Today we remember the life and death of Saint Augustine of Hippo. He was a pagan who converted. Thanks to the prayers and intercession of his mother, Saint Monica, he not only was baptized.
Bob Dylan wrote a song about Saint Augustine and it had the following Chorus:
“I dreamed I saw St. Augustine
Alive as you or me
Tearing through these quarters
In the utmost misery
With a blanket underneath his arm
And a coat of solid gold
Searching for the very souls
Whom already have been sold”
We all are searching our own souls. The sold part was bought by the Blood of Christ. In our first reading today from 1 Corinthians Saint Paul writes, ” The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Monday this week I was so bored at work. I looked and asked for things to do but it ended up being a very long day. Tuesday we had so much to do and things happened so fast when I got home, I kissed my wife after diner and went to bed. I had planned on staying up with my wife, Anna, but my sand ran out of my hour glass. We make human plans and those plans take turns. The thing that hit me from reading Psalm 33 The Lord brings to nought the plans of nations: he foils the designs of peoples. But the plan of the Lord stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations.
Saint Augustine had plans for his life but it did not include the Lord. Nonetheless God’s plan was to call him and lead him do something else. He was engaged to be married but the Lord called him and he became a Priest, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. One thing for certain life leads you in directions that you may never have imagined.
Live can be full of surprises.
The Gospel for today gives us the parable of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins. At the end Jesus says, ” Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” Always be vigilant to the Holy Spirit but we need to be ready to stand before the throne of God every minute of the day.
Honestly, I just try to get through the day. I really love the people I work with. I know Jesus expects me to do more. He expects me to live in a state of grace but that is not the only message for today. We have to be prepared to act as if Jesus is directing our moves and commit ourselves to the Gospel message and be willing to give it to others. We need to trim our lamps and help the foolish virgins.
Saint Augustine learned from 1 Corinthians that the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
The easiest way to stay awake and stay strong is to keep Jesus at the center of our lives every hour of our day. The biggest mistake of the wise virgins was not to wait until the foolish virgins ran out. They should have told them sooner. They still may not have listened.
I still my fall asleep before my wife but we both try to keep the lamp for the Lord lit in our hearts and be alert to the calls of the Spirit in our lives.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
