Wednesday, December 27 : Saint Augustine

The Lord came himself, doctor of charity, filled with charity. (…) Think with me, brothers, to the nature of these two precepts. They must be very well known to you, and not only come to mind, when we recall them, but never fade from our hearts: this is our duty. Think always that you must love God and his neighbor. God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind; And your neighbor as yourself. (…) The love of God is the first in the order of the precept, but the love of neighbor is the first in the order of execution. And indeed, the one who commanded this love in two precepts to you, could not command you to love your neighbor and then God ; But God and then neighbor. Only, because you do not yet see God, it is by loving your neighbor that you deserve to see Him; By loving neighbor, you purify your eye to see God. It is for John obvious: “If you do not like your brother that you see, how can you love God that you do not see? (1JN 4,20) We tell you: love God. If you say to me: show me the one I should love; What will I answer, if not what John says, “God, no one has ever seen him” (JN1,18). And yet do not believe yourself completely foreign to the vision of God: “God, says John, is love”; and “anyone who remains in love remains in God” (1JN 4,16). Consider in you the source of this love of neighbor; There, as much as it is possible, you will see God. (…) “Then your light will shine, like morning light” (is 58,8). Your light is your God, for you, morning light, because it will succeed the night of this century: it, in fact, does not rise or set, because it remains forever.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team