The Conversion of St. Augustine
April 24
Augustine's life as a young man was characterized by loose living and a search for answers to life's basic questions. He would follow various philosophers, only to become disillusioned with their teachings. For nine years he was associated with the Manichean sect. But he gradually became aware that Manicheism was unable to provide satisfactory answers to his probing questions. At this time, Augustine was teaching rhetoric in Milan. He went to hear the preaching of Saint Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan. At first he went only to hear Ambrose's eloquent style of speaking. But the Bishop's preaching led Augustine to a new understanding of the Bible and the Christian Faith. Some time in the year 386, Augustine, his mother Monica, his son Adeodatus, and several friends, were spending time in Cassiciacum, a small village near Milan. While outdoors, Augustine heard the voice of a child singing a song, the words of which were, "Pick it up and read it. Pick it up and read it." He thought at first that the song was related to some kind of children's game, but could not remember ever having heard such a song before. Then, realizing that this song might be a command from God to open and read the Scriptures, he located a Bible, picked it up, opened it and read the first passage he saw. It was from the Letter of Paul to the Romans. Augustine read:
Not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual excess and lust, not in quarreling and jealousy. Rather, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. --Romans 13: 13-14
Reading this scripture, Augustine felt as if his heart were flooded with light. He turned totally from his life of sin. He was Baptized by Ambrose during the Easter Vigil April 24, 387. His friend Alypius and his son Adeodatus were baptized at the same time. His mother, Monica, was also present. Later, reflecting on this experience, Augustine wrote his famous prayer: You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
In the midst of the Church
he will open his mouth
and the Lord will fillhim
with the spirit of wisdom and understanding
and clothe him with the stole of glory.
OPENING PRAYER
By your providence, Lord God,
you led blessed Augustine
from the darkness of error into the light of truth.
Through his prayers
may we who celebrate his conversion this day
be reformed in our ways.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Celebrating this memorial of our salvation
we beseech you, 0 Lord, in your mercy,
that this sacrament of devotion may become for us
a sign of unity and a bond of love.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
PREFACE: PASTORS
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We liftthem up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord Our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise
Father all powerful and ever living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks.
In a special way you converted Saint Augustine
so that by your grace
he became your renowned witness and friend
and he filled your Church
with the wonderful light of his teaching.
You wounded his heart with the grace of your love.
and filled him with the desire to contemplate your glory so that he might feed the flock entrusted to him
with his life giving doctrines. And so you
provided him with an ideal way
to bring clerics together to live the common life
and to aspire to holiness of life
by spending themselves in their ministry.
Therefore with the angels and archangels,
with the thrones and dominations and
with the whole heavenly army
we sing the endless hymn of your glory.
Holy, Holy, Holy…
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
He is the faithful and wise steward
whom the master placed over his household
to give them their allowance of food
at the proper time.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord, may our sharing at Christ’s table
make us holy so that,
formed into the members of his body,
we may become what we have received.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
READINGS
1. Romans 13: 11-14
2. Psalm 131: 1, 2, 3
Response: “Keep my soul in your peace, Lord.”
3. Alleluia, Alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord, whoever follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia, Alleluia!
4. Gospel: Luke 7: 11-16
The Solemnity of Saint Augustine
August 28
Saint Augustine was born in 354 in Tagaste, a provincial Roman city in North Africa. He was raised and educated in Carthage. His mother Monica (Saint Monica) was a devout Christian and his father Patricius a pagan. As a youth Augustine followed the unpopular Manichaean religion, much to the horror of his mother. In Carthage, he developed a relationship with a young woman who would be his concubine for over a decade and produce a son. His education and early career was in philosophy and rhetoric, the art of persuasion and public speaking. He taught in Tagaste and Carthage, but soon aspired to compete with the best in Rome. However, Augustine grew disappointed with the Roman schools which he found apathetic. Manichean friends introduced him to the prefect of the City of Rome, Symmachus, who had been asked to provide a professor of rhetoric for the imperial court at Milan.
The young provincial won the job and headed north to take up his position in late 384. At age thirty Augustine had won the most visible academic chair in the Latin world, at a time when such posts gave ready access to political careers. However, he felt the tensions of life at an imperial court, lamenting one day as he rode in his carriage to deliver a grand speech before the emperor, that a drunken beggar he passed on the street had a less careworn existence than he.
Although Monica pressed the claims of Christianity, it is the bishop of Milan, Ambrose, who had most influence over Augustine. Ambrose was a master of rhetoric like Augustine himself, but older and more experienced. Prompted by Ambrose's sermons, Augustine moved away from Manichaeism, but instead of becoming Catholic like Ambrose, he converted to pagan Neoplatonism. Augustine's mother followed him to Milan and he allowed her to arrange a society marriage, for which he abandoned his concubine (however he had to wait two years until his fiancée came of age; he promptly took up in the meantime with another woman).
In the summer of 386, in a garden, Augustine underwent a profound personal crisis and decided to convert to Christianity, abandon his career in rhetoric, quit his teaching position in Milan, give up any ideas of marriage (much to the horror of his mother), and devote himself full time to religion, celibacy and the priesthood. Ambrose baptized Augustine on Easter day in 387, and soon thereafter in 388 he returned to Africa. On his way back to Africa his mother died, as did his son soon after, leaving him relatively alone.
Upon his return to north Africa he created a monastic foundation at Tagaste for himself and a group of friends. In 391 he was ordained a priest in Hippo Regius, (now Annaba, in Algeria). He became a famous preacher (more than 350 preserved sermons are believed to be authentic), and was noted for combating the Manichaean heresy.
In 396 he was made coadjutor bishop of Hippo (assistant with the right of succession on the death of the current bishop), and remained as bishop in Hippo until his death in 430. He left his monastery, but continued to lead a monastic life in the episcopal residence. He left a Rule (Latin, Regula) for his monastery that has led him to be designated the "patron saint of Regular Clergy," that is, parish clergy who live by a monastic rule.
Augustine died on August 28, 430, during the siege of Hippo by the Vandals. He is said to have encouraged its citizens to resist the attacks, primarily on the grounds that the Vandals adhered to Arianism, which was heretical according to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, of which Augustine was a bishop.
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
In the middle of the Church
he will open his mouth
and the Lord will fill him
with the spirit of wisdom and understanding
and clothe him with the stole of glory.
OPENING PRAYER
O God, pour out again on your church
that Spirit with which you filled St. Augustine.
Filled with that same Spirit,
may we long for you
the source of all wisdom
and the wellspring of love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Celebrating the memorial of our salvation
we beseech you, 0 Lord, in your mercy,
that this sacrament of devotion
may become for us a sign of unity and a bond of love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
PREFACE:
Priest: The Lord be with you.
people: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Father all powerful and ever living God,
we do well always and everywhere
to give you thanks. In a special way
you converted Saint Augustine
so that by your grace he
became your renowned witness
and friend and he filled your Church
with the wonderful light of his teaching.
You wounded his heart
with the grace of your love
and filled him with the desire
to contemplate your glory
so that he might feed
the flock entrusted to him
with his life giving doctrines.
You provided him
with an ideal way to bring clerics together
to live the common life
and to aspire to holiness of life
by spending themselves in their ministry.
Therefore with the angels and archangels,
with the thrones and dominations,
and with the whole heavenly army,
we sing the endless hymn of your glory.
Holy, Holy, Holy…
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
The Lord said:
“You have only one teacher, Christ,
and you are all brothers”.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord, may our sharing at Christ’s table
make us holy, so that,
formed into the members of his Body,
we may become what we have received.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
READINGS
1. Sirach 50: 6-14
2. Psalm 133: 2, 3
Response: “How good and how pleasant it is, brothers living in unity.”
3. Alleluia, Alleluia! “One can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.” Alleluia. Alleluia!
4. Gospel: John 17: 1, 14-21 |
