Augustine Day by Day - July 11 - The Toil of Righteousness

"Most people would desire -- if it were possible -- to obtain at once the joys of lovely and perfect wisdom, without the endurance of toil in action and suffering. However, that is impossible in this mortal life. In the discipline of the human, the toil of doing the work precedes the delight of understanding the truth."

-- Against Faustus 22, 52

Like I say, "Fides, cogitatio, actio -- faith, thought, action." Then again, Augustne is being so silly -- hasn't he ever seen the ease of downloading knowledge a la The Matrix? Pshaw, Augustine, get wit it. we're so "beyond" you.

Prayer. Lord, you truly gave me free will, but without you my effort is worthless. You give help since you are the one who created, and you do not abandon your creation.

-- Commentary on Psalm 26 (2), 17