Catholic values in a hostile political climate

For all science has learned and all man has accomplished in the last 1600 years since this was written by Saint Augustine, it is as true today as it was then. The grain of seed Saint Augustine speaks of then is still a mystery to science even though many “think” they understand it. Miracles are all around us but we refuse to see. “None are so blind as those who will “not” see.

Quote from St. Augustine’s City of God

“Certainly the miracles done by our Lord Jesus Christ are divine works, and they prompt the human mind to an understanding of God by means of visible things. But because God is not of such substance as can be seen with the eyes, and because His miracles by which He rules the whole world and governs the whole of creation are so

consistently unappreciated that hardly anyone takes the trouble to consider the marvelous and stupendous works of God in every grain of seed, God has, in His mercy, reserved to Himself certain works outside the accustomed order and course of nature which He performs at an opportune time so that those who do not appreciate His daily works may be amazed at seeing what is not greater but only less frequent. For the governing of the whole world is a greater miracle than the feeding of five thousand men with five loaves of bread. Yet no one marvels at it; but men do marvel at the latter, not because it is greater, but because it is rare. Yet it is not enough to observe these things in the miracles of Christ. Let us ask the miracles themselves what they tell us of Christ; for if they be understood, they have a tongue of their own. For because Christ Himself is the Word of God, even the deed of the Word is word for us.”

 Devious people will often use this fact to deceive and to slander those with good intent in their attempts to minimize them in the eyes of others. George W. Bush was frequently a target of this type of attack.

Quote from St. Augustine’s City of God.    

“Such is the force of love that, as you can see, it alone separates, it alone distinguishes the actions of men. We said this is the case where the actions are similar. Where they are different we can find a man made savage by love and another made gentle by iniquity. A father beats a boy, and a seducer of boys caresses. If you but name the two actions, who would not choose the caresses and decline the blows? But if you take note of the persons whose actions they are, it is love that beats the boy and iniquity that caresses him. See then what we are insisting upon: that the deeds of men are discerned only by reason of love. . . . A short precept, therefore, is given you: Love, and do what you will. If you are silent, be silent for love; or if you cry out, cry out for love. If you chastise, chastise for love; if you spare, spare for love.”