Confessions

by Augustine of Hippo

Lord my God, is there any room in me which can contain you?

The house of my soul is too small for you to come to it. May it be enlarged by you. It is in ruins: restore it.

You are before the beginning of the ages, and prior to everything that can be said to be ‘before’.

I feel no sense of responsibility now for a time of which I recall not a single trace.

intend to remind myself of my past foulnesses and carnal corruptions, not because I love them but so that I may love you, my God.

Your wrath was heavy upon me and I was unaware of it.

My desire was to enjoy not what I sought by stealing but merely the excitement of thieving and the doing of what was wrong.

had no motive for my wickedness except wickedness itself.

Any book which lacked this name, however well written or polished or true, could not entirely grip me.

Puffed up with pride, I considered myself a mature adult.

original sin13

I had no clear and explicit grasp of the cause of evil.

From there we went in to my mother, and told her. She was filled with joy.

But I shall not pass over whatever my soul may bring to birth concerning your servant, who brought me to birth both in her body so that I was born into the light of time, and in her heart so that I was born into the light of eternity. I speak not of her gifts to me, but of your gifts to her.