BRIDGEPORT—Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Augustine, the Patron Saint of the Diocese of Bridgeport! Read Bishop Frank’s reflection on St. Augustine: “Saint Augustine came to faith after many years of struggling with a dissolute lifestyle. Afterwards he wrote his autobiography entitled “The Confessions”. It is a beautiful testimony of how the power of grace helped Augustine to find his way to Christ.
As he describes his conversion, Augustine admits that for many years he was blind to God’s presence in his life and the divine invitation to seek true peace that comes only the pursuit of holiness. Rather, he was blinded by his own abilities, passions and desires. Part of his conversion required that he recognize that God was never distant from him, even in his darkest hours. In short, Augustine was looking for God in all the wrong places until he realized that Gods grace was within him all along.
As we celebrate his feast, I offer Saint Augustine’s words for our own reflection:
“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness, I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were within me but I was not with you…You called, you shouted and you broke through my deafness, you flashed, you shone and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; and I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for you.”
May you and I have the eyes to see, the ears to hear and the heart to feel the closeness of God’s love and grace in your life and mine.”
