All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

(St. Augustine)

“How hast thou loved us, O good Father, who didst not spare thy only Son, but didst deliver him up for us wicked ones! How hast thou loved us, for whom he who did not count it robbery to be equal with thee ‘became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross’! He alone was ‘free among the dead.’ He alone had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again, and for us he became to thee both Victor and Victim; and Victor because he was the Victim. For us, he was to thee both Priest and Sacrifice, and Priest because he was the Sacrifice. Out of slaves, he maketh us thy sons, because he was born of thee and did serve us. Rightly, then, is my hope fixed strongly on him, that thou wilt ‘heal all my diseases’ through him, who sitteth at thy right hand and maketh intercession for us. Otherwise I should utterly despair. For my infirmities are many and great; indeed, they are very many and very great. But thy medicine is still greater. Otherwise, we might think that thy word was removed from union with man, and despair of ourselves, if it had not been that he was ‘made flesh and dwelt among us.’ 

. . . Behold, O Lord, I cast all my care on thee, that I may live and ‘behold wondrous things out of thy law.’ Thou knowest my incompetence and my infirmities; teach me and heal me. Thy only Son—he ‘in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’—hath redeemed me with his blood. . . . For, being poor, I desire to be satisfied from him, together with those who eat and are satisfied: ‘and they shall praise the Lord that seek Him.’”

~St. Augustine (from Confessions, end of Book Ten)