Pope Benedict XVI wrote about St. Augustine, “A civilization has seldom encountered such a great spirit who was able to assimilate Christianity’s values and exalt its intrinsic wealth, inventing ideas and forms that were to nourish future generations.”
And yet, when we reflect on the life and works of Augustine, it’s not the story of a sinless human being. In his great work, his autobiography, the Confessions, Augustine writes with stunning honesty about his sinful youth, his practical atheism, his lustful indulgences, his adoption of heresy.
Fulton Sheen said that there are two ways of knowing God, knowing him through innocence, and then knowing him as a reconciled sinner through His mercy. Augustine certainly came to know God through the latter path.
The Gospel for the Feast of Augustine speaks of the need to humble ourselves. Augustine’s conversion, like any conversion, certainly came through humility. He was among the intellectual elite. Like so many of today’s academicians he thought he knew better than the ancient faith. But Augustine, continued seeking the truth.
In his Confessions, Augustine details his intellectual conversion away from the Manichaeist heresy, especially due to the preaching of the holy bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose. He had the humility to listen to wisdom of the saints. He had the humility to open the Scriptures to learn from the Word of God.
Augustine wrote: “What does the soul desire more ardently than truth? The truth is known by love.” Augustine realized that true wisdom is not found in the philosophies of the age, and that without the love of God the intellect is darkened. Without humility and love, the quest for Truth is in vain.
Augustine was a genius, but genius without humility, faith, hope, and love, is nothing. However, surrendering his genius to God, responding in humility to the grace of God enabled him to become as Pope Benedict called him, “the greatest Father of the Latin Church. The man of passion and faith, of the highest intelligence and tireless in his pastoral care, a great saint and Doctor of the Church.”
Augustine is a great patron Saint for our own day, for our youth, for the arrogant university intelligentsia, for those addicted to sin, for those who flee from the Church and from the Truth of the Gospels.
May we come to understand and experience that same conversion of mind and heart, so we too, like St. Augustine may say: “Late have I loved you, O beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I love you! You were within me, but I was outside, and It was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, you broke through my defenses. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.” For the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That the preaching of holy bishops and priests may attract those seeking for Truth to Truth of the Gospels.
That our young people may be kept safe from the evils and errors of our culture, and seek to conform themselves to Christ in all things.
For those who have fallen into error or serious sin, those whose pride keeps them from knowing God’s mercy, and for those who have fallen away from the Church or do not know Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.
That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
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