"We find people made fierce by love; and by wickedness made seductively gentle. A father spanks a boy, while a kidnapper caresses him. Offered a choice between spankings and caresses, who would not choose the caresses and avoid the spankings? But when you consider the people who give them you realize that it is love that spanks, wickedness that caresses. This is what I insist upon: human actions can only be understood by their root in love. All kinds of actions might appear good without proceeding from the root of love. Remember, thorns also have flowers: some actions seem truly savage, but are done for the sake of discipline motivated by love. Once and for all, I give you this one short command: love, and do what you will. If you hold your peace, hold your peace out of love. If you cry out, cry out in love. If you correct someone, correct them out of love. If you spare them, spare them out of love. Let the root of love be in you: nothing can spring from it but good. …"
------Augustine
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