Quotes about Reflection

As a consequence, we must infer that man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God's majesty.

On the other hand, it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he have previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself.

We see how mankind, without well thinking what they are doing, pursue, with impetuous and   ardent affections, the transitory things of this world; but, in thus catching at the empty shadow of a happy life, they lose true happiness itself.

Man is endowed with a singular excellence, for God formed him in his own image and likeness, in which we see a bright refulgence of God's glory.

But we must always come back to this consolation: The Lord planned our sorrow, so let us submit to his will. Even in the throes of grief, groans, and tears, we must encourage ourselves with this reflection, so that our hearts may cheerfully bear up while the storms pass over our heads (John 21:18).

Augustine is so wholly with me, that if I wished to write a confession of my faith, I could do so with all fullness and satisfaction to myself out of his writings.

Once we've concluded that this earthly life of ours is a gift of divine mercy—and grateful recollection of this is our obligation—then we rightly stoop to consider this life's miserable condition. And by such consideration we disentangle ourselves from excessive desire for this life, which— as has been said—is our natural inclination.

the elegant structure of the world serving us as a kind of mirror, in which we may behold God, though otherwise invisible.

For the one who has learned to regard God in everything he does is at the same time being drawn away from every vain thought.

The ancient proverb says, "Satiety   produces disgust

And, as Augustine expresses it (in Psalm cxliv.), since we are unable to comprehend Him, and are, as it were, overpowered by his greatness, our proper course is to contemplate his works, and

we cannot have a clear and complete knowledge of God unless it is accompanied by a corresponding knowledge of ourselves. This