[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$ffWThJ0UHiUxuvVthTIHjHU2F2_SWm5p1FZZmYipeIIU":3,"$fQl-K9HO4FpM0aKWLFZ97nv6qhXOlpq_NDzALBhvhZ5s":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},6036,"St. Augustine","S",16,null,"st-augustine",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":185},[14,27,38,49,86,107,123,139,150,159],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},724359,"Remove justice and what are states but gangs of bandits on a large scale? And what are bandit gangs but kingdoms in miniature?",2,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[22],{"id":23,"tag":24},3525179,{"id":25,"tag_name":26},16815,"kingdoms",{"id":28,"quote_text":29,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":30,"source":31,"quote_tag":32,"commentary":9},690224,"You, our God, shall be arbiter between my confessions and their contradictions.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[33],{"id":34,"tag":35},3437263,{"id":36,"tag_name":37},10227,"confession",{"id":39,"quote_text":40,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":41,"source":42,"quote_tag":43,"commentary":9},656396,"He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[44],{"id":45,"tag":46},3341311,{"id":47,"tag_name":48},6749,"inspirational-religious",{"id":50,"quote_text":51,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":52,"source":53,"quote_tag":54,"commentary":85},582642,"Prayer is the key that opens heaven; the favors we ask descend upon us the very instant our prayers ascend to God.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[55,60,65,70,75,80],{"id":56,"tag":57},3099775,{"id":58,"tag_name":59},91,"jesus",{"id":61,"tag":62},3099776,{"id":63,"tag_name":64},102,"religion",{"id":66,"tag":67},3099774,{"id":68,"tag_name":69},222,"inspirational",{"id":71,"tag":72},3099772,{"id":73,"tag_name":74},254,"christian",{"id":76,"tag":77},3099773,{"id":78,"tag_name":79},255,"god",{"id":81,"tag":82},3099771,{"id":83,"tag_name":84},3508,"catholic","**The Backstory**\nThis quote is attributed to St. Augustine, a Christian theologian and philosopher who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries AD. During this time, Augustine was struggling with his own faith and the concept of prayer, which he explored in his writings, particularly in his book \"Confessions.\" As he grappled with the nature of God and the human condition, Augustine's thoughts on prayer evolved, reflecting his deepening understanding of the Christian faith.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nOn the surface, the quote suggests that prayer is a direct means of accessing divine favor. However, the deeper nuance lies in the implied dynamic between human petition and divine response. Augustine's phrase \"the very instant our prayers ascend to God\" hints at a paradox: that prayer is not merely a request, but a recognition of the already-existing connection between the human and divine realms. In this sense, prayer is not a means of persuading God, but rather a way of aligning oneself with the divine will that is always present.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, consider that prayer is not about changing God's mind, but about aligning your own desires with the deeper currents of existence. By recognizing this, you can shift from a transactional understanding of prayer (i.e., \"if I do this, God will do that\") to a more organic, intuitive approach, where prayer becomes a way of tuning into the world's rhythms and aligning yourself with its deeper harmonies.",{"id":87,"quote_text":88,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":89,"source":90,"quote_tag":91,"commentary":9},547064,"This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[92,97,102],{"id":93,"tag":94},2968757,{"id":95,"tag_name":96},725,"self-improvement",{"id":98,"tag":99},2968756,{"id":100,"tag_name":101},2788,"perfection",{"id":103,"tag":104},2968755,{"id":105,"tag_name":106},10106,"imperfections",{"id":108,"quote_text":109,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":110,"source":111,"quote_tag":112,"commentary":9},372931,"This disease of curiosity.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[113,118],{"id":114,"tag":115},2184729,{"id":116,"tag_name":117},24,"life",{"id":119,"tag":120},2184727,{"id":121,"tag_name":122},931,"curiosity",{"id":124,"quote_text":125,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":126,"source":127,"quote_tag":128,"commentary":9},360341,"Fine style does not make something true, nor has a man a wise soul because he has a handsome face and well-chosen eloquence.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[129,134],{"id":130,"tag":131},2123423,{"id":132,"tag_name":133},713,"truth",{"id":135,"tag":136},2123422,{"id":137,"tag_name":138},928,"eloquence",{"id":140,"quote_text":141,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":142,"source":143,"quote_tag":144,"commentary":9},255726,"I write because I've made progress and I make progress because I write.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[145],{"id":146,"tag":147},1580122,{"id":148,"tag_name":149},439,"writers-on-writing",{"id":151,"quote_text":152,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":153,"source":154,"quote_tag":155,"commentary":9},255723,"I write because I've made progress and I make progress because I write.(i.e. I write as I learn and I learn as I write)St. Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430 A.D.)",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[156],{"id":157,"tag":158},1580113,{"id":148,"tag_name":149},{"id":160,"quote_text":161,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":162,"source":163,"quote_tag":164,"commentary":9},243564,"Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[165,170,175,180],{"id":166,"tag":167},1513683,{"id":168,"tag_name":169},352,"science",{"id":171,"tag":172},1513682,{"id":173,"tag_name":174},2652,"miracles",{"id":176,"tag":177},1513681,{"id":178,"tag_name":179},8944,"catholicism",{"id":181,"tag":182},1513680,{"id":183,"tag_name":184},14593,"catholic-author",{"currentPage":186,"totalPages":17,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":187},1,10]