St. Augustine -- Monk and Priest

Augustine: Monk of Holy Leisure to Faithful Priest

The Transforming Experience:

In 391, Augustine was ordained into the priesthood.[1] This was a complete turn from the direction he wanted for his life at the time. “After his conversion, he was drawn irresistibly to a monastic style of life, and so much so that it was with a good deal of reluctance that he accepted ordination to the priesthood.”[2] After being baptized and losing his mother, he began trying to live out his ideal for the Christian life in his family estate: “Then he and his friends withdrew to his estate, which had already been alienated, there to lead a common life in poverty, prayer, and the study of sacred letters.”[3] Thus, he wished to live a life of holy leisure as a monk.

He probably had felt some pressure, already, to be a priest because of his intellect and publishing of works such as his Confessions. However, “Augustine did not think of entering the priesthood, and, through fear of the episcopacy, he even fled from cities in which an election was necessary.”[4] Eventually he yielded and allowed himself to be ordained as a priest and, in some manner, left behind being able to completely give himself to the holy leisure of the monastic life. “Yet we should note that even as a bishop, Augustine never relinquished his monastic style of living. Indeed, he is among the first in the history of the Church to found and promote a monastic life-style that was directed to the apostolate.”[5]

The Transforming Means

            Augustine was mostly compelled into the priesthood by a sense of duty to obey the will of the people and the holy Catholic Church but also due to being chased, I think, by the Spirit of God. As already mentioned, he avoided cities and places which would have allowed this opportunity. During a visit with a friend and an opportune stop at the local church for Eucharist, the leader spoke of his need for help with pastoral care. “At that moment, the eyes of those present were fixed at Saint Augustine. They had heard of his life before as a Manichaean, his conversion and sanctity of life. As a result, the people at that moment saw in Augustine more than enough solution to the needs of Valerius. Thus, they started to shout, asking for Augustine’s ordination to the priesthood. (At the time of Saint Augustine, this was the normal procedure. The election of God’s ministers is done by acclamation).”[6] The leader spoke of the need and the Body of Christ compelled Augustine to respond.

Also, the Spirit of God through a compelling force of love enabled him to yield to the call. Augustine said, “If, however, the burden is imposed, it ought to be borne because of the compelling force of love. However, not even in this case should the delight for learning be entirely abandoned, lest that delight be lost and the burden crush him." [City of God, 19, 19][7]

            Even as priest, he maintained his dedication towards God through monasticism. “And even if Augustine never lost his nostalgia for the leisure and tranquillity of the monastic life and was in fact tempted to flee into the desert, as he tells us in his Confessions, he considered the vita mixta, the ministry flowing from a monastic life-style to be the best form of life (optimus vitae modus) .”[8] Though I am unsure what transforming means allowed Augustine to maintain this, I think it can be said that he was given a particular means of grace to do so, just as Brother Lawrence was given a particular means of grace of practice the presence of God. Augustine was permitted by God to live, even as a priest, in a way that allowed him to be dedicated to God as a monk.

Evidence of Transformation

            At once, Augustine yielded to the call towards the priesthood fully and completely. His desire and dedication can be seen in that way he faithfully applied himself to the duties of the priesthood and in the fact that he remained in that vocation for the next 39 years of his life.[9]

            He was permitted to remain faithful to God as a monk also. “And even if Augustine never lost his nostalgia for the leisure and tranquillity of the monastic life and was in fact tempted to flee into the desert, as he tells us in his Confessions, he considered the vita mixta, the ministry flowing from a monastic life-style to be the best form of life (optimus vitae modus).”[10] He was provided church property to use at his disposal and established a monastery.[11] And he eventually wrote his own rule for the monastic life: the Rule of St. Augustine.

Appropriation (How this applies to me)

            In Augustine, I see how the Spirit of God chased him down and prompted a yield to the call of the priesthood through the Body of Christ. My call came during a personal retreat with other men called The Emmaus Walk. Since then, my local Body of Christ has been instrumental in encouraging me to answer this call, most especially my Pastor and some close friends. None were surprised when the call came, as they (and especially a very old friend) see me already as a minister, missionary, and prophet. I just don’t have the fancy title.

            I also empathize with Augustine’s reluctance to enter the priesthood because of great danger and burden. “In Augustine’s opinion, therefore, priestly ministry is at once a danger and a burden. It is a danger, obviously, because bishops, priests, and deacons are necessarily involved in the daily life of the world and therefore more susceptible to various temptations.”[12] Of the burden, he said, “If I were to give you an account of how the hours of my days and nights are spent, and let you know how many of them I have to spend over unnecessary things, it would make you quite sad. You would also be astonished at the number of things which I cannot put off and which pluck me by the sleeve and prevent me from doing what you are questioning me about (i.e. the completion of Augustine’s treatise entitled The City of God).”[13]

            In this, I am remembering words that the gentle voice of Holy Spirit recently spoke to me: “Don’t be too eager to “do” ministry.” When my ministry call came, I was shown that the Lord would guide me step by step. I would be shown just enough to let me know what to do, but not too much of the path ahead. It would be like walking in a fog, in which I could only see the step ahead as I took a step. That way I would stay dependent upon Him and close.

            Lastly, Augustine’s desire to be devoted to God as a monk (and the fact that God gave him means of grace to do this as a priest) is inspiring. I have to honestly say that things that commonly are fun for most people just aren’t fun for me (Yes there is the video game thing, which I am working on. But many common distractions and even good things just are not even of interest). I actually enjoy worship, prayer, reading, and spending time with people talking about spiritual stuff. Early on as a Christian I could see myself enjoying living as a monk and actually tried to live that way, apart from having a normal job and such. Unapologetically I could see myself being completely given over to a lifestyle that would be all about Jesus and would make me one of those weird Jesus people. I pray that God will give me the means to be like one who declares a singular desire for God in Psalm 27:4.

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[1] “St. Augustine of Hippo,” New Advent, accessed 11/19/2019, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htm

[2] “St. Augustine’s Theology of Ministry,” Jordan Aumann O.P., accessed 11/19/2019, https://opcentral.org/resources/2013/04/08/jordan-aumann-o-p-st-augustines-theology-of-ministry/

[3] “St. Augustine of Hippo.” New Advent, accessed 11/19/2019, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htm

[4] “St. Augustine of Hippo.” New Advent, accessed 11/19/2019, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htm

[5] “St. Augustine’s Theology of Ministry,” Jordan Aumann O.P., accessed 11/19/2019, https://opcentral.org/resources/2013/04/08/jordan-aumann-o-p-st-augustines-theology-of-ministry/

[6] “Saint Augustine never thought of becoming a Priest,” Agustinos Recoletos, accessed 11/19/2019,

https://www.agustinosrecoletos.com/2009/08/saint-augustine-never-thought-of-becoming-a-priest/?lang=en

[7] “1202 augustine the priest,” Augnet, accessed 11/19/2019, http://www.augnet.org/en/life-of-augustine/in-africa-again/1202-augustine-the-priest/

[8] “St. Augustine’s Theology of Ministry,” Jordan Aumann O.P., accessed 11/19/2019, https://opcentral.org/resources/2013/04/08/jordan-aumann-o-p-st-augustines-theology-of-ministry/

[9] “St. Augustine’s Theology of Ministry,” Jordan Aumann O.P., accessed 11/19/2019, https://opcentral.org/resources/2013/04/08/jordan-aumann-o-p-st-augustines-theology-of-ministry/

[10] “St. Augustine’s Theology of Ministry,” Jordan Aumann O.P., accessed 11/19/2019, https://opcentral.org/resources/2013/04/08/jordan-aumann-o-p-st-augustines-theology-of-ministry/

[11] “St. Augustine of Hippo.” New Advent, accessed 11/19/2019http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htm

[12] “St. Augustine’s Theology of Ministry,” Jordan Aumann O.P., accessed 11/19/2019, https://opcentral.org/resources/2013/04/08/jordan-aumann-o-p-st-augustines-theology-of-ministry/

[13] “St. Augustine’s Theology of Ministry,” Jordan Aumann O.P., accessed 11/19/2019, https://opcentral.org/resources/2013/04/08/jordan-aumann-o-p-st-augustines-theology-of-ministry/