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... "but Not Yet"


Aloysius

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"Lord, make me pure, but not yet!" -St. Augustine

 

what kind of look do you think Our Lord gives St. Augustine up in heaven every time someone uses this quote to justify putting off repentance?

 

:cyclops:

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I'm not sure how the quote is an excuse to put off repentance.  I see it as an acknowledgement that lack of repentance is at some level the result of the human will.  That however habitual, sin shouldn't be blamed on external, uncontrollable forces.

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Ash Wednesday

Sadly people use quotes by Jesus himself to delay repentance. But then again even Satan could quote scripture.

Edited by Ash Wednesday
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I'm not sure how the quote is an excuse to put off repentance.  I see it as an acknowledgement that lack of repentance is at some level the result of the human will.  That however habitual, sin shouldn't be blamed on external, uncontrollable forces.

well, Augustine himself used it to put off repentance... he said it before he had fully converted, it's in his Confessions book if I'm not mistaken... he kind of wanted to convert but didn't want to give up on sin just yet, basically.

 

anyway the grumpy cat look, yes that's the look I imagine haha... I think this is probably one of the most famous pre-holiness quotes from a saint out there... 

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IgnatiusofLoyola

"Lord, make me pure, but not yet!" -St. Augustine

 

what kind of look do you think Our Lord gives St. Augustine up in heaven every time someone uses this quote to justify putting off repentance?

 

:cyclops:

 

I've always liked this quote by St. Augustine because it is so honest. In his writings after conversion, St. Augustine could have easily omitted this statement, but instead included it, even though it reveals how weak he was before conversion.

 

I suspect that God would rather hear an honest statement like this, rather than the false piety of some who present themselves to others as pious and holy, but inside are far from that.

 

Jesus didn't get angry very often in his life. One of the only times (the only time?) Jesus got really angry was when he yelled at the Pharisees for their false piety.

 

At least St. Augustine wanted to be pure (not just appear to be pure to others). The second half of his statement seems to me an honest admission of how far he was at that point from truly embracing his conversion.

 

I suspect that people who use this quote to justify putting off repentence are taking it out of context--whether knowingly or unknowingly.

 

But, weak people like me find the statement oddly comforting. Even someone as great as St. Augustine was not always great, so there is a chance for even someone like me to become more holy.  

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IgnatiusofLoyola

psh of course I like the statement too... just a little light hearted joke :)

 

Okay, I didn't see that. I don't know you or your sense of humor.

 

And, I HAVE been taking things too seriously lately!

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no problem, it provided an interesting reflection anyway.  a post that can inspire a grumpy cat and an edifying response is worth its weight in tacos.

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