Through the Church Fathers: June 3

The greatest battle is not out there—it is within, where truth is known, the will is divided, and the heart is pulled by what it loves. Today’s readings trace that conflict from three angles. In Theophilus, the collapse of false wisdom is exposed, as philosophers contradict themselves and even justify what is evil, revealing that error cannot sustain itself (1 Corinthians 3:19). Augustine then brings us into the inner war, where the mind commands but cannot fully obey itself—a terrifying picture of a divided will that both desires and resists the good (Romans 7:21–23). Aquinas completes the picture by showing that both sorrow and pleasure are not random—they flow from what we love, shaping our action, either weighing us down or drawing us forward depending on whether our love is rightly ordered (Psalm 1:2). Together, these readings press one unavoidable truth: your life is being shaped right now—not just by what you know, but by what you delight in and what you grieve.Today’s Readings:Theophilus of Antioch — To Autolycus, Book 3, Chapters 6–8Augustine — The Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 9 (Section 21)Thomas Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Questions 35–36 (Combined Selections)Explore the Project:Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.comPatreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpattonCredo Courses – https://www.credocourses.comCredo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org#ChurchFathers #Augustine #Aquinas #TheologyUnplugged #ChristianDiscipleship