St Augustine
Jump to prayer, menu suggestions, additional ideas
St. Augustine (354 – 28) was born in northern Africa (now Algeria). His mother was a devout Christian. His father was pagan (he worshiped the Roman gods and goddesses), but he converted to Christianity on his deathbed (when Augustine was 16). His family belonged to an ancient North African ethnic group called the Berbers.
Augustine was very bright and curious. At the age of 11, he was sent to school about 20 miles away from home. He went on to be a teacher in bigger and bigger cities: first in Thagaste and Carthage (both in Africa) and then in Rome. By the time he was 30 years old, he held the most important teaching job in the whole Roman empire.
Just as he worked for professional success, Augustine also spent many years searching for something to believe in. As a young person, he was first drawn to Manichees, who believed that there were two great powers, one good and one evil. Then he was drawn to the Platonists who believed that Good was the true reality behind all things, but did not believe in the God described in the Bible. Eventually, when he was 31, Augustine became a Christian, and that changed everything.
Augustine wanted to give his whole life to God, and so he reconsidered his relationships and his work. Before long, he was ordained a priest, and several years later, he was ordained a bishop. Augustine wrote the whole story of his life in his Confessions, which is written in the form of a prayer. Especially well-known is a sentence that appears at the beginning of that work. “Our hearts are restless,” he wrote, “until they rest in You.”
Prayer for your Table
Heavenly God,
In St Augustine, we find a powerful example of how a passionate soul seeking satisfaction along the wrong paths can be redirected to following Christ instead.
Augustine was restless until his heart rested in You.
Once he found faith, he poured out his heart in millions of words that would forever deepen our understanding of You and Your love.
We pray that his journey would inspire our own,
as we search for the path away from sin and toward Your Son.
Help us to direct the hunger in our souls toward You as the sole source of true nourishment.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
St Augustine, pray for us!
Menu Suggestions
In Confessions, Augustine describes a moment when he once stole a pear as a child. For this reason, he is often associated with pears. You might want to serve sliced pear with your meal or bake a pear crisp or other dessert with pears.
Additional Ideas
Augustine’s Confessions are one of history’s most beautiful literary expressions of praise and joy in God’s love. “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new!” You could put on your favorite joyful music during dinnertime tonight, whether it be religious, classical, or simply something that brings your family gladness. If you have older kids, they might enjoy putting together a playlist themselves. (Or if you have family members who don’t tolerate background music, you could play it as a post-dinner activity instead.)
Upcoming in the Liturgical Year
St Augustine
August 28, 2026
Pentecost
May 16, 2027
The Feast of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
May 17, 2027