St. Augustine of Hippo 354-430

Part 2 of St. Augustine and his mom Monica's journey.

August 28

Do you remember when your soccer team made it to the championships?

  It was all you could think about for days. You imagined how great it would feel to win. You thought about how cool it would be to see our team's picture in the newspaper. You just knew that winning the championship would make you happier than you'd ever been before.

  And just as you'd dreamed, it all happened: the win, the trophy, the pizza party afterward, and even the newspaper photograph with your name in the caption.

  Months later, did it still seem so important?

  What about that ribbon you won for your science project last year? Do you even know where it is now?

  We won't even talk about those Christmas presents you begged and pleaded for last year, those toys and games you knew you couldn't live without. Isn't it odd how you've practically forgotten about almost every one of those things you swore would be all you needed to be happy? Don't you wonder if there's anything out there that will bring you happiness today, tomorrow, and forever?

  Augustine of Hippo was a young man who puzzled over that very question. Just like you, he enjoyed doing different things and he took pride in his accomplishments. All of his paths brought him happiness and pride, but none of it lasted. Augustine's heart yearned for a happiness he could depend on. 

  Augustine lived in North Africa and Italy during the fourth and fifth centuries. You've read a little about his life in the story of Monica, his mother (page 19) of Loyola Kids Book of SAINTS. You know that her prayers were important in helping Augustine discover real happiness. Now it's time to tell the story of exactly what happened to Augustine.

  He was such a smart boy, that Augustine. He loved life and everything about it. He loved to learn, he loved to play, and he loved to spend time with his friends. 

  All of these things gave joy and pride, but Augustine started noticing something about those good times: they always ended. Friends moved away or even died. After a while, his successful career began to seem almost useless.

  Augustine found happiness with the woman he lived with. They had a child and named him Adeodatus, which in Latin means "gift of God." So Augustine knew that love and children were a good part of life. Even so, he sometimes wondered if that kind of happiness was distracting him from something even deeper that would last beyond life changes and even death. 

  Augustine also found happiness in his beliefs. The trouble was that Augustine didn't believe in one thing for very long. Once, he spent some time believing in a certain religion, one that believed in two gods, only to find out later that it was false. 

  By that time Augustine was in his early thirties, he had tried everything he could to find happiness. Nothing had worked. Augustine had no peace in his heart. 

  As you know, Augustine had been raised a Christian by Monica, but he wasn't baptized. He knew a little bit about Christianity. Now he began to actually study it, and he discovered that he didn't know as much about it as he thought he did. 

  What he learned was something simple: Jesus wasn't a character in a story. He had really lived, died, and risen from the dead. He had spoken the truth about God and the world. And Jesus continued to live, teach, and love the world through his church. 

  Augustine knew now that putting Jesus----who lives and loves forever without changing----at the center of his heart would bring him that happiness he'd been looking for. But he was afraid.

    Augustine knew that if he gave his life to Jesus, his life would be very different. He'd have to give up many of the things that gave him momentary happiness. Some of these things were clearly wrong, but other things were simply a waste of the time he could be devoting to God. 

  This was so hard for Augustine. You can imagine how he felt. Augustine had to turn his back on things he could see and touch. The rest of his life's happiness would depend on something he couldn't see. 

  One afternoon, he was in a friend's garden, thinking about all this. He wanted to belong to Jesus, but he didn't think he was strong enough to give up all the fun times and worldly success he was used to. He was so upset that he could hardly think.

  Suddenly, he heard voices. They were children's voices, chanting as if they were playing a game. This is what they were saying in Latin: "Tolle et lege! Tolle et lege!"

  This means, "Pick up and read! Pick up and read!"

  Augustine looked around. An open Bible sat on a nearby table. He picked it up and read the very first passage his eyes rested on. It was from Paul's letter to the Romans. The versus said that if we wear the power of Christ like a suit of armor, we'll be strong enough to do anything.

  In a flash, Augustine understood. He understood that he couldn't take this great big step on his own. But if he turned to Jesus as his Lord and friend and asked him for strength, that would be enough to help him take that first step.

  Augustine did just that. He found the kind of peace and joy that nothing else in life had ever given him. He spent the rest of his life serving God, who'd given him such a lasting love. Augustine became a priest and a bishop. He defended Christianity against unbelievers. He was a wonderful teacher. After sixteen centuries, his books are still popular. They have been translated into many languages and have been read by people all over the world.

  St. Augustine's long, hard road to a peaceful heart teaches us something important yet simple about God. God is the one who's there for us no matter what. 

  Other people are going to disappoint us. What we think is fun one minute might really hurt us the next minute.

  But God won't disappoint us. He won't bore us, and if we listen to him as he speaks to our hearts, he'll help us be our best selves, the people he created us to be. That, in the end, is what brings us peace now and forever.

  God is love. In God we find a place where happiness is always alive and never fades away. He made us to be with him forever. This is exactly what St. Augustine meant when he said: "Our hearts are restless till they rest in you, O Lord."

  St. Augustine helps us understand that God's love is all we need to be happy. Name some things that you thought would bring you happiness but didn't. Why do you think those things lost their power to bring you happiness?

  This is from the book called Loyola Kids Book of SAINTS: By Amy Welborn.