Take up and Read

Take up and Read 

In a garden beside the building he lived in, St. Augustine struggled with the purpose and direction of his life. He was torn between a desire to commit himself to God and his life practice of self service, and the pursuit of earthly pleasure. In the midst of this turmoil of the soul, Augustine heard a child’s voice saying, “Pick up and read.” Knowing this voice was more than his own musing, Augustine hurried to find his best friend Alypius. Upon finding him, he also found St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, opened it, and read Romans 13:13–14, 

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

At that moment, at the age of 32, Augustine’s addiction to the sinful life was broken, and his quest for true faith was realized. 

He and Alypius immediately went to find Augustine’s mother, Blessed Monica, who had been faithfully praying for her son’s conversion for 17 years. Upon hearing what had taken place and of how God had spoken to her son, Monica “leapt for joy” and declared her life's purpose fulfilled. Later she remarked that she no longer had any desire for earthly life, having seen her son become a faithful Christian. 
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A year later, Augustine was Baptised by Blessed St. Ambros, the Bishop of  Milan, and began a journey that would change the world.

Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) is one of the most significant and influential figures in Christian history. Declared a Doctor of the Church (an exceedingly High Honor of which there are only 32 others), he was perhaps the greatest of the of the Church Fathers. Augustine’s theological works have shaped the foundation of catholic doctrine regarding original sin, grace, the Trinity, the Sacraments, and free will. He is cited more than any other non-scriptural writer to date.

Becoming known as the "Doctor of Grace" and Truth, Augustine accurately championed the necessity of baptismal regeneration, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and the legitimacy of the apostolic Church. In his lifetime, Augustine was a stalwart defender of church doctrine against raging heretical movements, such as Manichaeism and Pelagianism. 

Much of this information is found in his Spiritual autobiography, The Confessions, cataloged by the Library of Congress under "Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo. Confessiones," Philosophy & Religion, Patrology. Autobiographical Studies, Classical and Literary Scholarship, Conversion Experience, Theological Interpretation,  Latin literature, Church Fathers, Early Christian Philosophy, as well as a myriad of other categories.

For over 25 years, Augustine struggled to find himself, seeking and searching in every way he could–to no avail. In a split moment in a communal garden, he found himself led by the voice of a child. For God, all things are possible.

Listen, listen. God is speaking, God is always speaking. Hear the voice of God, take up and read, be reborn in Him.

Reading Romans,

Fr. Bill+