Review: UPLIFTING
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 19, 2013
It is amazing to me that such a complete story of a man who lived in the fourth century has survived, but I can see why. Augustine's mother, a Sainte in her own right, was a devout Christian; Augustine's father wasn't interested in the Lord until he was near death.By that time Augustine had been long gone from his parents' home. He had fathered an illegitimate child and taken responsibility for him, providing for both the child and mother but NOT proposing marriage to the mother of his son. Augustine was nowhere near becoming a Christian when he became a father. He moved to Rome because he loved Roman poetry, but the Roman empire was already in decline when he got there.Rome was an illusion he could not find. The Rome from the poems he had studied simply did not exist anymore.So Augustine moved to Milan. It was in Milan that the Lord began to work on Augustine.I believe Augustine's story has survived these seventeen centuries to show the power of our Creator- to show what great things God can do when He reaches out His hand to touch the soul of a heretic.God took Augustine's son, but that did not affect the man's faith. The Saint knew Italy and Greece were well covered by evangelists.He wanted Africa.After all, he was from Africa. He had first thrown God aside in Africa. Perhaps, if there had been a speaker with his knowledge, background, oratory skills, he would not have been apart from the Lord God for so long.There were things he regretted.And you will only understand the depth of that regret if you read.You will understand just what a heretic he had been.Just how far and how long he had turned his back on the Gates of Heaven.Scary, isn't it? If his repentance had come too late...St. Augustine spent the rest of his life in action, thanking God that it wasn't too late, with some of the most heartfelt prayers you'll ever read.Kinda puts you in the mood to thank God that you know Him.