“True temptation lies in our capacity to justify the means by the ends and nudge ourselves into tiny, incremental compromises. Doing the right thing for the wrong reason becomes the wrong thing. . . If we stay connected to the truth and goodness that reside in God rather than needing lists of things we should or shouldn’t do, we can live by the motto drawn from Augustine’s teaching — ‘Love God, and do what you like.'”
Maggie Dawn, associate dean for Marquand Chapel at Yale Divinity School, from “Reflections on the Lectionary” in Christian Century magazine