Saintly Wisdom: St. Augustine

 “If a person on board a ship anchored permanently in the ocean sees his native land from a distance, and also notices the intervening water, such an individual has no way of going ashore. The sea prevents this person from coming to the mainland. Christ comes to the rescue and provides a tree by which such a person may traverse the water. This tree is the Cross of Christ. No one can cross the sea of life unless carried by the Cross. Whoever does not depart from Christ’s Cross will arrive at the true native land, Heaven.” - St. Augustine

“Because we cannot endure perpetually the hardships of life, we seek rest in some earthly things. It may be our house, our family, our children, a little farm, an orchard, or a book we have published. God allows us to suffer tribulations even in these innocent delights in order that we may love life eternal. Otherwise, as travelers going to their country, we might choose the inn - this world – instead of our true home: eternal life.” - St. Augustine

“Why, O dissipated and wandering soul, dost thou seek content in created objects, in the goods and pleasures of life? Seek within thyself, by recollection, the only true and sovereign Good Who is there, and Who alone can satisfy thy desires.”
- St. Augustine

"...I know only one thing - that I must despise the ephemeral and trivial
and seek the immutable and eternal." - St. Augustine