“City of God”  ~  Augustine

“When shall I see that city whose streets are paved with pure gold, in which shall be sung the song of gladness, and through all the streets of which the hallelujah shall be uttered by all.  O holy city!  O beautiful city! from afar I salute thee, I cry for thee, I entreat for thee, I long to see thee, and to rest in thee; but kept still in the flesh, I am not permitted.  O city to be longed for! thy walls one gem, thy keeper God himself, thy citizens always rejoicing, for they exult in the vision of God.  In thee there is no corruptibility, nor defect, nor old age, nor anger, but perennial peace and festal glory, joy everlasting, festival unbroken.  In thee there is no yesterday nor tomorrow, but an unchanging to-day.  Tomorrow is as yesterday, and the long ago is eternally the same.  To thee belong salvation, life, and endless peace.  To thee God is all.  In thee there is no fear, no sadness; each desire passes at once into joy; all that is wished for is at hand, and all that is longed for abounds.

“Sigh for the eternal Jerusalem! whither your hope has gone before, let your life follow.  There we shall be with Christ.

“If you would be armed against temptation in the world, let the longing for the eternal Jerusalem grow and be strengthened in your hearts.  Our captivity shall pass away, our felicity shall come, the last enemy shall be destroyed, and beyond death we shall triumph with our King.”