The Feast of St. Augustine

Yesterday we honored his mother, St. Monica, who never gave up and never stopped praying leading to changes of heart for her husband and mother-in-law and the conversion of her son, Augustine. 

Everything we know about St. Monica we know because of the writings of her son. While he always loved his mother he was not always quite so devoted. 

Born in the mid-4th century in northern Africa, Augustine grew up to be a brilliant student and an outstanding orator. 

With the financial help of a family friend, he went to study rhetoric in Carthage and came home to teach but, he didn’t stay. Against his mother’s wishes, he left, going first to Rome and then to Milan. 

He grew increasingly disappointed, however, with the many belief systems of the time, and the constant pursuit of pleasure was leaving him more and more empty. All through this period of his life, his mother Monicca followed him and prayed. 

Then, at the age of 31, Augustine was moved by the story of St. Anthony of the Desert and was also hearing an inner voice that told him: “Take up and read.” He knew this meant the Bible. 

The first thing he read was from Romans: “Put on The Lord and make no provisions for the flesh.” 

He was re-baptized in 387 on Easter Sunday by St. Ambrose, whose great spiritual direction had been critical to Augustine’s formation. He then became a priest, a Bishop, and, ultimately, one of the Fathers of The Church whose writings include: City of God and, Confessions, from which come these lines: 

“Late have I loved Thee, oh Lord, so Ancient, so new. Late have I loved Thee, and, behold, Thou were within me.” 

St. Augustine, please pray for us.