Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Poetry Wednesday--Saint Augustine

Late have I loved you,

O Beauty ever ancient, ever new,

late have I loved you!



You were within me,

but I was outside

and it was there

that I searched for you



In my unloveliness I plunged

into the lovely things

which you created.



You were with me,

but I was not with you.

Created things kept me from you


yet if they had not been

they would have not been

at all.



You called,

you shouted,

and you broke through

my deafness.



You flashed,

you shone,

and you dispelled my blindness.



You breathed your fragrance on me
I drew in breath and now I pant for you.

I have tasted you,

now I hunger and thirst for more.


You touched me,

and I burned

for your peace.


~Saint Augustine, 397 AD

6 comments:

TACParent said...

You were within me,
but I was outside,
and it was there
that I searched for you.

This is my favorite stanza. So often if I pause and look inward I find "peace" and "the answer." I just need to allow myself time to quiet.

Staying in Balance said...

Quiet is very important and a good thing to cultivate. That's why I think monastics have much to teach us.

Anonymous said...

A lot of us can relate to Augustine words, as we were either ignorant of God or rejected Him. Thankfully, He is full of grace. This is a beautiful prayer!

Evan

Staying in Balance said...

Absolutely. There is never enough time to get to know God.

Michele said...

when i started reading that, i thought it was your poetry:D but its nice never the less:)

Staying in Balance said...

Oh, I wish, Michele!

Dymphna's favorite quotes


"Slavery ended in medieval Europe only because the church extended its sacraments to all slaves and then managed to impose a ban on the enslavement of Christians (and of Jews). Within the context of medieval Europe, that prohibition was effectively a rule of universal abolition. "— Rodney Stark

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