Saint Augustine's Confession - Essay Example

Saint Augustines Confession Saint Augustines Confession Introduction The Confession of Augustine is beneficial to the Christian community. Augustine undergoes serious criticism but vows to proceed with a strong conviction. As the story progresses, the reader understands how strongly Augustine is attached to his mother, who enlightens him to be converted to Christianity. His inspirations and the narrations based on his Confession is a vivid picture giving the chronological evidence about his conversion to Christianity. In this paper, I will fully argue in support of the premise that Monica, Augustine’ mother, is the most important force behind his conversion. First, Monica’s outstanding obedience wife to her husband influenced Augustines conversion. In addition, Monica introduced her son to Ambrose, who would later baptize him. Finally, Monica compelled and encouraged Augustine to attend school that shaped his life and would later be a priest. Discussion Monica’s Obedience Wife to Her Husband Influenced Augustine’s Conversion Augustine’s strong conviction to the Christian world originated Monica. Initially, both Patricius, (Augustines father) and Augustine were non-convert and finally got saved through the influence of Monica. Monica prayed to God on behalf of her husband’s soul and Augustine. “With a pure heart and faith in you she even more lovingly travailed in labor for my eternal salvation.”1 Augustine wonders how his parents lived harmoniously with each other saves to Monica. Monica was a God fearing individual and served her husband as her lord with care to her children. Her marvelous traits inform Augustine’s strong need for conversion. She is, therefore, significantly inspirational to Augustine making him grow as a God fearing individual hence his conversion to Christianity. Monica instills good morals to her son based on how she cared for her family, husband and merciful manner she submitted to serve God. From the assertions of Augustine, “When I was a boy, I had heard about eternal life promised to us through the humility of our Lord God. Coming down to our pride, and I was already sighed with the sigh of the cross and seasoned with salt from the time I came from my mother’s womb.”2 From here, we realize that it was the mother that firstly drew Augustine’s attentions towards the Lord. Monica became so amiable to Augustine’s father and vowed never to have a quarrel with her husband. Augustine also asserts that, ‘she anxiously labored to convince me that you, my God, were my father rather than he, and in this endeavor you helped her to gain victory over her husband.”3 From this quote, it is justified that Monica was determined to help her son become a convert. Monica introduced her son to Ambrose who would later baptize him Monica’s determination towards her son’s salvation saw her introducing Augustine to Bishop Ambrose in Millan after Augustine had eloped with his brother to Millan. His elopement to Millan followed his home town associating him to dead friend. Besides, Manichees and a pagan city perfects used influence on his behalf that had brought a lot of challenges with his mother as Monica was non-supportive of Manichees influence over her son. Augustine movement to Millan also informed by the dishonesty amongst the students at Carthage. It was in Millan that Augustine met Bishop Ambrose that would positively change him based on his teachings Monica made a close friendship with Bishop Ambrose at Millan after following Augustine who had moved to Millan. She feared Augustines faith would shutter if he had to stay in Millan by himself. He had suspected Augustine involvement in Manichaeism that she never supported. At Millan, Ambrose had come under the influence of Bishop Ambrose though not by personal contact but through pulpit discourses and had relinquished Manichaeism yet still not a convert. Monica became a foremost amongst the Millan women in every charitable work as well as devotions making the Bishop entertain the highest of her opinions. She was convinced by the Bishop to relinquish some ancient pagan attached practices like carrying food to the martyrs’ tomb, earlier practices in her homeland. Monica accomplished her work as she presented Augustine to Ambrose to receive baptism at Millan. Monica together with Ambrose introduced Augustine to catechumen in readiness for his baptism. “Through all his wanderings he discerned in retrospective the watchful hand of an unseen guardian, whose protection had been invoked upon him by Monica when as a baby he was made as catechumen.” Through Monica’s friendship with the Bishop, Augustine applied for Baptism. The period preceding Augustine passed in Augustine’s friend house with her mother, brother and other close-knit deliberated on philosophy and religion. Augustine convictions to Christianity increased as he leant a major different of Christian faith through Bishop Ambrose Sermons. The sermons had rational discourse structures compared to his earlier knowledge gathered in North African Churches. Augustine learnt how to interpret the Bible based on her introduction to Bishop Ambrose by Monica. He observed through Ambrose’s discourses in the pulpit, a presentation of Christian Theology combining aversion from Pagan religion blending well with Neoplatonism. The Plotinus encouraged Augustine’s quest for a union of his soul with God following Ambrose’s Neoplatonist teachings. Monica Compelled and Encouraged Augustine to Attend School Monica compelled Augustine to go to school despite the fact that he never sensed in any significant to his education and boyhood. He asserts, “I was next sent to school to learn to read and write. Poor wretch, I did not understand for what such knowledge is useful.”4 Monica compelled him to the Carthage Teaching in order to prepare him to be able to serve the Lord by knowing how to read and interpret the Bible. He was later taken to Carthage at 16 from where his need for conversion was further made strong through reading ‘Cicero’s Hortensius.’ The reading inspired Augustine not to stop at nothing but to find and spread the truth. Augustine described how he was compelled to learn despite being opposed to it and prayed to God not to be caned. He realized that he was asking for, a ‘foolishness’ from God not to be caned as he later recognized the significance of education towards his conversion. The parents approved his punishments at school. They would laugh at him when he was caned and asking God to spare him. “Adult people, including my parents, who wished no evil to come upon me, used at my stripes, which were at that time a great and painful evil to me.”5 His later realization that is was his fault not to have paid enough attention to reading books justified the significant of his mother to have compelled him. “Lord my God, I sinned by not doing as I was told by my parents and teachers. For later I was able to make good use of letters, whatever might be the intention of my adult guardians in wanting me to learn.”6 The realization of his sins while at schools made him developed a strong conviction to be a convert. It is Monica that ensured he was in schools as this had future impacts in his conversion and confessions. Conclusion In conclusion, Monica having transcended from a Christian family prayed to God for a Christi family and was determined to achieve this. She stopped at nothing but to convince his lukewarm Patricius and Augustine to be converts. She achieved her goal by having Augustine baptized in Millan by Ambrose and his father getting saved before his death. Bibliography Henry, Chadwick. 2009. Confessions: Oxford World’s Classics. Paperback. Press. Read More