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Post by Dr. Robert Gotcher on May 16, 2023 3:38:54 GMT
Why didn’t Augustine succeed when he said, "Let it be now." (ch. 11)
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Post by dylanmchugh on May 16, 2023 22:47:58 GMT
When Augustine says, “Let it be now” (Confessions, Ch. 11), he is expressing a sense of urgency to change his life from sinful ways towards God. Augustine clearly struggles throughout his life prior to his conversion to commit to a life of righteousness. One of the reasons why Augustine may not have been successful is because his bad habits had been solidified into his behavior over years and years. These habits are difficult to break and take a lot of spiritual fortitude over the course of a long period of time, with utter dependence and surrender to God. In particular, Augustine struggled with sins of the flesh, sexual sin. He was a man divided between who his master was: earthly pleasure or God. Even though he had a tremendous amount of sin to overcome, he remained persistent - fighting through setbacks and continuing progress towards aligning his life with the will of God. Augustine displayed a saintly amount of perseverance, faith, and fortitude on his path to holiness that is very relatable to the modern world because the very same things he struggled with are still common struggles for all of us today.
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Post by Chris Lauterbach on May 23, 2023 0:00:51 GMT
It almost seems like he was forcing it. He wanted to happen quickly so that he could put the past behind him as soon as possible. Like he wanted to forget and move on. But, we have to remember our past is part of us. Good or bad, it is part of our learning experience. We don't succeed if we force God's hand.
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Post by Rene Rillorta on Jun 7, 2023 4:06:54 GMT
Why didn’t Augustine succeed when he said, "Let it be now." (ch. 11) In our Servant Leadership class, the book Tattoos of The Heart quoted Teilhard de Chardin who said " trust in the slow work of God." Once we realize that God is our pearl of great price, we as humans immediately wants to be " Santo Subito". But like the Bride of Christ who follows steps to sainthood, God has his own time table for us. Our good desires is pleasing to God, but He is the one that grants it's fruition at the time He desires. I hope this is not a bad connection but I remember St Therese of the Child Jesus who offers herself as a "little ball of no account" and I quote: "I had offered myself, for some time now, to the Child Jesus as his little plaything. I told him not to use me as a valuable toy children are content to look at but dare not touch, but to use me like a little ball of no value which he could throw on the ground, push with His foot, pierce, leave in a corner, or press to His heart if it pleased him; in a word, I wanted to amuse little Jesus, to give Him pleasure; I wanted to give myself up to His childish whims. He heard my prayer. At Rome, Jesus pierced His little plaything; He wanted to see what there was inside it and having seen, content with His discovery, He let His little ball fall to the ground and He went off to sleep. What did He do during His gentle sleep and what became of the little abandoned ball? Jesus dreamed He was still playing with His toy, leaving it and taking it up in turns, and then having seen it roll quite far He pressed it to His heart, no longer allowing it to ever go far from His little hand.
St Augustine didn't succeed at first when he said, "Let it be now." Because God treated him like all of us as a little ball which He leaves, picks up, makes it roll quite far, then presses it to His heart, no longer allowing it to ever go far. St. Augustine's eagerly awaited conversion came, and so will be mine and ours, and all who believe in His work of Mercy. All the desires of our hearts that aligns with God's will, He will always grant at His right time. And that includes being united with Him, pressed to His heart and not letting go like a little ball of no account. |
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