Memorial of St. Augustine
The Liturgy of the Hours
gives us the quiet line:
“Let the people’s praise,
the wisdom of the saints.”
And we know this truth —
wisdom rarely comes first.
It comes after experience,
after mistakes,
after the long road of being
foolish
before becoming wise.
Today we honor St Augustine,
a man who chased the world’s wisdom
until the world nearly swallowed him whole.
But when Christ broke into his restlessness,
everything changed.
The wandering heart
finally found its home.
And I think of myself —
thinking I knew everything,
trying to control everything,
doing foolish things
because I trusted my foolishness.
And it almost destroyed me too.
Until God spoke into my chaos:
“Listen to Me.
Do what I ask.
I am with you.”
Scripture tells us
that God makes the world’s wisdom foolish,
and Christ Himself is
the power of God
and the wisdom of God.
The Wisdom of God
who gives us the parable —
ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom.
Five foolish.
Five wise.
The wise kept their lamps burning.
The foolish trusted their own timing,
their own control,
their own wisdom —
and they missed grace
standing right in front of them.
So today,
on Augustine’s feast,
let your heart learn from his journey
and from your own:
The world’s wisdom fades.
God’s wisdom saves.
Keep your lamp lit.
Stay awake.
And walk in the wisdom
that never fails.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ
Let Your wisdom burn brighter
than the world’s foolishness.
Keep my heart awake,
my lamp steady in Your light.
Speak into my restlessness
guide my wandering steps.
Stay with me, Lord,
and make me wise
in Your sight.
Amen
