St. Augustine and Love

Thank you Scott for updating the masses about my absence...in my rush to get to school, I forgot to inform everyone that I wouldn't be here at all...

Anyway, in Latin today I was translating a sermon by St. Augustine, called "God, I will sing to You a new song." I have realized two things: St. Augustine wrote better Latin than Vergil, and that he was more of a genius than I had previously thought. He drew from the psalms, St. Paul, and John to come to the conclusion that Love is a new song to the Lord. I can't really describe the logic at the moment, since I don't have it in front of me, but let's assume for the moment that St. Augustine was right.

Love is a song to the Lord. Now, love means a billion different thing today, but it is quite obvious from context that St. Augustine was speaking about caritas, or divine love. So this means, whenever we act with charity, we are singing to the Lord a song of praise. After all, because of our human weakness, we couldn't love without God, so each act of charity is praise to the creator - a song of praise. And when we sing, we pray twice... Therefore, a person who acts always with charity will constantly be offering up a prayer to the Lord. Intersting stuff, huh. I love St. Augustine.

Whenever you get the chance, read the Church fathers/doctors. They really are brilliant. We are meant to follow in their footsteps, but how can we if we don't know them? They will pray for you, and give you the best examples. Read St. Francis de Sales' Introduction to the Devout Life, or perhaps St. Therese of Avilla's autobiography. Any sermons by all the doctors who were priests or bishops... Don't just read them, though. Take them and meditate on them. That way, not only your understanding of the faith will grow, but also your prayer life.

Put a little saint in your day!

I may or may not ever post again until Thanksgiving break...

~Ambrose