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Theology of the Heart: Wisdom of the heart- St. Augustine of
Hippo, Bishop |
LET US SING TO THE LORD A SONG OF LOVE
St. Augustine of Hippo, Bishop
From the Office of Readings,
Apr. 24
Sing to the Lord a new song; his praise is in the assembly of the
saints. We are urged to sing a new song to the Lord, as new men who
have learned a new song. A song is a thing of joy; more profoundly,
it is a thing of love. Anyone, therefore, who has learned to love
the new life has learned to sing a new song, and the new song
reminds us of our new life. The new man, the new song, the new
covenant, all belong to the one kingdom of God, and so the new man
will sing a new song and will belong to the new covenant.
There is not one who does not love something, but the question is,
what to love. The psalms do not tell us not to love, but to choose
the object of our love. But how can we choose unless we are first
chosen? We cannot love unless someone has loved us first. Listen to
the apostle John: We love him, because he first loved us. The source
of man’s love for God can only be found in the fact that God loved
him first. He has given us himself as the object of our love, and he
has also given us its source. What this source is you may learn more
clearly from the apostle Paul who tells us: The love of God has been
poured into our hearts. This love is not something we generate
ourselves; it comes to us through the Holy Spirit who has been given
to us.
Since we have such an assurance, then, let us love God with the love
he has given us. As John tells us more fully: God is love, and
whoever dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. It is not
enough to say: Love is from God. Which of us would dare to pronounce
the words of Scripture: God is love? He alone could say it who knew
what it was to have God dwelling within him. God offers us a short
route to the possession of himself. He cries out: Love me and you
will have me for you would be unable to love me if you did not
possess me already.
My dear brothers and sons, fruit of the true faith and holy seed of
heaven, all you who have been born again in Christ and whose life is
from above, listen to me; or rather, listen to the Holy Spirit
saying through me: Sing to the Lord a new song. Look, you tell me, I
am singing. Yes indeed, you are singing; you are singing clearly, I
can hear you. But make sure that your life does not contradict your
words. Sing with your voices, your hearts, your lips and your lives:
Sing to the Lord a new song’.
Now it is your unquestioned desire to sing of him whom you love, but
you ask me how to sing his praises. You have heard the words: Sing
to the Lord a new song, and you wish to know what praises to sing.
The answer is: His praise is in the assembly of the saints; it is in
the singers themselves. If you desire to praise him, then live what
you express. Live good lives, and you yourselves will be his praise.
This page is the work of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and
Mary
