Love And Do What You Like

Love and Do What You Like (Dilige, et quod vis fac) I've often heard this quotation from St. Augustine, “Love and do what you like.” Some even know it in Latin: Dilige, et quod vis fac. However, I have met few who quote it in context. This Seventh Homily on the Letter of John by Augustine contains the famous quotation. Here is the quote “in context” : “The deeds of men are only discerned by the root of charity. For many things may be done that have a good appearance, and yet proceed not from the root of charity. For thorns also have flowers: some actions truly seem rough, seem savage; howbeit they are done for discipline at the bidding of charity. Once for all, then, a short precept is given thee: Love, and do what thou wilt: whether thou hold thy peace, through love hold thy peace; whether thou cry out, through love cry out; whether thou correct, through love correct; whether thou spare, through love do thou spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good.” (Homily VII, paragraph 8) While I'm not an admirer of Augustine I hate to hear someone misquoted or taken out of context, especially if they're doing it and ignoring the rest of the council of God... Augustine observes that if a person had to choose between being chastised and being treated affectionately, everyone would pick the latter. Nevertheless, suppose the chastisement comes from a boy’s father and the caress comes from a kidnapper . “In that case,” he says, “it is love which disciplines and iniquity which caresses.” Love does not necessarily mean that you make the other person feel good. First , it requires that your actions flow from a right relationship with that person and with God. If that is the case, says Augustine, “Love and do what you will.”* No one enjoys being corrected – and few people enjoy correcting others. (Those who do, usually do a bad job.) It requires tact, patience, prayer, courage and follow-up, also known as perseverance. Moreover, it calls for humility because the one who corrects others must also open himself to correction. Today, we have a very muted notion of love. Basically it is a matter of kindly feelings. If I feel kindness toward others, I think I'm was fulfilling the command of love. Wrong. Kindly feelings are important and we should do everything we can to cultivate them. You can develop (through the Spirit) affection for ornery,stubborn,prideful people...It must be true otherwise I should still be unmarried... : / Real love involves a daily examination of conscience; not just warm fuzzy feelings, but the avoidance of sinful tendencies and the cultivation of Biblical precepts . Then we can begin to love and to experience the freedom of the Gospel, “Then do what you will.” I've heard this phrase “Love God and do what you like.” (which is a misquote) . Thrown around completely out of context as usual in a lot of Churches and times of Fellowship. People smile and say amen...and feel quite justified in cultivating the deeds of the flesh until next meeting time when they can chime it again,like a mantra. Their attitude seems to be “ Let us sin so that grace may abound” because after all,we love God don't we..Paul put that thinking in its place quickly..”God forbid” Romans Ch. 6.

Notice that the word “God “or θεός does not appear in Augustine's famous quote. So how is it that its usually put there by those who quote him? I think its because it draws the focus off loving others, and puts the emphasis on loving God . Loving God, obviously a good thing,is so much easier for us to proclaim than our love for the brethren. Taken in context the whole sermon is about loving “others” out of a pure heart first,then do as you like. As the Scripture says: Charity (Love in action) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.Charity never faileth: 1 Cor.13 As a side note its interesting that a woman by the name of Doreen Valiente also know as “The Mother of Modern Witch Craft” conjured a phrase that has become the mantra of modern witchcraft covens. “An it harm none, do what ye will.” Doreen was forced to enter a convent at a young age and it is highly probable that she was made to study Augustine's writings,and that she conjured her own little twist on Augustine's famous quote... While not exactly the same quote,the same spirit is present.”Do What You Will” ...I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God.