Augustine

August 28, 2014:  St. Augustine, bishop and doctor

Readings

St. Augustine

• 1 Cor 1:1-9  Paul and Sosthenes, to the Church of God in Corinth:  Grace and peace from God!  I thank God for the grace bestowed on you in Christ:  knowledge, testimony, spiritual gifts...  He will keep you firm and irreproachable.  Our faithful God called you to fellowship with his Son...

• Ps 145:2-7  "I will praise your name for ever, Lord."  Generations speak of the splendor of your majesty, tell of your wondrous works, and sing of your justice.

• Mt 24:42-51  “Stay awake!  For you do not know when your Lord will come.  If the master had known when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake.  You must be prepared too, for the Son of Man will come when you don't expect him.  “Blessed is the servant the master has put in charge and is found faithful when the master arrives; he'll be put in charge of all his property.  But if a servant says, ‘My master is delayed,’ beats his fellow servants, and drinks with drunkards, the master will come, punish him severely, and assign him a place of wailing and grinding of teeth.”

Music

• Restless is the Heart/ Farrell (sheet music) (St. Augustine)

• Psalm 145: I will praise your name/ Haas (IMHO works better as responsorial psalm than his original; hear this related version) (psalm)

• Sing praises to the Lord and bless his name/ Moore (psalm)

• Restless Heart, from St. Augustine, the music and the restless heart, the musical

• Be prepared/ Lehrer (gospel theme run amok)

Top words of today's readings

St. Augustine

• Universalis:  St. Augustine of Hippo (present Algeria) led dissolute youth but was converted through his mother's prayers and St. Ambrose's teaching.  Held Manichaean heresy, then became neo-Platonist.  34-year bishop.  See Catholic Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

• St. Augustine and music:  see what he really said; it's not "He who sings prays twice" or "He who sings, prays; he who sings well, prays twice."  (You'll also find links to his inner conflict about music, the keyboard player named "Confessions of St. Augustine," and the country band named "Restless Heart" :-)

• Read him online

• Restless Heart, the movie, but check out the mixed reviews first:  Be forewarned, Uplifting, When bad movies happen to good people.

• For his mom, see yesterday.

Reflections

• One Bread One Body:  We know Jesus is coming again but don't know when; it motivates us to "stay awake" and prepared.  Time is too precious to get entangled with petty stuff.  In the light of the 2nd coming, material things lose their value.  Jesus' coming isn't just about life after death; it transforms our lives now.

• Passionist:  St. Augustine spent most of his life undergoing conversion:  "You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there I searched for you...  You were with me, but I was not with you."  How often do we search outside for God (e.g. in wealth or status)?  Conversion = let God be God in us; be servant; embrace consequences.

• DailyScripture.net:  Jesus' 2nd coming will be a great victory celebration establishing his kingdom of peace and justice.   Be prepared...

• Sacred Space

Apparel

• 'Clocks' tie: "If the master had known the hour the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake.... Be prepared, for at an hour you don't expect, the Son of Man will come." (gospel)

• 'Roadrunner' tie pin: Our hearts are restless till they rest in You (St. Augustine) 

• 'Medical' pin: St. Augustine, 'doctor' of the Church

• White shirt:  today's liturgical color (for St. Augustine)

Special greetings to and prayers for all at 

St. Augustine Church and School (Culver City) and St. Augustine Academy (Ventura)

Preview tomorrowDress your life!