As Augustine say clearly, God being God offends human pride. If God is running the universe and has first claim on our lives, guess who isn't running the universe and does not get to have things as they please.

The first act of love is always the giving of attention.

Almost everything worth doing in human life is very difficult in its early stages and the good we are aiming at is never available at first, to strengthen us when we seem to need it most.

When we pass through what we call death, we do not loose the world. Indeed, we see it for the first time as it really is.

Understanding is the basis of care. What you would take care of you must first understand, whether it be a petunia or a nation.