August 28
St Augustine, Bishop and Doctor
One often wonders, how the Cross can be the center of our Christian faith. How can a symbol of defeat and death become one of wisdom and strength? St Paul instructs the Corinthians that it is foolish to solve this illogic using philosophical words or theories. Only an experience of it can open up this power that “makes God’s foolishness wiser than human wisdom.”
Saint Augustine’s life is an apt testimony of this. Remembered as one of the greatest thinkers on the Christian faith, the young Augustine had earlier subscribed to many worldly and heretical philosophies. Only after seventeen years of prayer and sacrifice by his mother, St. Monica, and encounters with the saintly bishop Ambrose, was Augustine able to surrender himself to the mystery of the cross.
Augustine’s life has forever inspired those trying to break a bad habit, which often constitutes a cross. From a life of loose living, parties and worldly ambitions, Augustine made a complete turnaround — becoming a faithful Christian, a priest, a bishop and a saint. His later life was spent repenting over his former life to ensure never to offend God again. Although Augustine’s fervent prayer was “Too late have I loved you O Lord”, his life gives us hope that we can never be too late for God.
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