Saint Augustine: Man, Pastor, Mystic

Saint Augustine: Man, Pastor, Mystic

By Agostino Trape

I.        Summary:

This book was designed and written in a more fashionable way of presenting the life of Augustine as a man, pastor and mystic. Generally, he is a man by being a searcher for truth as he joined various groups in order to fill the empty vessel of human happiness. Agostino Trape in part I of the book presented it well by giving us a picture of the attitudes, behaviour, approach of Augustine in these groups, such as the Manichaeanism, Platonism, Pelagianism, Skepticism, and Astrology and even Catholicism. Augustine is also like no other human being who can be sinful, angry, doubtful, unsatisfied, happy, sad, broken hearted, courageous, friendly, intelligent and many more. He was sad when his beloved friend died. He was friendly when he had friends like Romanianus, Symmachus, Alypius. He was unsatisfied when the groups he joined could not answer his questions. He was intelligent for he was a lover of wisdom. He was a sinner when he stole a fruit while still a child.

Augustine on Prayer by Thomas Hand

Summary:

Thomas Hand presented his exposition on Augustine on Prayer in a simple yet vivid understanding of prayer. It was basically a compilation of the thoughts, words, and prayers of St. Augustine. As we all know Augustine don't deal specifically or write a certain concept in just one book or letter. His concepts are scattered in all his works. Thus, in the case of Thomas Hand, he definitely is well oriented and right to publish this book. He made it look easier for his readers to read and understand the view of Augustine on Prayer. Augustine may have lived hundreds of years ago yet his thoughts do still make an impact to the new generation.

Hand began his book by looking back to the very nature of man as searcher for happiness. He established the scaffolding of prayer through deepening and knowing the desires of Man. Human beings had been searching for true happiness since time immemorial yet still undiscovered. For Augustine true happiness won't be found in this earthly city. Possession of temporal goods may make man happy yet not eternally. Jesus Christ taught it to his disciples and Augustine affirms it. For Augustine man can only possess happiness when he finds rest from his God. In order to reach out to God one must pray to him. "knock and it shall be open unto you" and "ask and you shall receive", Christ said. "Prayer is the language of the soul's yearning for God."