Mystery

“But if You fill heaven and earth, do they contain You? Or do You fill them, and yet have much over since they cannot contain You? Is there some other place into which that overplus of You pours that heaven and earth cannot hold? Surely You have no need of any place to contain You. . . . It is true that all things cannot wholly contain You: but does this mean that they contain part of You? . . . But are there in You parts greater and smaller? Or are You not in every place at once in the totality of Your being, while yet nothing contains You wholly?” (1/3/3, p. 4)

“What then is my God? . . .

most merciful and most just,

utterly hidden and utterly present,

most beautiful and most strong . . . ,

suffering no change and changing all things:

never new, never old, making all things new, . . .

ever in action, ever at rest,

gathering all things to Thee and needing none; . . .

ever seeking though lacking nothing.

Thou lovest without subjection to passion,

Thou art jealous but not with fear . . .

angry yet unperturbed by anger.” (1/4/4, pp. 4-5)

~St. Augustine (Confessions)