1 Timothy 1:14
You can’t blame any human faults on God, for pride causes all human offenses. Their remedy, however, the conviction and removal of sin, comes from heaven. In mercy, God humbles Himself. He descends from above and displays to us pure, visible grace in human form. He becomes a Man of great love for those who join with Him. For even though the Word of God was so united with God as to be called His Son, He was also the Son of Man, and never acted according to His own will.
This is an important example for us. It is the divine lesson taught by and learned from the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ. Now we all know, now we don’t know; now we rejoice, now we don’t rejoice—in order to begin, continue, and complete our good work. Then we will understand that our knowledge and joy aren’t a result of our own wills, but are gifts of God. We will be cured of our vanity and understand the spiritual truth that “the Lord will give kindness and sweet grace, and our land shall yield her fruit.”
—Augustine of Hippo
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
You can’t blame any human faults on God, for pride causes all human offenses. Their remedy, however, the conviction and removal of sin, comes from heaven. In mercy, God humbles Himself. He descends from above and displays to us pure, visible grace in human form. He becomes a Man of great love for those who join with Him. For even though the Word of God was so united with God as to be called His Son, He was also the Son of Man, and never acted according to His own will.
This is an important example for us. It is the divine lesson taught by and learned from the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ. Now we all know, now we don’t know; now we rejoice, now we don’t rejoice—in order to begin, continue, and complete our good work. Then we will understand that our knowledge and joy aren’t a result of our own wills, but are gifts of God. We will be cured of our vanity and understand the spiritual truth that “the Lord will give kindness and sweet grace, and our land shall yield her fruit.”
—Augustine of Hippo
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
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