Saint Augustine

Feast Day: August 28

Early Life: Augustine was born on November 13, 354, in Thagaste (present-day Souk Ahras, Algeria), in the Roman province of Numidia. His mother, Saint Monica, was a devout Christian, while his father, Patricius, was a pagan who converted to Christianity on his deathbed.

Education and Early Career: Augustine received a classical education and was initially influenced by Manichaeism and later by Neo-Platonism. He was a rhetorician in Carthage, Rome, and Milan.

Conversion and Christian Life: Augustine's spiritual journey and conversion to Christianity were profoundly influenced by the prayers of his mother, Monica, and the preaching of Saint Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan. His conversion is famously chronicled in his autobiographical work "Confessions," where he details his struggles with moral questions and his quest for truth. He was baptized in 387.

Bishop of Hippo: After his conversion, Augustine returned to North Africa and was ordained a priest in 391 and became a bishop in 395 in Hippo Regius (now Annaba, Algeria). He was a prolific writer, with his most notable works being "Confessions" and "The City of God."

Theology and Philosophy: Augustine's contributions to theology include his teachings on original sin, divine grace, and predestination. He also contributed significantly to the development of just war theory and Christian philosophy.

Death: Augustine died on August 28, 430, in Hippo, during the siege of the city by the Vandals.

P.S.

After the death of his mother St. Monica, Augustine remained several months in Rome, chiefly engaged in refuting Manichæism. He sailed for Africa and after a short sojourn in Carthage, returned to his native Tagaste in 388.

Upon arriving, he sold his father’s estate as well as all his possessions and gave the proceeds to the poor. Then, with his friend, Alypius, he carried out his idea of living a life in poverty, devoting themselves to reading the Scriptures and intensive prayer. It was also during this time that Augustine wrote his first philosophical treatises. This sabbatical, however, lasted only 3 years for one day as he entered the basilica, the churchgoer upon recognizing him as the famous rhetorician, suddenly gathered around him, cheered him, and begged Bishop Valerius to raise him to the priesthood. Augustine did not think of entering the priesthood but eventually was obliged to yield to their appeal, and was ordained in 391.

The two friends were ordained priests at Hippo. Alypius became the bishop of Tagaste; serving in that capacity for thirty years. Before long, Bishop Valerius made Augustine coadjutor and then bishop of Hippo in 396. Augustine remained in that post for almost 40 years until his death.

Right in the first paragraph, on his famous Confessions, there is a sentence "You have made us for yourself, Oh God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."

Augustine saw that the human heart is created with a great abyss that only God can fill. The earthly satisfactions that we can throw to fill this abyss are but a handful of stones that is not even enough to cover the bottom.

Patronage:

Saint Augustine is the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, and a number of cities and dioceses.

Prayer to St. Augustine:

"O Holy Saint Augustine, who has famously declared that 'Our heart is restless until it rests in You,' help us to seek God's will in all things and to find peace in His grace. Inspire us with your love for truth and your journey from sin to sanctification. Guide us to live in faith and virtue, turning away from worldly distractions. May we follow your example in seeking deeper understanding and love for God. Through your intercession, may we grow in wisdom, charity, and humility. Amen."

Reflection:

*Reflecting on Saint Augustine's life encourages us to consider our own spiritual journey. His transformation from a life of worldly pleasures to one of profound spiritual depth reminds us that it's never too late to turn towards God. His intellectual quest for truth and understanding serves as an inspiration for all who seek deeper meaning in life and faith. His teachings on grace, divine love, and the human condition continue to resonate, offering insights into how we can live a life oriented towards God and our community.

*The one practical thing we can do really is to do the will of God. It can be the most difficult thing we can do but in the end you will realize that the best thing you’ve really done in your life is following God.

*In St. Augustine, we read a great deal about human weakness and how much we need every day to be converted. At the same time, you see God’s grace, His ineffable love, compassion, mercy and infinite goodness. He longs to embrace us... and if we only let Him he can take hold of our lives and change it.

Saint Polycarp

Feastday: February 23


Early Career

St. Polycarp was born at Smyrna, (what is now the city of Izmir, west coast of Turkey) towards the latter end of Nero's reign, 69AD. At an early age, he was taught by the apostle John, and was made deacon then catechist. Later, he was consecrated Bishop of Smyrna by St. John and other apostolic persons.

Courage under Persecution

Not long after the death of St. John, in 107 AD the persecutions against Christians were renewed, under the reign of Trajan. Among those sentenced to death was Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch. As he was transported to Rome to be executed, he was permitted to visit Smyrna. Polycarp exhorted Ignatius to hold fast. Ignatius reciprocated his wishes, exhortations as well as prayers and commended the Church along with the people of Antioch to his watch.

About this time, there came a controversy between the Eastern and Western Churches about the observation of Easter. To patch up the resulting divisions, St. Polycarp visited Rome in the year 154. During his stay, he spent much of his time convincing gainsayers and testifying the truth of the Christian doctrines handed by the Apostles. The piety and zeal of the early Christians was frequently disturbed with heretical doctrines and schism which corrupted the Christian faith. The pagans called the Christians “atheists” but Polycarp made clear to them that the real atheists are those who don’t believe in the one true God.

A Share in the Passion

As the persecution of Christians has been going on, search parties have been looking for the Bishop. Although he was warned of this danger and could have escaped, he decided to stay, saying the will of the Lord be done. Hearing his persecutor’s downstairs, he went down to greet them with a cheerful and gentle countenance. Everyone was astonished at his courage and peaceful disposition and wondered why anyone should wish to apprehend this poor old man. Perfectly calm, he ordered a table to be set for them to eat and drink, requesting that he be given one hour for solemn prayer. He was so filled with the grace of God that he prayed nearly two hours, commending to God everyone who had crossed his path – rich & poor, small or great – and the state of the whole Catholic Church throughout the world. Everyone who heard him was greatly amazed and grieved that so divine and venerable an old man should be put to death.

He was taken to Herod and his father Nicetus (Niketas), both civil officers. They tried to persuade him to renounce his faith in Christ to no avail then began to make threats and threw him from the carriage with such violence, as to scrape his shin. But undaunted, he hastened on to the place of trial. Before the proconsul and surrounded with guards, Polycarp proclaimed, “Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong,” said Polycarp. “How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

All these time, Polycarp radiated with joy and courage that the proconsul had to send his herald into the middle of the arena to announce, “Polycarp has declared that he is a Christian.” At the herald’s announcement, the angry crowd roared, insisting that he be burned.

The fire took the shape of a vaulted room, circling around Polycarp as if to protect him while the scent of incense filled the air. Seeing that his body was not consumed by the fire, Polycarp was stabbed by a dagger. A huge amount of blood oozes out to extinguish the fire and his spirit in a form of a dove came out.

 

Patronage and Feast Day:

St. Polycarp is recognized as the patron saint of Smyrna (modern-day Izmir), the city where he served as bishop. His feast day is celebrated on February 23rd in the Roman Catholic Church and on February 23rd or 26th in some Eastern Orthodox traditions.

Prayer to St. Polycarp:

Dear St. Polycarp, faithful bishop and fearless martyr, we turn to you in our times of trial and persecution. Like you, we face challenges to our faith and beliefs, and we seek your intercession and guidance. Help us to remain steadfast and unwavering in our commitment to Christ, just as you did in your lifetime. Pray for us, that we may have the strength and courage to stand up for the truth and endure any hardships that come our way. Through your intercession, may we grow in faith, hope, and love. Amen.

Reflection:

*St. Polycarp's life and martyrdom remind us of the importance of standing firm in our faith, even in the face of adversity. His example teaches us that true discipleship requires unwavering commitment to Christ and His teachings. In our own lives, we may encounter challenges, persecution, or doubt, but we can draw inspiration from St. Polycarp's courage and faithfulness. Let us reflect on how we can remain true to our beliefs and trust in God's providence, no matter the circumstances. St. Polycarp's legacy continues to inspire us to live authentic and faithful Christian lives.

*Whenever God gives us something to do, He is there with us always to see us through. Since God’s wisdom is beyond us, there are a lot of things we do not understand. We just need to trust that what He is doing is what is best for us regardless of the circumstances in our lives.


*St Polycarp followed the Lord Jesus into his Passion, knowing that he would rise with him in his Resurrection.

What is your idea of a saint?