And now, an interruption from St. Augustine...

Today is the feast of St. Augustine. Let's take a break from the Ignite Your Torch Chronicles to reflect on the life and writings of this great saint! Dear Father, thank you for creating St. Augustine.

Most of you probably know the story of Augustine: extreme sinner turned saint. He is proof that even those who seem most hardened, most disgusted with God, most entrenched in sin, are not lost. In fact, they are the pearls of great price, the ones God is waiting for to redeem and "show off" as His greatest treasures.

St. Augustine's life story inspires us to pray for the conversion of those we love. His mother, St. Monica, prayed for him for many years to know and love God. Prayer enfolded in love is cherished in the heart of God, and He waits for the perfect opportunity to unleash all the graces upon the one being prayed for. When we pray and it seems nothing is happening, let us look to the story of Augustine and Monica for strength to persevere!

His story also reminds us there is hope for US. No matter how far we have strayed, GOD WILL TAKE US BACK-with open arms-AND BLESS US ABUNDANTLY! God does not keep blessings only for those who have always been good and faithful to Him (none of us!) HE is the faithful one and HE wants us to become saints too! And how do we become saints? Let us learn from the life of Saint Augustine. There we discover that all is grace, and grace calls for a response to grace...and when we give that response, wherever we have been or whatever we have done, HEAVEN OPENS ITS ARMS to us and WE ARE CHANGED and EMBRACED in the LOVE OF GOD and then WE RECEIVE HIS EMBRACE to SHARE with the world.


In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola:

'there are very few who realize what God would make of them if they abandoned themselves into His Hands, and let themselves be formed by His grace. A thick and shapeless tree trunk would never believe that it could become a statue, admired as a miracle of sculpture...and would never consent to submit itself to the chisel of the sculptor who, as St. Augustine says, sees by his genius what he can make of it. Many people who, we see, now scarcely live as Christians, do not understand that they could become saints, if they would let themselves be formed by the grace of God, if they did not ruin His plans by resisting the work which He wants to do...'

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St. Augustine left us with a roller-coaster of a life story (recorded in his book Confessions) and other writings, including some exquisite poetry. Definitely worth reflecting on. One of these most beautiful phrases summarizes humanity, God, and existence:

"You have created us for Yourself, O God, 

And our hearts are restless 

Until they rest

 In You."

Yes, sit with it. Breathe it in and breathe it out until you are alive again. :-)

Then read this and make it your own prayer: 

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

from The Confessions of Saint Augustine (http://www.feastofsaints.com/ancientnew.htm)

And PLEASE listen to Gungor's beautiful rendition of this poetry. Late Have I Loved You-Gungor

St. Augustine, pray for us!