I have undertaken a project, to read Augustine's Confessions slowly and to reflect upon each chapter without rushing forward. At work I often listen to audio books or music depending on the nature of my work. I enjoyed listening through the Chronicles of Narnia from The Magician's Nephew to The Last Battle and found it an enriching experience.
I attempted go through Confessions in the same way but not even two lines in I had to stop. Augustine's Confessions are a wholly different genre than Lewis's Chronicles and I knew it would be impossible to do the writings of this great saint justice without giving it my full attention and thought. To this end I intend to read a chapter a day and reflect, if I am able, here.
Augustine begins in worship and contemplating a great mystery. It has been too long for me to remember my professors talking about Confessions but one thing that sticks out to me like a memory half remembered is that this book is not about Augustine. It is not an autobiography. He literally begins in worship of God. "Great are you O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is your power and your wisdom infinite."
He contemplates a mystery that I have often wondered at as has every theologian great and small I should think. How is it that anyone can praise the Lord, we, so small, just a particle in creation praise God with knowledge of our sins? Can we praise God because he has enabled us? Do we praise him to come to know him or do we show that we know him because we praise him? When someone calls upon the Lord without first knowing the Lord, are they actually calling upon him. Can someone call upon the Lord to come to know him?
We know these questions by a name in this time, the predestination versus freewill debate or Calvinism versus Arminianism.
He resolves to seek the Lord according to his faith which he acknowledges as given by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
My attempt to explain what he so eloquently writes in just a few lines is cumbersome. This introduction is full of worship and wonder. It encourages me because while my thoughts aren't quite so well collected, I do sometimes pray in a similar manner. I believe it is born of the Spirit.
Open my mind Lord to understand. Open my heart Lord to listen and obey. Enable me to praise you and through you to know you and in knowing so doing your will and participating in your Kingdom, Oh Lord my God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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