Hope’s Beautiful Daughters…
It is alleged that St Augustine said that hope has two beautiful daughters, anger and courage. Without these, Augustine argued, hope comes to nothing. Why these two daughters? (And although off the point, why daughters? Don’t we usually see anger and courage as male qualities? Clearly Augustine didn’t, and perhaps his 5th century wisdom should cause us to reflect on where we most often spot valid expressions of anger and courage). Returning to our question – why these daughters? Take anger… Instinctively we default back to the status quo. While we might quietly wish that things...
Read MoreManaging Monday: Some final (for a while) Augustine quotes…
February is drawing to a close all too quickly. Here are a final set (well, for a while) of three Augustine of Hippo (354-430) quotes to help us manage Monday. Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. People travel to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean; and they pass by themselves without wondering. Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances,...
Read MoreManaging Monday: Insights from Augustine
Each Monday in February we are looking at 3 different Augustine of Hippo (354-430) quotes. Hope this weeks selection speaks to you… Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself. In my deepest wound I saw your glory and it dazzled me.
Read MoreManaging Monday: With some help from Augustine
This February we have been trying to manage Monday with some insights from Augustine of Hippo (354-430) – perhaps the churches greatest theologian. Here are three more quotes. My advice (for what it is worth…), don’t gobble them too quickly – taste one at a time and let the import sink in… There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future Beware of despairing about yourself; you are commanded to place your trust in God, and not in yourself. The church is the traveller’s inn where the wounded are healed....
Read MoreManaging Monday: A little extra Augustine…
Last week we had a taster of 3 Augustine of Hippo (354-430) quotes. Here are the next 3. Hope they help you manage Monday… From Augustine… Patience is the companion of wisdom What does love look like? It has hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like. Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever: and take care of your soul as if you were going to die...
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