... how much she loves St. Augustine.
Our pastor inserted this nice bit of spiritual reading into yesterday's bulletin. It's very fitting, and full of truth and pertinence, despite being almost two thousand years old. I suppose that says much about 1) the constancy of the inconstancy of human nature, and 2) the timelessness and universality of divine Wisdom.
I read a good portion of The Confessions of Saint Augustine for Theology class last semester, so for me the veracity of his words is underscored quite a bit, knowing that St. Augustine himself struggled greatly against concupiscence. There is a practicality here that is poignant in its simplistic delivery, and I can't help but to smile at the slightly sarcastic comment at the end.
It just seems to highlight the fact that St. Augustine was a man before becoming a saint, and a very human man at that. Who better to offer advice, than a man who found God despite his fallen nature, and through God and His grace, learned to overcome himself?
I think I'm going to have to go back and finish the Confessions...
Saint Augustine, ora pro nobis!
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Chastity and Holy Communion
That you may not receive Holy Communion unto your own judgement, be careful to live justly... You who are married, keep faith with your wives. Do that which you demand of them. You as a husband demand chastity of your wife; teach this by example, not by mere talk. You are the leader; look where you are going. For you should not go where she may not follow without danger; more, the way in which you would have her walk, you ought also travel. It is of the weaker that you demand fortitude; though the concupiscence of the flesh is in you both. Let the one who is stronger, first obtain the mastery.
But it is a grievous thing that in this women surpass many men. Women observe the chastity men will not observe; and men desire to appear as men through not observing it; as though it was for this man was the stronger, that the enemy may the more easily overcome him. It is a struggle, a war, a battle. The man is stronger than the woman; the husband is the head of the wife (Eph. V 23). Your wife struggles, and overcomes; do you give in to the enemy? The body stands firm; but the head falls down?
You who are yet without wives, and who still come to the Lord's Table, and eat of the Flesh of Christ and drink of His Blood, if you intend to marry, preserve yourselves chaste for your wives. Such as you would have them come to you, such let them also find you.
What young man is there who does not wish to marry a chaste wife? And if he were to take to himself a virgin, who is there who would not desire that she should be undefiled? You seek for a pure wife; be yourself unstained. It is not as though she can be, but you cannot be. If it is impossible, then it is impossible for her. But since it is possible to her, then let this teach you that it can be done. And the Lord has a care for her, that she may do this.
Should you, however, also do this, you are the more to be honoured. Why the more to be honoured? Because in her case the vigilance of her parents protects her; the very modesty of the weaker is itself a restraint. And then she fears laws you do not fear. So if you do this you are the more to be honoured; for should you achieve this, it is because you fear God. She has much else to fear besides God; You have God alone to fear. But He you fear is greater than all others. He is to be feared in public; He is to be feared in private. Go out from your house; you are seen. Enter in; you are seen. The lamp shines; He sees you. You enter your room; He sees you. You reflect within your own heart; He sees you. Fear Him; for He hath care of you, that He may see you (I Pet. V. 7); and, fearing Him be chaste. Or else, if you wish to sin, seek a place where He cannot see you, and then do what you will.
St. Augustine - Homily for Corpus Christi
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