Episode
Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time - The City of God and the City of Man
- Podcast
- Catholic Daily Reflections
- Published
- Jun 19, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 444
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Summary
Read Online “So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” Matthew 6:31–34 In the fifth century, Saint Augustine wrote The City of God , one of the most important works in Catholic thought and Western philosophy. In it, he contrasted the Christian “City of God” with the pagan “City of Man,” responding to those who blamed Christianity for the decline of the Roman Empire. He writes: “Thus, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly city by a love of self to the point of contempt for God, and the heavenly city by a love of God to the point of contempt for self. The former glories in itself, while the latter glories in the Lord.” (XIV.28) At the time, the once-mighty Roman Empire was in steady decline, and many falsely attributed its downfall to the rise of Christianity. Augustine, however, defended the faith, offering a profound theological and philosophical exposition of history, divine providence, and the ultimate destiny of humanity. By contrasting these two fundamental orientations of civilization—the City of Man , built on self-love and earthly glory, and the City of God , founded on divine love and eternal truth—Augustine illuminated the true path to human flourishing and salvation. Augustine’s words echo Christ’s teaching in today’s Gospel, offering clarity and encouragement to the faithful of his time who labored to build up the growing Catholic Church. Today, his insights remain just as relevant, guiding the Chu…