January 29 - Utter Brilliance

January 29 - Utter Brilliance

Best way to start a blog:

"Lord, make me chaste, but not yet."

These were Augustine's words as he worked towards becoming a Christian. Augustine was born in 354 to Monica, who was a strong Christian and Patricius, who was a pagan and a Roman official. He was a brilliant young man who studied at the best schools. He rejected Christianity because he thought that only simple-minded people were Christians (nice way to think about your mom, Auggie!).

Before leaving Carthage for Rome, he tried several different types of philosophies and even got a young concubine pregnant, while still in his teens. On his way to Rome, he met Bishop Ambrose in Milan and discovered that there were actually brilliant Christians. So, one day, in 387 AD, while sitting in a garden, he heard a child singing, "Take it and read, take it and read." He picked up Paul's letter to the Romans and as he read, the words of God leapt from the page and he wrote "It was as though the light of faith flooded into my heart and all the darkness of death was dispelled."

He soon became a monk and left all of the life pleasures behind. In 391, he was ordained as a priest and became bishop of Hippo in North Africa in 395.

Augustine had to deal with some interesting groups of people. The Donatists felt that there were less-than-perfect clergy within the church and set up a separate church. Augustine said that though there may be some less than perfect people in the church - the church is one. He felt that the sacraments were visible signs of an invisible grace - they weren't effective because a priest was righteous, but because God's grace operates through them. (recognize any of these words from Communion liturgies? They're Augustine's words).

Another man, Pelagius, from Britain, taught that man had to choose God. Man had the power to be holy and no man was born sinful. Augustine put this man in his place as well.

Augustine's "Confessions" was the first spiritual autobiography. The opening paragraph states, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in You."

When Rome fell, he wrote "City of God" defending the Christians (they were again in trouble, because people believed the city fell due to the fact no one was worshiping the Roman gods) by explaining God's plan and His work in history. He said that since Cain and Abel, there have been two cities in the world - the City of Man (pagan society) and the City of God (the church). The City of God will prevail.

Augustine's teaching and thoughts have pervaded all of Christianity. His teaching on God's grace and man's complete inability to save himself are essential parts of our tradition.