Saints and Sinners

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.” Matthew 23:13

Hypocrisy is a constant temptation for us. We all want to appear good. There is so much we hide from the world. And I don’t just mean the junk in our drawers and cabinets when guests are expected. Much more serious are the sins that we repeatedly do. St. Augustine, whose feast day we celebrate today, is no exception. 

He is the patron saint of brewers because for many years he lived his life wantonly enjoying himself with parties and worldly pursuits.

As the story goes, he heard about two men who had suddenly been converted and he felt terribly ashamed of himself. “What are we doing?" he cried to his friend. “Unlearned people are taking Heaven by force, while we, with all our knowledge, are so cowardly that we keep rolling around in the mud of our sins!"

Full of bitter sorrow, Augustine flung himself out into the garden and cried out to God, “How long more, O Lord? Why does not this hour put an end to my sins?"

Just then he heard a child singing, “Take up and read!" Thinking God intended him to hear those words, he picked up the book of the Letters of Saint Paul, and read the first passage his gaze fell on. It was just what Augustine needed, for in it, St. Paul says to put away all impurity and to live in imitation of Jesus. From then on, Augustine lived a new life! His writings and sermons are the foundation of much of our Catholic teaching and theology, and are still very much relevant today. 

How amazing that God gives us this priceless gift! We can just go to Him, ask forgiveness and we too are new creations! We can begin anew! This is not just for St. Augustine, and all the saints, but for each of us as well! 

St. Augustine, pray for us!