Augustine in His Own Words
On the City of God 371 of every species that amaze us most when they are smallest in size. The activity of ants and bees, for example, seems more stupendous than the sheer immensity of whales. Or take a look at the grandiose spectacle of the open sea, clothing and reclothing itself in changing shades of green and purple and blue. And what a delight when the ocean breaks into a storm and can be enjoyed—at least from the shore where there is no fear of the fury of the waves! Or think of God's overflowing outpourings. There are the never-ending stores of foods that banish hunger; the variety of flavors which nature generously provides without calling on the skill of cooks to stimulate our sluggish appetite; the medicinal value of so many foods, whether we are sick or healthy. We have to thank God too for the alternations of day and night, for the solace of soothing breezes, and for the plants and animals that provide the linen and wool for making our clothing.
No one could catalogue all of God's bounties. Each of the blessings which I have, as it were, piled up in a heap, contains a multitude of lesser blessings wrapped up within it; and if I were to unfold each of these packages and deal with the blessing in detail, I should never end. And, remember, all these favors taken together are but the fragmentary solace allowed us in a life condemned to misery. What, then, must be the consolations of the blessed, seeing that those on earth enjoy so much of so many and of such marvelous blessings? What good will God not give to those predestined to eternal life if He gives so much to those who are doomed to death? What joys in the life of beatitude will God not shower on those for whom, in that life of misery, He allowed His only-begotten Son to suffer so many sorrows, even unto death? It was this that St. Paul had in mind when he wrote: "He who has not spared even His own Son but delivered him for us all, how can He fail to grant us also all things with Him?" (Rom 8:32) When this promise is fulfilled, what will we be? What will we be like? What good things will we receive in that kingdom since we have already received Christ's death here as a downpayment? Just imagine how perfectly at peace and how strong will be the human spirit when there will be no passion to play the tyrant or the conqueror, no temptation even to test the spirit's strength. And think of the mind's universal knowledge in that condition where we shall drink, in all happiness and ease, of God's own wisdom at the very source. Think how great, how beautiful, how certain, how unerring, how easily acquired this knowledge then will be. And what a body, too, we shall have, a body utterly subject to our spirit and one kept so alive by spirit that there will be no need of any other food. For it will be a spiritual body, no longer merely animal, one composed, indeed, of flesh but free from every corruption of the flesh.78
78. Civ. Dei 22.24 (CCL 48:846–52); my trans., based on Walsh and Honan, FOTC 24:481–89.