+ St. Augustine of Hippo,
was
born in Tagaste (modern Algeria,
Northern Africa) in 354, of a pagan father named Patricius, who converted on
his deathbed, thanks to the prayers of his literally sainted wife, Monica, who
was the mother of three sons: one of which was Augustine.
While raised a Christian,
Augustine lost his faith in youth and led a wild life, living with a
Carthaginian woman from age 15 through 30. With her he fathered a son whom he
named Adeotadus, which means the gift of God. Augustine taught
rhetoric at Carthage and Milan, Italy.
After investigating and
experimenting with several philosophies, Augustine became a Manichaean for several years; it
taught of a great struggle between good and evil, and featured a lax moral code
(since it seemed that the evil outweighed the good, one might as well give in
to it – this of course, is not only illogical but theologically inaccurate, and
heretical). A summation of his thinking of this time comes from his Confessions: “God, give me chastity and
continence – but not just yet.”
Augustine finally broke with
the Mainchaens and was converted by the prayer of his mother and the help of
Saint Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him. On the death of his mother he
returned to Africa, sold his property, gave the proceeds to the poor, and
founded a monastery. He then journeyed in his vocation from monk to priest,
preacher, and then Bishop of Hippo in 396. He founded religious communities,
fought Manichaeism, Donatism, Pelagianism and other heresies. He oversaw his
see during the fall of the Roman Empire to the Vandals.
For all of his many writings,
especially in the area of moral theology and theology in general he was soon
named Doctor of the Church after his death in 430. His later thinking can also
be summed up in a line from his writings: Our
hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you!
The gospel passage today
speaks of humility. Once Augustine
experienced the heights of false exaltation in his earlier years of carousing
and rabble rousing, he understood clearly the difference between gaining the
whole world of insight and understanding and true, unadulterated humility; and
once he learned the great lesson, he was eloquent enough to make the lesson
palatable to everyone, everywhere, and for all times – by writing it down.
The first reading talks about
experiencing the exhilaration and confidence of existing in the love of God,
which is a voluntary cooperative venture on both our parts: God, constantly
offering his life-sustaining love; us, needing to constantly offer our
cooperation with graces given for our good, for our salvation, for the
satisfaction of our desire!
St. Augustine, pray for us
today; help us to know that it is normal for our hearts to experience a certain
kind of persistent restlessness, otherwise we would not want to join you in
heaven!
With
all our hearts, we seek you, Lord; let us find you in the
perfect way, and in the perfect time you have in mind for us!