Confessions - Book II - Chapter V
St. Augustine reflects on the human tendency to pursue lesser worldly goods at the expense of the higher divine good, emphasizing that true delight is found only in God.
In this devotional sermon from Confessions Book II Chapter V, St. Augustine explores the human attraction to worldly goods and the spiritual danger of valuing them above God. He reflects on how sin originates from misplaced desires and illustrates the concept through the example of Catiline's motives. Augustine ultimately points believers to find true delight and sweetness only in God, the source of all goodness.
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10. Now there is a comeliness in all beautiful bodies, and in gold and silver and all things. The sense of touch has its own power to please and the other senses find their proper objects in physical sensation. Worldly honor also has its own glory, and so do the powers to command and to overcome: and from these there springs up the desire for revenge. Yet, in seeking these pleasures, we must not depart from thee, O Lord, nor deviate from thy law. The life which we live here has its own peculiar attractiveness because it has a certain measure of comeliness of its own and a harmony with all these inferior values. The bond of human friendship has a sweetness of its own, binding many souls together as one. Yet because of these values, sin is committed, because we have an inordinate preference for these goods of a lower order and neglect the better and the higher good--neglecting thee, O our Lord God, and thy truth and thy law. For these inferior values have their delights, but not at all equal to my God, who hath made them all. For in him do the righteous delight and he is the sweetness of the upright in heart.
11. When, therefore, we inquire why a crime was committed, we do not accept the explanation unless it appears that there was the desire to obtain some of those values which we designate inferior, or else a fear of losing them. For truly they are beautiful and comely, though in comparison with the superior and celestial goods they are abject and contemptible. A man has murdered another man--what was his motive? Either he desired his wife or his property or else he would steal to support himself; or else he was afraid of losing something to him; or else, having been injured, he was burning to be revenged. Would a man commit murder without a motive, taking delight simply in the act of murder? Who would believe such a thing? Even for that savage and brutal man [Catiline], of whom it was said that he was gratuitously wicked and cruel, there is still a motive assigned to his deeds. \"Lest through idleness,\" he says, \"hand or heart should grow inactive.\"[52] And to what purpose? Why, even this: that, having once got possession of the city through his practice of his wicked ways, he might gain honors, empire, and wealth, and thus be exempt from the fear of the laws and from financial difficulties in supplying the needs of his family--and from the consciousness of his own wickedness. So it seems that even Catiline himself loved not his own villainies, but something else, and it was this that gave him the motive for his crimes.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Allure of Worldly Goods
- Physical beauty and sensory pleasures have their own appeal
- Worldly honor and power attract human desire
- These inferior goods possess a certain comeliness but are limited
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II. The Danger of Inordinate Desire
- Sin arises from preferring lesser goods over God
- Human friendship and other values have sweetness but can lead to neglect of God
- The higher good is the divine truth and law
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III. Understanding the Motives Behind Sin
- Crimes are motivated by desire for inferior goods or fear of loss
- Even brutal acts have underlying motives
- Example of Catiline’s wickedness driven by desire for power and security
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IV. The True Delight in God
- God is the source of true sweetness and delight
- Righteous find joy in God above all else
- Inferior goods are fleeting compared to divine goodness
Key Quotes
“For these inferior values have their delights, but not at all equal to my God, who hath made them all.” — St. Augustine
“Yet because of these values, sin is committed, because we have an inordinate preference for these goods of a lower order and neglect the better and the higher good--neglecting thee, O our Lord God, and thy truth and thy law.” — St. Augustine
“Even for that savage and brutal man [Catiline], of whom it was said that he was gratuitously wicked and cruel, there is still a motive assigned to his deeds.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Examine your own desires to ensure they align with seeking God above all else.
- Recognize the underlying motives behind your actions to avoid sin.
- Find your true joy and delight in God rather than in temporary worldly pleasures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Augustine mean by 'inferior goods'?
Inferior goods refer to worldly pleasures and values like physical beauty, honor, and power that are attractive but ultimately lesser than the divine good.
Why does Augustine say sin arises from these goods?
Sin arises when people inordinately prefer these lesser goods over God, neglecting divine truth and law.
How does Augustine explain the motives behind crimes?
He argues that crimes are motivated by desires for or fears of losing inferior goods, not by a love of evil itself.
Who is Catiline and why is he mentioned?
Catiline was a notorious Roman figure whose wickedness Augustine uses as an example to show that even evil acts have underlying motives.
What is the ultimate source of delight according to Augustine?
True delight is found only in God, who surpasses all worldly goods.