, because obviously there is a shared belief that has penetrated every nation, whether it be a small presence or a large one, the point is that the common belief is unified through all nations in some degree.
3. The basic premise of faith is the ability to believe what one has not physically seen, so he reiterates that the Catholic Church is the "see-able" part of the faith, since obviously they cannot see Jesus Christ, who passed from the earth several hundred years previously.
4. The Apostles had the ability to see Jesus Christ in person, while they had to "have faith" in the future Catholic Church.
See, from a few sentences you can get solid facts about Church and societal conditions at this time in faith history plus a very interesting observation about faith. I'm not sure many people have thought about the fact that the Apostles "had" Jesus right in front of them; they had to have "faith" in the future Catholic Church. People today have the Catholic Church, and have to have "faith" in Jesus, who they do not have physically present in their midst (and will not until the End of Days).
Slowing down and reading what someone writes, whether clerical or a layperson, from a point in time and not just glossing over it as just another thing to say gives real insights about not only that person's beliefs and assertions, but actually kind of a spyglass back into that point of time in human and faith history. This is similar to what I wrote two postings ago about St. Jerome's letter suggesting the making of alphabet blocks. Reading a saint's letters tell you something valuable about 1) his idea for a child's instruction and 2) this was a girl child he was advising, so it's not like the stereotype that no one cared about teaching and educating young girls at all. Without having an agenda he wrote this letter giving kindly advice to family friends, and thus modern readers get a glimpse into the much more nuanced behavior and attitudes of the 4Th century than people often assume.
The Church is spread throughout the whole world: all nations have the Church. Let no one deceive you; it is true, it is the Catholic Church. Christ we have not seen, but we have her; let us believe as regards Him. The Apostles, on the contrary, saw Him, but they believed as regards her. (Sermon 238).
Rather than just gliding over these sentences and thinking, "Well, that's a nice statement of faith," analyze it like a scholar. You can glean these observations by doing so:
1. During the 4Th century every nation (that is, all the nations that were known of at that time in history) had at least a few Catholic present.
2. Therefore, people who state that the faith does not exist are incorrect, because obviously there is a shared belief that has penetrated every nation, whether it be a small presence or a large one, the point is that the common belief is unified through all nations in some degree.
3. The basic premise of faith is the ability to believe what one has not physically seen, so he reiterates that the Catholic Church is the "see-able" part of the faith, since obviously they cannot see Jesus Christ, who passed from the earth several hundred years previously.
4. The Apostles had the ability to see Jesus Christ in person, while they had to "have faith" in the future Catholic Church.
See, from a few sentences you can get solid facts about Church and societal conditions at this time in faith history plus a very interesting observation about faith. I'm not sure many people have thought about the fact that the Apostles "had" Jesus right in front of them; they had to have "faith" in the future Catholic Church. People today have the Catholic Church, and have to have "faith" in Jesus, who they do not have physically present in their midst (and will not until the End of Days).
Slowing down and reading what someone writes, whether clerical or a layperson, from a point in time and not just glossing over it as just another thing to say gives real insights about not only that person's beliefs and assertions, but actually kind of a spyglass back into that point of time in human and faith history. This is similar to what I wrote two postings ago about St. Jerome's letter suggesting the making of alphabet blocks. Reading a saint's letters tell you something valuable about 1) his idea for a child's instruction and 2) this was a girl child he was advising, so it's not like the stereotype that no one cared about teaching and educating young girls at all. Without having an agenda he wrote this letter giving kindly advice to family friends, and thus modern readers get a glimpse into the much more nuanced behavior and attitudes of the 4Th century than people often assume.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Recommended Prayer: Petitions of St Augustine
Lord Jesus, let me know myself; let me know You,
And desire nothing else but You.
Let me hate myself and love You,
And do all things for Your sake.
Let me humble myself and exalt You,
And think of nothing else but you.
Let me die to myself and live in You,
And take whatever happens as coming from You.
Let me forsake myself and walk after You,
And ever desire to follow You.
Let me flee from myself and turn to You,
That so I may merit to be defended by You.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear You,
And be among those chosen by You.
Let me distrust myself and trust in You,
And ever obey for the love of You.
Let me cleave to nothing but You,
And ever be poor because of You.
Look upon me that I may love You,
Call me, that I may see You.
And forever possess You, for all eternity. Amen.
And desire nothing else but You.
Let me hate myself and love You,
And do all things for Your sake.
Let me humble myself and exalt You,
And think of nothing else but you.
Let me die to myself and live in You,
And take whatever happens as coming from You.
Let me forsake myself and walk after You,
And ever desire to follow You.
Let me flee from myself and turn to You,
That so I may merit to be defended by You.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear You,
And be among those chosen by You.
Let me distrust myself and trust in You,
And ever obey for the love of You.
Let me cleave to nothing but You,
And ever be poor because of You.
Look upon me that I may love You,
Call me, that I may see You.
And forever possess You, for all eternity. Amen.
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