St Augustine
Pray For Us
Although his actual feast
day is on Wednesday, it has been a tradition here at St Patrick’s, to remember
St Augustine on the closest Sunday to his actual feast day, so that is why the
readings today are proper to his feast.
St Augustine taught that
we were made with a desire for God, and yet, that desire is often blinded and
misdirected. Oftentimes, this teaching is used to explain sin: when we sin, we
are seeking God in the wrong places. For example, the misdirected desire for
God may express itself in a desire for power, causing from personal quarrels to
wars among nations.
On the other hand, we can
take the teaching of being made for God, and think of the many good, morally
upright people who see God as irrelevant. I think St. Augustine would say that
they ignore the transcendental aspect, namely, that they were made for God and
we are mere pilgrims on this earth. The desire to be good, is itself a gift
from God; and goodness itself is a divine attribute, but in taking the credit,
we may be falling into pride or vainglory, which often lurk behind good
actions.
We were made for God, and
God desires to share the fullness of divine life with us. Our Lord Jesus Christ
is the Way for us to share in that fullness of life. As we remember St Augustine
today, let us also ask him to pray for us, that the grace of God, may continue
shaping and forming us, so all our desires are expressed in loving God, and
loving one an-other as Christ loves us.
God bless, Fr. Carlos, OSA
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