The Shepherd of Hermas warns us that this world is not our true home. In the First and Second Similitudes, he teaches that believers live as strangers here, and our wealth must serve eternal purposes. Like the vine clinging to the elm, the poor and the rich sustain each other—the poor through prayer, the rich through mercy. Augustine, reflecting on creation, turns “Be fruitful and multiply” into a vision of the soul’s growth in meaning and understanding: one truth expressed in many forms, one Word unfolding through all creation. And Aquinas reminds us that delight is the soul’s rest in the good it loves—found not in passing pleasures but in the eternal good that satisfies the will and quiets the heart (Psalm 16:11).

Readings:

The Pastor of Hermas, Book Third—Similitudes, 1–2

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 13, Chapter 37 (Sections 37–38)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 31 (Of Delight—Considered in Itself)

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True and false prophets both speak—but one speaks from heaven, the other from emptiness. Hermas warns that the Spirit of God can be known by its fruit: meekness, purity, and truth. Earthly spirits, loud and self-seeking, collapse when tested among the faithful. In his twelfth commandment, he shows that good desire conquers evil desire when the soul clothes itself with righteousness and the fear of the Lord. Augustine, still meditating on the divine blessing, sees that God’s word is never spoken in vain—each phrase of creation echoes through many meanings and multiplies life in the faithful heart. And Aquinas brings it full circle: concupiscence, by its very nature, strives toward the infinite because the soul hungers for a good without end—but that hunger can only be satisfied in God Himself. The heart that tests every spirit, disciplines its desires, and lives by the Spirit’s fruit is the one that finds true rest.

Readings:

The Pastor of Hermas, Commandments 11–12

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 13, Chapter 24 (continued)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 30, Article 4

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The fear of the Lord casts out the fear of the devil. Hermas reminds us that true strength lies not in resisting evil spirits by our own might, but in standing firm through reverent obedience to God. Fear Him alone, and every lesser terror fades. Augustine looks upon creation and asks why God blessed men, fish, and birds—but not herbs or beasts. He discovers a mystery of divine multiplication: that blessing is not mere reproduction but the spiritual fruitfulness of love and understanding. And Aquinas explains that some desires belong to our nature and others do not; concupiscence, when unbridled, distorts our natural longing for good into something infinite and restless. Together these readings teach us that holy fear, ordered desire, and divine blessing all spring from the same root—the love that multiplies righteousness in the soul.

Readings:

The Pastor of Hermas, Commandments 7–10

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 13, Chapter 24

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 30, Article 3

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The Shepherd of Hermas presents a dramatic vision of the angelic shepherd who delivers the commandments, calling believers to repentance and obedience. Augustine praises the Word as the fountain of eternal life, restraining the soul from the world and shaping it into gentleness, meekness, and wisdom (Romans 12:2). Aquinas launches into his new question on concupiscence, beginning with whether desire belongs only to the senses or also to the will, and showing the difference between bodily craving and the longing of the spirit (1 John 2:16).

Readings: The Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 5 Augustine, The Confessions, Book 11, Chapter 22 (Section 31) Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 30, Article 1

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The Shepherd of Hermas wrestles with the painful reality of adultery and the call to chastity, urging believers to holiness and repentance. Augustine shows us the spiritual judgment that man exercises, not as a judge of God’s Word, but as one discerning all things by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:15). Aquinas then considers whether anything can be the object of universal hatred, probing how evil corrupts love and divides the will of man (Psalm 34:21).

Readings: The Shepherd of Hermas, Commandment 4 Augustine, The Confessions, Book 11, Chapter 23 (Section 33) Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 29, Article 6

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The Shepherd of Hermas confronts us with the weight of falsehood, as Hermas himself weeps over a life of untruth and receives the call to walk in purity of speech. Augustine meditates on the renewal of the mind, teaching that transformation comes not through imitation of others but through conformity to the image of God (Romans 12:2). Aquinas then asks whether a man can hate the truth, exposing how sin can twist the soul into despising what it was made to love (John 3:20).

Readings: The Shepherd of Hermas, Commandment 3 Augustine, The Confessions, Book 11, Chapter 22 (Section 32) Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 29, Article 5

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Some stones don’t make it into the tower. In this vision from Hermas, we hear the difference between those who are fit for the building and those who are cast aside—not for lack of belief, but because of divided hearts, unrepentant habits, or an unwillingness to be reshaped. “Learn this from yourself,” the Lady says, “When you were rich, you were useless; now, trimmed down, you are serviceable to life.” Augustine exhorts us to live “on the dry land,” separated from the whirlpools of pride, lust, and false knowledge. And Aquinas walks us through the mysterious reality of self-hatred—not as an intention, but as a tragic misfire of love aimed at the wrong goods (Ephesians 5:29).

Readings:

Hermas, The Pastor (Shepherd), Book First — Vision Third (second half)

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 13, Chapter 21

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 29, Article 4

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Hermas meets again the mysterious old woman—revealed as the Church herself—who entrusts him with a book of judgment and promise. Augustine meditates on creation’s depths, where knowledge and signs multiply but only in God’s Word are they made fruitful. Aquinas reminds us that hatred, though bitter, can never outstrip love, which is stronger because it is the root of all being. Together these readings point us toward the Church’s holiness, the Gospel’s power, and the love of God that outlasts every shadow (Ezekiel 2:9–10; Psalm 19:4; 1 Corinthians 13:8).

Readings: The Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 2

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 11, Chapter 20 (Section 28)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 29, Article 3 (Of Hatred — Whether hatred is stronger than love)

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Hermas beholds the tower of God’s Church being built, its stones representing saints, martyrs, and repentant sinners. Augustine reflects on the living soul and the Eucharist, showing how faith matures beyond mere signs into spiritual life. Aquinas asks whether hatred is stronger than love, leading us to see that love endures as the greater power. These readings draw us to the heart of God’s people, where discipline, sacrament, and rightly ordered affections are woven into the very structure of salvation (Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; Romans 12:21).

Readings: The Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 3

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 11, Chapter 21 (Section 29)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 29, Article 3 (Of Hatred — Whether hatred is stronger than love)

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The visions of Hermas strike with severity and grace: he is shown the need to chastise his house and guard against proud thoughts. Meanwhile, Augustine sees in creation’s waters the sacraments carried forth for the world, and Aquinas examines whether love is the root cause of hatred. Together these readings press us to confront sin honestly, recognize baptism’s cleansing power, and grasp the paradox of how even hatred points back to love (Psalm 51:10; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 John 4:19).

Readings: The Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 1

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 11, Chapter 20 (Section 27)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 29, Article 2 (Of Hatred — Whether love is the cause of hatred)

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