ByQuotes

Saint Augustine Quotes

Powerful Saint Augustine for Daily Growth

About Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), renowned philosopher, theologian, and Bishop of Hippo Regius in North Africa, is one of the most significant figures in Western Christianity and philosophy. Born in Tagaste (modern-day Souk Ahras, Algeria) to a Roman family, Augustine was the son of Patricius, a pagan, and Monica, a devout Christian. Attracted by Manichaeism in his youth, Augustine later studied rhetoric at Carthage before moving to Rome and Milan where he was influenced by Neoplatonist philosophy. He eventually became a teacher of rhetoric in Milan, where he met Bishop Ambrose, who profoundly affected his religious journey. Augustine experienced a spiritual crisis during these years, which culminated in the famous "Confessions," an introspective account of his life and struggle with faith. In 386 AD, moved by the story of the child Athanasius, Augustine had a conversion experience in a garden, and soon after, was baptized by Bishop Ambrose. Returning to Tagaste, Augustine began preaching Christianity, but faced hostility from local pagans and Manichaeans. In 395 AD, he was ordained as a priest, and four years later, became Bishop of Hippo. During his episcopate, Augustine wrote prolifically on theology, philosophy, and biblical exegesis, addressing issues such as the Trinity, original sin, and grace. Influenced by Platonic and Neoplatonic thought, yet deeply Christian, Augustine's works, including "Confessions," "City of God," and numerous sermons and letters, have had a profound impact on Western theology and philosophy, shaping Christianity as we know it today. His feast day is celebrated on August 28th.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you."

This quote by Saint Augustine suggests that humans have an innate yearning or longing for something beyond themselves, which can only be satisfied through a connection with God. The feeling of discontent, unease, or restlessness experienced by individuals is a result of our hearts seeking completeness and peace in a divine relationship. In other words, until we find this spiritual fulfillment by connecting with the divine, we remain in a state of restlessness.

"God, who is love, loves each one of us as though there were only one of us to love."

This quote by Saint Augustine signifies that God's love for every individual is unique and personalized, despite the vastness of humanity. He loves each soul intensely and singularly, as if there were only one person in existence. It suggests an unwavering, individualized affection from the divine towards every human being, emphasizing the depth and richness of God's love for each of us.

"The world was made for the glory of God, and man's life should be a reflection of that glory."

This quote by Saint Augustine emphasizes that the purpose of creation is to glorify God, and humans, being a part of this creation, should aim to reflect that divine glory in their lives. Essentially, it suggests that individuals should strive to live in a way that honors and glorifies God, thereby fulfilling the purpose for which they were created. This can be achieved through living a life of virtue, love, compassion, and obedience to God's will, ultimately reflecting His glory in their actions and conduct.

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe."

This quote by Saint Augustine emphasizes the concept that faith is a belief in something unseen or unprovable, yet it carries a promise of seeing its reality or validation upon its fulfillment. It highlights the importance of trusting in things beyond empirical evidence, suggesting that such faith can ultimately lead to the experience or realization of what was once invisible or uncertain.

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?"

This quote emphasizes that material wealth or worldly success is meaningless if one loses their spiritual integrity or inner peace, which is often symbolized by the soul. In essence, Augustine suggests that while gaining the world can provide temporary happiness or power, it holds no value if it comes at the expense of one's eternal well-being and moral character. The focus should be on balancing material success with spiritual growth to ensure a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.

- Saint Augustine

Believe, Reward, See, Faith

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.

- Saint Augustine

Work, Though, Depended, Faith

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.

- Saint Augustine

Only, Loves, Were, Easter

What I needed most was to love and to be loved, eager to be caught. Happily I wrapped those painful bonds around me; and sure enough, I would be lashed with the red-hot pokers or jealousy, by suspicions and fear, by burst of anger and quarrels.

- Saint Augustine

Love, Caught, Needed, Eager

Punishment is justice for the unjust.

- Saint Augustine

Justice, Legal, Unjust, Punishment

It is not the punishment but the cause that makes the martyr.

- Saint Augustine

Martyr, Makes, Cause, Punishment

Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.

- Saint Augustine

Waves, Rivers, Abroad, Huge

What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.

- Saint Augustine

Love, Sympathy, Feet, Ears

My mind withdrew its thoughts from experience, extracting itself from the contradictory throng of sensuous images, that it might find out what that light was wherein it was bathed... And thus, with the flash of one hurried glance, it attained to the vision of That Which Is.

- Saint Augustine

Experience, Out, Wherein, Contradictory

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.

- Saint Augustine

Success, Will, Lay, Descending

Who can map out the various forces at play in one soul? Man is a great depth, O Lord. The hairs of his head are easier by far to count than his feeling, the movements of his heart.

- Saint Augustine

Soul, Play, Lord, Depth

Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked.

- Saint Augustine

Beauty, Gift, Think, Wicked

Oh Lord, give me chastity, but do not give it yet.

- Saint Augustine

Me, Give, Lord, Give Me

The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences.

- Saint Augustine

Experience, Through, Here, Printed

The honors of this world, what are they but puff, and emptiness, and peril of falling?

- Saint Augustine

World, Falling, Puff, Honors

Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.

- Saint Augustine

Thee, Created, Thyself, Rests

In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?

- Saint Augustine

Justice, Government, Absence, Sovereignty

It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.

- Saint Augustine

Law, Me, Unjust, No Law

If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.

- Saint Augustine

Gospel, Like, Reject, Gospels

Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider.

- Saint Augustine

Grace, Horse, Will, Rider

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.

- Saint Augustine

Love, Beauty, Grows, Love Is

The verdict of the world is conclusive.

- Saint Augustine

World, Conclusive, Verdict

A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false because spoken magnificently.

- Saint Augustine

True, Badly, Nor, Uttered

To abstain from sin when one can no longer sin is to be forsaken by sin, not to forsake it.

- Saint Augustine

Sin, Longer, Abstain, Forsake

Grant what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt.

- Saint Augustine

Thou, Then, Wilt, Grant

Thou must be emptied of that wherewith thou art full, that thou mayest be filled with that whereof thou art empty.

- Saint Augustine

Art, Must, Thou Art, Thou

O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.

- Saint Augustine

God, Holy, Descend, Cheerful

This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.

- Saint Augustine

Find, Very, His, Perfection

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

- Saint Augustine

Humility, Angels, Devils, Changed

We cannot pass our guardian angel's bounds, resigned or sullen, he will hear our sighs.

- Saint Augustine

Will, Pass, We Cannot, Bounds

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.