You Shall Be Changed to My Likeness

Rob writes:

Wow,what an incredible insight into the Eucharist that Augustine provides below -- that it is not about God being changed into the form of our flesh but about us being changed into His likeness! Hopefully I will never forget this insight again in receiving Our Lord. In my frail humanity, I too often fall into the selfish thought that receiving God is about sustaining ME in this valley of tears instead of becoming literally one with Him as he became One with us.

Commentary of the day:

Saint Augustine (354-430), bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and doctor of the Church
Confessions, VII, 10

Christ calls us to see the light on ourselves

Being admonished by my books to return into myself, I entered into my inward soul, guided by you. This I could do because you were my helper. And I entered, and with the eye of my soul saw above the same eye and above my mind immutable light. It was not the common light which all flesh can see; nor was it simply a greater light of the same sort, as if the light of day here to grow brighter and brighter and flood all space. It was not like that light, but different, indeed very different from all earthly light whatever.

Nor was it above my mind in the same way as oil is above water, or heaven above earth, but it was higher because it made me, and I was below it because I was made by it. Those who know the truth know that light, and those who know it know eternity. Love knows it, O Eternal Truth and True Love and Beloved Eternity! You are my God, to whom I sigh both night and day.

When I first knew you, you lifted me up, that I might see that there was something to be seen, though I was not yet fit to see it. And you revealed the weakness of my sight, shining forth upon me your dazzling beams of light, and I trembled with love and fear. I realized that I was far away from you, in the land of unlikeness, and I heard your voice as if from on high: “I am the food of strong men; grow and you shall feed on me; but you shall not change me, like the food of your flesh, into yourself, but you shall be changed into my likeness.”