A Sacrifice
What sacrifice can I offer to God that is worthy of his mercy? Shall I look for a victim from among my herds? No, I will freely offer a sacrifice of praise. Freely: for his sake alone, not for any other reason.
If you praise him for anything else you do not praise him freely. Understand what i mean: suppose you praise God so that he may make you rich. If your riches could be acquired any other way, you would not praise him.
By all means ask him for what will profit you for all eternity, but love and praise him for himself alone. 'Praise his name for he is good' - not for any other reason.
Remember God does not ask of us anything he has not already given us. He does not say, 'Look at your fields and herds an see what you can offer me as a holocaust'.
A holocaust is an offering wholly consumed by fire, and love itself is a blazing fire. When the soul is on fire with the love of God it draws the whole man to its purpose, leaving no room for lesser loves.
If you want to offer him the holocaust of which he has said, 'It is ever before my eyes', be ablaze with divine love, thanking him for giving you whatever is good in you and for forgiving you whatever is evil.
DAILY READING WITH
St Augustine --- The Heart at Rest
What sacrifice can I offer to God that is worthy of his mercy? Shall I look for a victim from among my herds? No, I will freely offer a sacrifice of praise. Freely: for his sake alone, not for any other reason.
If you praise him for anything else you do not praise him freely. Understand what i mean: suppose you praise God so that he may make you rich. If your riches could be acquired any other way, you would not praise him.
By all means ask him for what will profit you for all eternity, but love and praise him for himself alone. 'Praise his name for he is good' - not for any other reason.
Remember God does not ask of us anything he has not already given us. He does not say, 'Look at your fields and herds an see what you can offer me as a holocaust'.
A holocaust is an offering wholly consumed by fire, and love itself is a blazing fire. When the soul is on fire with the love of God it draws the whole man to its purpose, leaving no room for lesser loves.
If you want to offer him the holocaust of which he has said, 'It is ever before my eyes', be ablaze with divine love, thanking him for giving you whatever is good in you and for forgiving you whatever is evil.
DAILY READING WITH
St Augustine --- The Heart at Rest
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