St. Augustine (28 August) ~ The Patron Saint of Theologians

Summary

This transcript explores the life, intellectual journey, and lasting influence of Saint Augustine. Born in 354 in North Africa, Augustine initially led a life of excess, influenced by his pagan father, but later sought truth, delving into philosophy and rhetoric. His studies of Plato helped him embrace Christianity, ultimately converting under the guidance of Saint Ambrose. Augustine's teachings on original sin, free will, and the nature of God became foundational for Christian theology. His famous works like 'Confessions' and 'City of God' still shape Western philosophy and theology today, showing how faith and reason intertwine.

Takeaways

• 📜 Saint Augustine is a foundational figure not only in church history but also in Western philosophy, influencing many later philosophers.
• 🏛️ Augustine's study of Plato helped him understand the Catholic faith, as Plato's ideas aligned with natural law and prepared him for Christianity.
• 🛤️ Born in 354 in Tagaste (North Africa) to a pagan father and Christian mother, Augustine initially led a life of excess, influenced by his father's bad example.
• 🧠 Augustine excelled in intellectual pursuits, particularly rhetoric, and was initially drawn to Manichaeism before rejecting it for its contradictions.
• 📖 His conversion was heavily influenced by Saint Ambrose of Milan and the prayers of his mother, Saint Monica, who followed him to Milan.
• 🌟 Augustine struggled with personal sins, especially lust, and famously prayed for chastity, saying, 'Lord give me chastity, but not yet.'
• 🙏 Augustine was eventually baptized at the age of 33 by Ambrose, marking his full conversion to Christianity.
• 📚 He wrote influential works such as 'Confessions,' which discussed his conversion and deep philosophical and theological insights.
• 🏙️ In 'The City of God,' Augustine laid the foundations for Catholic social doctrine, contrasting the City of God with the City of Man.
• 💬 Augustine is known for famous quotes like 'Our hearts are restless until they rest in you' and 'There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.'

Q & A

Who was Saint Augustine and why is he considered a foundational figure in philosophy and theology?

Saint Augustine was a significant philosopher and theologian whose ideas formed the foundation of Western philosophy and Catholic theology. He is renowned for his contributions to understanding original sin, free will, and the problem of evil, which deeply influenced later philosophers and the Church.

What role did Augustine's early life play in shaping his later spiritual and intellectual journey?

Augustine's early life, marked by pagan beliefs and sinful behavior, played a key role in his eventual conversion to Christianity. His intellectual pursuits, combined with a search for truth, led him through various philosophies and heresies before embracing Catholicism.

How did Plato's philosophy influence Augustine's understanding of Christianity?

Plato's philosophy helped Augustine understand foundational concepts about truth and reality, which he later used to accept Christian theology. He credited Plato's ideas for preparing him to embrace Catholic teachings.

What was the heresy of Manichaeism, and why did Augustine eventually reject it?

Manichaeism was a dualistic belief system that Augustine initially embraced. He later rejected it because he found it self-contradictory and incompatible with his search for truth, which led him toward Christianity.

What role did Saint Monica, Augustine's mother, play in his conversion?

Saint Monica, Augustine's mother, played a significant role in his conversion. Her persistent prayers and sorrow over his sinful life were instrumental in his eventual acceptance of Christianity, as famously foretold by Saint Ambrose.

How did Augustine’s encounter with Saint Ambrose influence his conversion?

Saint Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, impressed Augustine with his intellect and eloquence. Their interactions deepened Augustine's understanding of Christianity, leading to his eventual baptism and conversion.

What was the significance of Augustine’s famous prayer, 'Lord, give me chastity, but not yet'?

This prayer reflects Augustine's internal struggle with sin, particularly lust. It shows his desire for holiness while also expressing the difficulty of giving up his sinful ways, a key aspect of his journey toward conversion.

What impact did Augustine’s study of Cicero and other pagan works have on his intellectual development?

Augustine's study of Cicero and other pagan works sparked his desire to seek truth. Although initially inspired by pagan philosophy, these studies ultimately fueled his quest for deeper, spiritual truths that led him to Christianity.

What key ideas did Augustine contribute to Christian theology that are still relevant today?

Augustine contributed foundational ideas such as original sin, the nature of free will, the problem of evil, and the necessity of grace. These concepts remain central to Christian theology and the Catholic Church's teachings.

How did Augustine’s personal experiences with sin and conversion shape his theological insights?

Augustine’s personal struggles with sin, particularly his youthful excesses and eventual conversion, gave him deep insights into human nature, free will, and God's grace. His life experience enriched his theological works, making them relatable and profound.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Saint Augustine: A Towering Figure in History

Saint Augustine is one of the most influential figures in both Church history and Western philosophy. Born in 354 in Tagaste, North Africa, to a pagan father and Christian mother, Augustine was intellectually gifted. Despite his mother's efforts to raise him Catholic, he fell into youthful excesses and embraced the heresy of Manichaeism. Augustine later became a skilled rhetorician and was inspired by Cicero to seek truth, which set him on a path toward Christianity. His intellectual journey included studying Plato, whose ideas helped him understand Catholic theology, laying the groundwork for his eventual conversion.

05:01

💡 The Importance of a Strong Philosophical Foundation

Augustine credited Plato's philosophy for helping him understand Catholicism, emphasizing that the right foundation is crucial for embracing theological truths. He argued that many modern Catholics struggle with faith because they've rejected fundamental truths, such as natural law. Augustine highlighted that deviations from natural law lead to flawed beliefs, contributing to current challenges in evangelizing Catholics and retaining believers. He stressed that truth and dogma are unchangeable, and without the correct philosophical foundation, one cannot fully grasp the faith.

10:02

⛪ Augustine's Conversion and the Role of Ambrose and Monica

Augustine's path to conversion was long and filled with personal struggles. His encounters with Saint Ambrose, a skilled rhetorician and bishop, played a significant role in his conversion. Augustine’s mother, Monica, also continued to pray for his change of heart, despite his immoral lifestyle, which included a long-term relationship with a concubine. Ambrose's famous line, 'The child of so many tears will not perish,' encouraged Monica. Augustine's personal battle between intellectual conviction and his inability to relinquish immoral behavior illustrates the difficulty of conversion, especially when tied to sins of impurity.

15:04

🔥 Augustine's Internal Struggle and Spiritual Breakthrough

At age 31, Augustine was inspired by the lives of the Desert Fathers, which led him to his pivotal conversion moment. While walking in his garden, he heard a child's voice saying 'Take and read.' Upon picking up a copy of Saint Paul's letters, he read a passage that addressed his inner turmoil. This marked the turning point for Augustine, leading to his baptism by Saint Ambrose at age 33. His personal story highlights the ongoing battle between moral weakness and the desire for spiritual reform, offering hope to those struggling with sin.

📖 The Wisdom of Saint Augustine: Foundations of Western Thought

Augustine's contributions to theology and philosophy are vast, shaping the understanding of original sin, free will, grace, and the problem of evil. His famous works, including 'The Confessions' and 'City of God,' explore these themes in depth. Augustine's reflections on his own life, combined with his theological insights, formed the foundation of Christian doctrine and influenced Western civilization. His writings continue to be integral to the Church's teaching and societal philosophy today.

🧠 Profound Reflections and Timeless Quotes from Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine’s wisdom is encapsulated in many famous quotes that continue to inspire. Among them are: 'Pray as though everything depended on God; work as though everything depended on you,' and 'Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.' These reflections emphasize the need for humility, the futility of resentment, and the pursuit of God as the ultimate source of fulfillment. His poetic reflections on God's beauty and grace, especially after his conversion, serve as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of divine love.

Keywords

💡Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine was a towering figure in both the history of the Church and Western philosophy. His journey from a life of sin to sainthood, and his influence on theology, philosophy, and Western thought, are central themes in the video. Augustine's works laid foundational ideas in Western philosophy, and his conversion is presented as a powerful example of seeking truth and reforming one’s life.

💡Manichaeism

Manichaeism was a religious movement that Augustine embraced for a period before his conversion to Christianity. It is described in the video as a heresy that Augustine eventually found self-contradictory and false. His rejection of Manichaeism marks an important step in his intellectual and spiritual journey toward Catholicism.

💡Plato

Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, is credited in the video as having a profound influence on Augustine. Augustine stated that without studying Plato’s philosophy, he wouldn’t have been able to understand or accept Christian teachings later on. Plato’s ideas, particularly those aligned with natural law, provided Augustine with a framework to grasp the Catholic faith.

💡Natural Law

Natural law refers to the universal moral principles believed to be inherent in human nature and discoverable through reason. The video explains that Augustine’s understanding of natural law, influenced by Plato, provided the foundation for his acceptance of Christian doctrine. This concept is critical in Augustine’s philosophy and is portrayed as a missing element in today’s Church, according to the speaker.

💡Conversion

Conversion is a major theme in the video, referring to Augustine’s personal transformation from a life of sin and intellectual searching to embracing the Catholic faith. His conversion was influenced by figures like his mother, Saint Monica, and Saint Ambrose. The video emphasizes that Augustine’s intellectual journey and personal struggles are relatable to modern people, especially in the context of overcoming sin.

💡Saint Monica

Saint Monica was Augustine’s devout Christian mother who prayed fervently for his conversion. The video highlights her role as a persistent influence in Augustine’s life, following him to Milan and being assured by Saint Ambrose that her 'tears' would not be in vain. Her unwavering faith is portrayed as a key factor in Augustine’s eventual acceptance of Christianity.

💡Saint Ambrose

Saint Ambrose was the Bishop of Milan and a significant influence on Augustine’s conversion. The video describes Ambrose as a skilled rhetorician and theologian, whose intellectual prowess impressed Augustine and helped guide him toward Catholicism. Ambrose is also noted for baptizing Augustine, marking a pivotal moment in his spiritual transformation.

💡Confessions

Confessions is one of Augustine’s most famous works, in which he reflects on his life, conversion, and theological insights. The video explains that this autobiographical text not only recounts his personal struggles but also delves into complex philosophical topics such as the nature of time, memory, and the existence of God. It serves as a testimony to Augustine’s intellectual and spiritual journey.

💡City of God

The City of God is another important work by Augustine, written in response to the fall of Rome and the criticisms of Christianity during that time. In the video, it is presented as a foundational text for Catholic social doctrine, exploring the relationship between the earthly city (representing human society) and the heavenly city (symbolizing the Church and divine truth). It contrasts pagan and Christian values and remains influential in discussions of governance and society.

💡Free Will

Free will is a central concept in Augustine’s philosophy, particularly in his exploration of the problem of evil. The video notes that Augustine’s understanding of human free will, combined with God’s grace, was foundational to his theology. His reflections on free will helped the Church develop its teachings on human responsibility, sin, and divine grace.

Highlights

Saint Augustine's foundational influence on Western philosophy and theology is universally recognized.

Born in 354 in Tagaste, North Africa, Augustine was raised by a Christian mother and a pagan father.

His early life was marked by youthful excesses and indulgence, despite his mother's attempts to raise him in the Catholic faith.

Augustine embraced the heresy of Manichaeism for a time but eventually rejected it as self-contradictory.

His study of Plato's philosophy played a crucial role in his eventual acceptance of Christianity.

Saint Monica, his mother, persistently prayed for Augustine’s conversion, following him to Milan where he met Saint Ambrose.

Augustine struggled with giving up his concubine and sinful lifestyle, but Ambrose's influence and his mother's prayers led him to conversion.

The turning point in Augustine’s life occurred when he heard a mysterious voice saying, 'Take and read,' leading him to read a passage from Saint Paul’s letters.

At the age of 33, Augustine was baptized by Saint Ambrose during Easter Vigil in 387.

After his conversion, Augustine became a priest and later the Bishop of Hippo, serving in that role for 35 years.

His major works, such as 'The Confessions' and 'The City of God,' have left a lasting legacy on Christian theology.

Augustine is credited with developing the concept of 'original sin,' which is foundational to Christian doctrine.

He famously stated, 'There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future,' offering hope to all struggling with sin.

Augustine's insights into free will, the nature of evil, and God's grace remain central to theological and philosophical discussions.

His profound reflection on his conversion, 'Late have I loved you,' encapsulates the depth of his spiritual transformation and enduring love for God.

Transcripts

[Music]

well saint augustine

is one of those saints where you have to

just decide what you're not going to say

he's one of the the most towering

figures not just in the church the

history of the church but even the

history of the world

anybody who studies philosophy ends up

studying

augustine because his ideas were so

foundational

to the history of western philosophy in

in general

all those later philosophers would all

be building on the foundation that he

laid

so to understand a little more about

augustine

we go to the year 354 in the

north african town of tagast and he was

born to a pagan father

and a christian mother by

accounts he had a one brother and one

sister

he was predisposed to for intellectual

activity he was a very good at it

and given a very good education at which

he excelled

however his mother saint monica was very

grieved at his pagan behavior

his father was a very bad example and

he fell into all kinds of youthful

excesses

and sins saint augustine did so although

he was

his mother saint monica attempted to

raise him catholic he did fall away from

the faith

as a young man and ended up embracing

the heresy of manichaeism

for a time now by this time also he had

begun to study rhetoric

and was very good at it i was an

excellent

rhetorician and began to have

students and he taught grammar and

rhetoric himself

and then he began to read uh the

pagan works of cicero and uh and so on

and that did inspire him with a love of

seeking the truth he

was at least in that regards i thought

okay there is some truth out there and i

want to find out what it is

and so that is what motivated him to

search and and you'll see that a lot of

people that end up converting

to catholicism that's a common theme

is they want to know what's true they're

convinced that something is true what is

it

and eventually they they land in the

catholic church so saint augustine

no different so he's searching for the

truth and

uh that leads him to eventually leads

him away from manichaeism he sees it

it's just a self-contradictory

every heresy is self-contradictory it's

just not true

um but he is led intermediately to uh

the philosophy of plato and this is a

very important

aspect of saint augustine's life that

perhaps is not

as widely known as it should be but he

would say later on in life that

if it weren't for studying the

philosophy of plato first

i wouldn't have been able to accept

christianity later

because the idea the foundational ideas

in plato

gave me what i needed to understand the

truths of the catholic faith the

philosophy the theology of catholicism

and and i would say here making

kind of a side note this is the problem

in the church today

it's that people talk about we have to

evangelize we have to bring the good

news to the world and to people

we talk about the new evangelization

which is just

trying to understand why people are why

catholics are leaving the faith

the new evangelization is kind of a nice

way of saying why can't we even retain

the catholics we have

we have to evangelize other catholics

why is that because

the catholic faith the truths of

theology

even the philosophical advancements of

saint thomas aquinas and

later theologians

is founded on a certain natural

philosophy

there's something called the natural law

which is uh

it it's god's blueprints the pattern

that god worked into reality

there are realities about um being

and non-being realities about good and

evil

right and wrong truth and falsehood um

the the soul human nature uh

just the nature of society there are

there are natural law truths to all of

this that are always true no matter what

this is why it's called the natural law

if you depart from that your foundation

is wrong it's flawed

and and this is what saint augustine

meant when he said he studied plato

first plato was

much more in keeping with the natural

law and so it was understanding okay

this is the right way to think about

certain things

now that i've got a right thinking about

about

the foundation natural things i can

build on that and arrive at

catholic truths right which which builds

upon it

that's the trouble today is that the

foundation is bad there's a rejection of

natural law there's a rejection of

certain fundamental truths

in the catholic church by catholic

theologians that if those are not

remedied we won't be able to go

anywhere and that's what we see people's

problem with accepting

uh you like abortion is wrong do you not

see abortion as murder but catholics

disagree they argue

there's a natural law problem uh bishops

don't get it

bishops you know a priest think that

well you know doctrine can change

doctrine can't change because truth

doesn't change i should say rather dogma

dogma does not change

so there there's a reality that we

suffer from today

that augustine realized you have to have

the right foundation if you want to be

able to embrace the truth of the faith

that's one of our big problems today

anyway so he eventually comes to milan

italy in his

academic endeavors he's still teaching

and he's still struggling he's

looking for the truth and he he's read

the bible by this time

and it wasn't uh how could he it wasn't

written

with a good enough style it wasn't

elevated enough and he thought if god is

going to speak to man

which should be elevated it should be

poetic it should be perfect it should be

like cicero

and cicero and those others were highly

stylized

and the bible was not like that and so

ambrose was put off at first

by the um the lack of polish we could

say in some of the books of the bible

especially some of the prophets they

were very

very down to earth but eventually but

there was a reason for that as he found

he he comes to milan italy

uh he meets saint ambrose and he was

tremendously impressed ambrose was also

a great rhetorician

uh bishop and this would be the the

instrument of conversion for saint

augustine

is it talking with saint ambrose um

interacting with him

eventually he he would convert uh i

we would also have to mention too the

the role that saint monica played in his

conversion

we have that and she followed him to

milan

from from north africa i guess you would

call that the ancient version of

the helicopter parent right she just

couldn't leave behind

augustine she was her favorite son so

she follows

to milan and she's still sorrowing over

his evil way of life

and he had a concubine right saying

saint augustine had a concubine for 15

years

not married and he knew that was married

he knew he should be married

but it just i think it was something

like a status program

problem she wasn't of the right social

standing so marriage wasn't

proper uh but he couldn't leave her

behind

so he's living in in this this irregular

living situation he's not catholic he's

um his mother's um trying you know

trying to get him to

uh join the faith and ambrose tells her

he utters that favorite

famous line um the child of so many

tears will not perish

and that she sorrowed over him she

prayed for me and said your prayers your

faith will be rewarded

and saint augustine himself was on the

brink he knew he needed to convert he

was intellectually convinced

but it was that it was the um his

immorality which was

preventing him was it was the pleasures

of the flesh the lusts of the flesh

he himself would would utter that

again infamous maybe prayer lord give me

chastity

but not yet he just wasn't ready to do

it he knew he needed to do it but he

just couldn't do it and really

that should that should give hope to to

people stuck in their sins

especially sins of impurity they're hard

to give up it's hard to let go

but but the key is not thinking you have

to do it right now the key is wanting to

be able

eventually to do it i know i need to do

this i want to get rid of it i just

don't see how it's possible right now

keep praying keep keep uh doing your

works of piety

i know a young man who was living with

his girlfriend

and he was also doing a holy hour every

night he would go to a church

and spend an hour in front of the

blessed virgin and and he would go back

and then

spend the rest of night with his

girlfriend and he did this for i don't

know weeks months

he knew what he needed to do but there

was just a weakness there

and guess what eventually he broke up

with his girlfriend

he um reformed his life he went to the

seminary

he became a priest so just like saint

augustine right that is possible it

doesn't doesn't matter where you are

and one of one of san agustin's quotes

is there is no saint

without a past there's no sinner without

a future

you always have hope if you're stuck in

your sins you have a future there's

always hope

and it doesn't matter how good somebody

appears to be

they have a past right we were all

sinners all of us had to be redeemed

uh now that that would be that's the

wisdom right that comes from saint

augustine's

understanding and knowledge of free will

uh the problem of evil

and god's grace all of which he was

foundational i mentioned he was a

foundational figure and that's why

is it because of his past because of his

own wickedness of his life

combined with his incredible brilliance

combined with his study

combined with his love of god all that

came together to produce this this

vast body of of wisdom and knowledge on

philosophy on theology on morality

that the church still uses that was the

foundation that that

every every philosopher afterwards and

then the church they would read

augustine

get your foundation first get these

fundamental ideas and then now you can

go further once you understand the

basics

now you can do something more advanced

that was what saint augustine provided

um think about original sin right

where did that come from that that's not

in the bible the term is not in the

bible how are we supposed to understand

original sin what happened to mankind

augustine was the one who figured it out

he i think he came up with the term

original sin that was his

his term right so he's he's setting the

foundation for for everything

much of what we have today still

so eventually eventually he would

convert at age

31 and it came about is that he was

reading the life of saint anthony of the

desert

and he was marveling at the courage and

the faith of these

desert fathers able to um leave

everything behind

and he's walking around his garden and

meditating and he hears this mysterious

voice

that seems to be a voice of a child

saying tole le jay

and that is latin for take and read

and he looks down and there's a copy of

the works of saint paul

that he has there and so he picks it up

and he randomly opens it

uh these works of saint paul and he

finds a passage from romans chapter 13

not in writing and drunkenness not in

chambering unwantedness not in strife

and envying

but put ye on the lord jesus christ and

make no provision for the flesh

to fulfill the lusts thereof

right speaking directly to him in fact

um

protestants nowadays they they're big

fans of seeing augustine

for some reason good for them that gets

them closer to the truth

but they get their they're famous like

if you're having a trouble just open the

bible and read the first page as it

comes to you like that that's a kind of

a

this is where it comes from that ideas

from this this

conversion of saint augustine and if i

could just make a note that

this this passage he read from romans 13

chapter divisions didn't exist until the

11th or 12th century

so that was that's a retroactive thing

it was just it was all

one thing he just happened to read that

passage so a little little side note

there

so augustine was finally baptized on

easter vigil in the year 387

he was 33 years old and it was of course

by ambrose was the one who baptized him

prepared and brought him into the church

and then he was ordained a priest about

four years later and then made bishop

four years after that bishop of hippo in

north africa

and he would remain in that position for

the next 35 years

governing and preaching and writing all

the works that have come down to us

today

so he would eventually die in the year

430.

was close to i guess that would be 70 70

some years old

so um you know three of his most famous

works were the confessions

of saint augustine and this is what he

writes this is where we get much of what

we have

is his autobiography he says this is

what happened this is what converted me

this is what i was thinking here's what

was going on these are my struggles

he writes that yeah the confessions but

he also discusses in there

the nature of god the nature of evil the

idea of time

memory right these these um highly

abstract philosophical ideas

that he he brings down he gives some

concrete reality to it

in response it's either there was a

cities are being destroyed by the

vandals

barbarians coming in and people were

blaming it on christianity

and augustine responds to christianity

is what is enabling us to hold on to the

shreds that we are

it is pagan decadence and evil that's

what's bringing these barbarians upon us

that's what's causing the destruction of

society

so he writes the city of god and it's

the city of man the city of god and it

talks about the interplay

of the faith and the church and god's

true religion in the world and society

and an unbelief lack of faith uh

paganism

in the world and society and he says

this is what's going to happen this is

the interplay between the two

and this is going to go on to the end of

the world so that that book city of god

that's that that's foundational for

catholic social doctrine

that it did and that's really so

foundational for a social doctor in

general government

governance uh what's supposed to happen

the right way to do things

right there i also wrote a book on

christian doctrine about

scripture how are we supposed to

understand scripture and he says very

interesting he says god wants us to know

scripture

god has chosen to reveal himself through

scripture

and he gives us the holy ghost to guide

us but that doesn't take away

our possibility of misunderstanding

scripture

how do we know that we haven't made an

error so god god reveals himself through

the scriptures but

but there there's difficulty in

understanding it how are we supposed to

do that

and saint augustine writes a whole book

on christian doctrine

about that uh so i mean

there's there's there's all of these

like i said this this foundational

understanding that augustine gave to not

just

churches theology the church's

philosophy but the world itself the

world's understanding and he would he

would be one of those founders of europe

and western western civilization in

general

which is the foundations of the world we

have today

uh and i would like to to end with some

some quotes by saint augustine

uh that were i think we're familiar with

we may not have known where they've come

from

but here they are they come from

augustine so maybe

we've heard it before pray as though

everything depended on god

works as though everything depended on

you like saint augustine

do you wish to be great think first

about the foundations of humility

the higher your structure is the deeper

must be its foundation

right humility is the foundation of

spiritual life saint augustine

resentment is like drinking poison and

waiting for the other person to die

we've heard that attributed to many many

people over the years saint augustine i

don't even know if he was the first but

but um certainly he would have made it

uh popular

if you believe what you like in the

gospel and reject what you don't like

it's not the gospel in which you believe

but yourself

take that protestants take that lukewarm

catholics right

our hearts were made for you o lord and

they are restless until they rest in you

and that was a famous one when he was

said he also would say that

the man who's knocking on the brothel

door is looking for god

because god is a source of all our

happiness happiness comes from god

happiness we will only find happiness in

god and any other

pleasure on this earth any other goal

any other thing we desire

is is intermediary we really desire god

and we only desire those other things

insofar as he said there's a mistake

there you really with the soul desires

god

uh most of all and he gave this

absolutely beautiful uh he would write

about uh when he would finally convert

when he would finally be able to leave

behind

uh his his um evil way of life his sins

he would finally embrace the church uh

he wrote this this beautiful passage

on the love of god and he writes

late have i loved you beauty ever

ancient and ever new

late have i loved you and see you were

within me

and i was in the external world and i

sought you there and in my unlovely

state

i plunged into those lovely things which

you had made you were with me

but i was not with you those lovely

things you made kept me far

from you though if they did not have

their existence in you

they had no existence at all you called

and cried out loud and shattered my

deafness

you were radiant and resplendent you put

to flight my blindness

you were fragrant and i drew in my

breath and i now pant after you

i tasted you and i feel but hunger and

thirst

for you you touched me and i am set on

fire

to attain that peace which is yours

beautiful words from saint augustine uh

and so let us follow his example let us

not be late

in loving god but prompt all sin

any sin is a result of not loving god

sufficiently enough this is what saint

augustine realized

let us ask every day in our prayers to

for the love of god that deep ardent

burning love of god

of all of his gifts that is the greatest

to be placed within us

uh we're all children of the blessed

virgin and she has wept over us

so let us believe like saint augustine

that we we are the child of so many

tears tears of our blessed mother

let us believe we will not be lost if we

realize

god is the ultimate end of all my

desires he is the only one who can

satisfy me

so to thank god for giving us said

augustine giving us his example of

brilliance

and theology but also for having shown

us his past

and realize that whatever may have

happened in my past there's a future for

me as well

god bless you all in the name of the

father and the son and the holy ghost

[Music]

amen

[Music]