Augustine and the Unjust Rule

City of God, in my estimation, is one of the most important books of all time. No hyperbole.

One section, which I found to be particularly fascinating, is copied herein:

Justice being taken away, then, what are kingdoms but great robberies? For what are robberies themselves, but little kingdoms? The band itself is made up of men; it is ruled by the authority of a prince, it is knit together by the pact of the confederacy; the booty is divided by the law agreed on. If, by the admittance of abandoned men, this evil increases to such a degree that it holds places, fixes abodes, takes possession of cities, and subdues peoples, it assumes the more plainly the name of a kingdom, because the reality is now manifestly conferred on it, not by the removal of covetousness, but by the addition of impunity. Indeed, that was an apt and true reply which was given to Alexander the Great by a pirate who had been seized. For when that king had asked the man what he meant by keeping hostile possession of the sea, he answered with bold pride, What you mean by seizing the whole earth; but because I do it with a petty ship, I am called a robber, while you who does it with a great fleet are styled emperor.

Aside from the thoughts about our own republic this reading stirred up, it made me to wonder this: is just basis the lone savior of all true goodness? I don't say "just" as in "only," but just as in "fair and right." Indeed, true goodness can come from redemption, but even that must have a just basis.

Good thinking, Augustine. You're a saint.

A Separate Peace, Hope, and Love

I read John Knowles's A Separate Peace at the beginning of this Christmas break and was blown away.  I know it's easy to get caught up in liking books that you're supposed to like, but there's an idea that Knowles presents in this book that shook me up.  I'll explain:

For those unfamiliar with the story, two boys are in the summer term at a prep school while WWII is going on.  The war affects every part of their lives, but both get caught up in the idea that the war doesn't really exist.  They both admit that it does and live in the presence of it, but they're too busy focusing on their own lives to focus on it.

Today is Christmas.  God does the biggest humbling ever and steps down to be a part of us.  The Holy Spirit continues this constant presence, and the Incarnation becomes an eternal thing.  And we live in the presence of it.

But I pretend it's not true.  It doesn't help me in any way to act like this, and I don't really want to deny it.  Still, this fact is the one thing my flesh cries out against so strongly.  Maybe rightly so - God's coming to us is unashamedly merciful, and I want justice.  But mostly, I just seek out sin somehow.  I don't know what the deal is.  But Saint Paul knows what I'm talking about.

It doesn't depend on me though.  Tidings of comfort and joy can still be sung, and should be sung, and I'm grateful for it.  Hopefully, I'll be able to more often live in the reality of it.

Merry Christmas!