From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Do you wish to RISE?   
      
   “Do you wish to RISE?   
   Begin by DESCENDING.   
   You plan a tower that will pierce the CLOUDS?   
   Lay first the foundation of HUMILITY”   
   “I will suggest a means whereby   
   you can praise God all day long, if you wish.   
   Whatever you do, do it well and you have praised God.”   
   --St Augustine   Father & Doctor of Grace   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   August 28th - St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church   
      
   by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876   
      
   See more at:   
   http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Augustine.html   
      
      
   PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS.   
      
   Out of many points in the life of St. Augustine,   
   which are worthy of imitation, we will consider only a few.   
      
   I. St. Augustine was already thirty-three years old, when he was   
   converted and began to serve the Almighty. Up to that time he had   
   lived in great frivolity: but after it, in the most perfect holiness.   
   He often wept because he had begun so late to love and serve God, and   
   he endeavored by his zeal to atone for his neglect. You have, perhaps,   
   passed the greater part of your life as wickedly, or even worse than   
   St. Augustine. Endeavor then, to correct your conduct in the time   
   which is still left to you. Repent daily with your whole heart for   
   having begun so late to serve God, and make amends, by redoubled   
   fervor for the time you have lost.   
      
   II. St. Augustine long deferred his conversion, but when once   
   resolved, he earnestly did penance and continued in it and returned   
   not again to his former life of sin. Have you not also deferred your   
   reform long enough? Make today a heroic determination. Reform, do   
   penance; and continue in it with firmness and constancy.   
      
   III. The incentive to the conversion of St. Augustine was the   
   preaching of St. Ambrose, which he went to hear, and the verse of the   
   Epistle of St. Paul, which he read. A sinner who neither goes to hear   
   a sermon nor reads devout books, is far from conversion, far from his   
   salvation. How is your conduct in regard to this?   
      
   IV. St. Augustine revealed to the whole world the iniquities which he   
   had committed in his youth. Why do you hesitate to reveal your sins to   
   a priest, in secret? The same holy teacher says: "If you lie hidden   
   without confession," that is, if you do not confess, but hide your   
   sins, " you will be damned without confession." Is it less terrible to   
   be damned, than to confess your sin to a priest who can never reveal a   
   word of it?   
      
   V. St. Augustine believed at first that it would be impossible for him   
   to live chastely and reform his evil habits. But the example of so   
   many Saints who lived a pure life, and afterwards his own experience   
   taught him that it was possible; for, he confessed that what had   
   seemed impossible had become an easy task. You will experience the   
   same if, like St. Augustine, you commence to conquer yourself.   
      
   VI. From a hardened heretic, St. Augustine became not only a fervent   
   Catholic, but also a teacher and protector of the true faith. The gift   
   of the Catholic faith he prized above everything, and offered   
   frequently to God most humble thanks for it. "There is no greater   
   treasure," he writes, "no greater honor, no greater good, in this   
   world, than the Catholic faith." From the period of his conversion, he   
   was eager in his endeavors to convert the heretics from their errors,   
   and bring them back into the pale of the true Church, both, by word of   
   mouth, and also by his pen. His most fervent wish was, that all might   
   be Catholics. May you esteem the gift of the Catholic faith more than   
   you have heretofore done. Give thanks to God that He has bestowed this   
   gift upon you. Seek, by words as well as by a truly Christian life, to   
   convert others to the true faith. And, finally, learn from St.   
   Augustine, how you should pass the time which God gives you, when he   
   sends you sickness before your end. Guard yourself against frivolous   
   and idle conversations, do not permit them at your sick bed. Use the   
   time to repent of your iniquities. Let others read to you from a   
   devout book, that you may constantly be occupied with good thoughts.   
   The last days of your life are precious; use them rightly; they never   
   return. Cease not to repent of your sins and to pray God to forgive   
   you, until your last breath; for, the words of St. Augustine are and   
   ever will remain true: " No Christian, however piously he may have   
   lived, should die without repentance."   
      
      
   Saint Quotes:   
   “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance;   
   to seek Him the greatest adventure;   
   to find Him the greatest human achievement.”   
   --St Augustine   
      
   “You ask what you might offer to God?   
   Offer yourself!   
   What does God expect from you, except yourself?”   
   --St Augustine   
      
   “One of the holiest works,   
   one of the best exercises of piety   
   which we can practice in this world,   
   is to offer sacrifices, alms and prayer for the dead.”   
   --St Augustine   
      
   “Conquer yourself and the world lies at your feet.”   
      
      
   “God has no need of your money   
   but the poor have.   
   You give it to the poor and God receives it.”   
   --St Augustine   
      
   “Our life and our death are with our neighbour.”   
   --St Augustine   
      
   <><><><>   
   PRAYER – Lord God, renew Your Church with he Spirit of wisdom and love   
   which You gave to St Augustine. Lead us by that same Spirit, to seek   
   You, the only fountain of true wisdom and the source of everlasting   
   love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, in union with the   
   Spirit, one God, forever and ever, St Augustine, pray for the Church   
   and for us all, amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)