The life of Saint Augustine
Saint Monica often wept for her son. Augustine, born in 354, was brilliant but stubborn, chasing pleasures and philosophies that pulled him far from God. Monica prayed night after night, believing that one day her son would find his way to God.
Their conversations were never recorded, but it was probably something like this:
“Don’t worry, mother,” Augustine might have said with a half-smile. “There’s more to life than your faith. I want freedom, pleasure, ideas. That’s where truth is.”
And Monica, with tears in her eyes, probably whispered in her heart: “Lord, please… don’t let him be lost.”
For years, Augustine resisted. He joined the Manicheans, a religious group that claimed light and darkness were equal forces fighting in the world. They rejected the God of the Bible and offered Augustine big promises of wisdom, but in the end left him empty. He also searched through philosophies and lived with pride. Yet the more he chased answers, the less peace he found. Still, Monica never gave up—her prayers followed him everywhere.
In Milan, Augustine began listening to Bishop Ambrose, whose preaching was calm, wise, and able to explain Scripture in a way that made sense even to Augustine’s questioning mind. The more he listened, the more his heart started to open. But even then, the real battle was inside him.
“How long, Lord? Tomorrow and tomorrow… why not now?”
He opened the Scriptures and read: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13:14)
At that moment, everything became clear. His restless heart finally found peace.
Augustine was later baptized by Bishop Ambrose. From then on, his life became a witness to grace. He wrote a book called Confessions, often considered the first true spiritual autobiography. Written as a prayer to God, it tells the story of his sins, struggles, and conversion, showing how God’s mercy can transform even the most restless heart. He also wrote a book called City of God, explaining that while earthly kingdoms rise and fall, God’s kingdom built on love will last forever.
He eventually became Bishop of Hippo and guided his people with wisdom. When he died while Hippo was under siege, the Church began to honor his memory every August 28. And through the centuries, his words continue to speak:
“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.”
𝚃𝚢𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚕𝚞𝚎 • 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚛.𝚌𝚘𝚖
