himself but beyond, not to himself as father but to God the Father. Indeed, the best way to be a father is to point your children beyond you, to a Father who never fails. One of my favorite images in all of Augustine’s life is the picture he paints of his baptism. After a philosophical retreat with his friends in Cassiciacum, having tried their hand at writing their own Platonic dialogues, they return to the bustle of the city and the bosom of the bishop of Milan to present themselves for baptism. In recalling the scene, Augustine adds this touching detail: “We made the boy Adeodatus our
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