Sunday, July 6, 2014
Deacon Robert Banet
Charlie, you look kind of excited. Not your usual self.
Yeah, I know. I just ran across something by St. Augustine and it rang a bell with me.
Oh? And what was that?
St. Augustine said if you say “enough,” you’re dead.
That’s pretty striking. What bell did that ring with you?
You remember the famous Faust legend?
Yes, how could I forget it? It’s about a man who sold his soul to the devil.
Right. And in the German version (there are a number of versions, as you know) the devil says,
“As soon as you say enough, I want this moment to last forever, you lose your soul.”
Right. At that moment the devil is allowed to drag Faust to hell. Ah yes, I see how that rang a bell with you.
St. Augustine says as soon you say that magic word, you’ve had it. You’re lost.
Ah, yes. As soon as you say enough of anything, like mortification, or penance or even good things, like pleasure or consolation, as soon as you say that it’s enough, you lose sight of the Infinite. You say to God, “This finite good is good enough for me,” you lose your taste for the Infinite Good.
That reminds me of another of that saint’s word of wisdom.
Namely?
He says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” Nothing will really satify us except God Himself.