On Honoring Father and Mother

Blessed Augustine of Hippo ca. 354-430

Let us love our Lord God, let us love His Church: Him as a Father, Her as a Mother: Him as a Lord, Her as His Handmaid, as we are ourselves the Handmaid’s sons. But this marriage is held together by a bond of great love: no man offends the one, and wins favor of the other. Let no man say, ‘I go indeed to the idols, I consult possessed ones and fortunetellers: yet I abandon not God’s Church; I am a Catholic.’ While you hold to your Mother, you have offended your Father. Another says, ‘Far be it from me; I consult no sorcerer, I seek out no possessed one, I never ask advice by sacrilegious divination, I go not to worship idols, I bow not before stones; though I am in the party of Donatus.’ What does it profit you not to have offended your Father, if He avenges your offended Mother…Hold then, most beloved, hold all with one mind to God the Father, and the Church our Mother. (Expositions on the Psalms, 88)