The charity

St. Augustine

St. Augustine and charity

Whosoever therefore shall follow a life of charity, possesses what is obvious and what is hidden in the divine Scripture. Therefore, brothers, practice charity, sweet and wholesome bond of souls, without which the rich is poor and with which the poor are rich. In adversity it endures, in prosperity moderates, amidst the harsh suffering is strong, in good works is hilarious; in temptations it is very safe, very large in hospitality, among true brothers delighted, among the most patient false. How great is the love! It is the soul of the sacred books, the power of prophecy, the salvation of the mysteries, the power of science, the fruit of faith, the wealth of the poor, the life of those who die.

There is something so magnanimous as to die for the ungodly? There is good will of love of enemies? It alone does not suffer for other people's prosperity, because it is not jealous. It is the only one that does not take pride of his prosperity, it does not swell. It is the only one that does not feel the sting of bad conscience, because it does not operate recklessly. In the midst of the insults he is safe; targeted by hate, it is beneficial; facing anger, and peaceful; between the pitfalls, incapable of doing harm; from the iniquities, groans; in truth, breathe. That is stronger than the charity, not in replacement for most offenses, but treat them? What do the most faithful, not vanity, but to eternity? For this charity bears all things in this life, because everything believes the future life; and endures all things what is done wrong on earth, for in hopes that is promised in heaven: rightly never fails. Follow therefore the Charity: cultivating holy thoughts it inspires, bring about justice. And if in praise of charity find more material than I have been able to expose me, your conduct will be the test. It should, in fact, that the speech of an old is not only serious but also short.

Everyone is what is his love.
If there be in you the love of the world, there can be no love of God. Keep the love of God so that you remain forever, as God is eternal. Each is such that the love he has. Love the Earth? You'll land. Do you love God? Should I conclude: you'll be God. But I do not dare say so myself and listen to the Scripture, "I have said, Ye are gods, and all sons of the Most High". So if you want to be gods, and all sons of the Most High, does not want to love the world and what is in the world.

Everyone lives in what he loves.
It is where we have the heart that we inhabit: Who loves the world, therefore, deserves to be called "world", from the name of the dwelling. As when we say that a house is good or bad, we do not want to condemn or praise the walls of a house, but saying that a house is good or bad, we refer to those who live there; so for the world we want to designate those who live there and are attached. Who are they? They are those who love the world: it is they who live with the heart in the world. Those, however, who do not like the world, they are in the world with the flesh, but with your heart dwell in heaven, as the apostle says, "our citizenship is in heaven".

Love and do what you want.
We find a man who rages for reason of charity and one kind of iniquity to reason. A father beating his son and a slave trader instead treats with respect. If you put yourself in front of these two things, beatings and caresses, who does not prefer the caresses and flees the beatings? If you put mind to people, the charity hits, he coaxes the iniquities. Consider now what we teach here, namely, that the facts of the men do not differ except from the root of charity. Many things, in fact, may be they have good appearance but did not proceed from the root of charity: even the flowers have thorns; some things seem harsh and hard; but they make, to establish a discipline, under the command of charity. Once and for all, then you are forced a brief precept: love and do 'what you want; whether you shut up, shut up for love; whether you speak, you speak of love; whether you correct, correct for love; whether you forgive, forgive out of love; It is the root of love in you, because from this root cannot proceed unless the good.

Only charity distinguishes good works from those not good.
You clap with his knuckles the earthen vessels, to ensure that do not lead cracks and do not sound bad: check if you play well, you see if you are charity.
You see the great works that pride makes: take heed how they are so similar and almost equal to those of charity. Charity offers food from the hungry, but it also does pride: charity does this because the Lord be praised, pride does so to give praise to itself. Charity as a naked and so does pride; charity fasts, but also fast pride; ì charity buries the dead, but bury them pride also. All the good works that the charity wants to do and does, it sets in motion, on the contrary, many pride, and leaded them around like his horses. What does it mean? What we fail to understand, if we examine the works. He who does not love to feel what the Apostle says: "If you will distribute all my possessions to the poor, and if I will give my body to make it burn, but I have not charity, nothing is worth to me." The Holy Writ, then, by this outward show invites us to return within ourselves; back in our intimate by this superficiality that flaunts itself before men. Back to underwear of your conscience, question. Do not look at what flourishes outside, but what is the root that is hidden in the ground. He has taken root in you greed of money? It may be that there is an appearance of good works, but really good works will not be there. He has taken root in you charity? Rest assured, no harm can result.

Only love distinguishes the children of God from the children of the devil. If all you Were marking, sing the Alleluia, receive baptism and entered in the churches, if they were building the walls of the basilicas, only charity does distinguish the children of God. This is the great criterion of discernment. The charity is the gemstone, not having any good which will be whatever you possess; but if you have charity, it alone will be enough.
Fate la vostra scelta: amate! Tale è infatti la fede che distingue i cristiani dai demoni.. Make your choice: you love! This is in fact the faith which distinguishes Christians from demons .. This fire will propel upwards, lift you up, to the sky ... Wherever turns an object that is burning, its flame does not know other direction that is not the sky. Therefore you are inflamed in the spirit and burn with the fire of charity. Strive to be fervent in the divine praises and in the conduct of life, which has to be good in the highest degree. It may be that one is hot and one cold. Well, who is hot inflame those who are cold, and who burns just want to hope that its heat to grow and pray for help. The Lord is ready to give, we open our hearts and we want to receive.

How can you really be at peace except by those who sincerely love? Who can be slow to anger, remaining steadfast in the good, but he who loves fervently? As he can be said to be benign one who does not love the one who rescues? Who is good if not those who become loving? Who can be a believer in a healthy way, if not for that faith which works through love? What use to be meek, if meekness is not inspired by love? And how will be the continent in what defiles, if you do not love what ennobles him? ... Without love, everything else is useless, while love is inconceivable without the other good qualities with which the 'man becomes good.

Charity is a gift that the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts.
Where it comes in men the love of God and neighbor if not from God himself? In fact, if it came not from God, but from men, would the victory the Pelagians; but if it comes from God, we who win the Pelagians. So sit as a judge in our midst, the apostle John, and say: "Beloved, let us love one another." It is on these parole of John that the Pelagians are beginning to raise their pride and say: How can this precept rare, if not by ourselves because we have the right to love each other? But suffered the same John confuses them with the following words: "Because love comes from God." Therefore, it does not come from us but from God.

Elevations.
Oh God, that you are loved by every being who can love, or is it conscious or not; Oh God, I abandon it to decay, to strive for is to love, do you possess; Oh God, which stimulates us faith, raises us the hope, charity unites us: now I love you alone, and only follow you, you just try and are willing to be subject only to you, for you alone with Justice exercises domain and I want to be on your right. Command and order what you want, please, but heal and open my ears so that I can hear your voice. Heal and open my eyes that they may see your signs. Away to me unreasonable movements so that it can recognize. Tell me which way I have to look to see you, and I hope to be able to perform all that I commend him. Unban, please, your runaway slave, Oh Lord, and merciful Father.