Confessions - Book IV - Chapter I
St. Augustine reflects on his youthful sins and misguided pursuits, emphasizing the necessity of God's grace for true transformation and thanksgiving.
In this reflective sermon, St. Augustine candidly recounts his youthful missteps and misguided ambitions, revealing the depth of human vanity and the transformative power of God's grace. He invites listeners to acknowledge their own weaknesses and to seek divine mercy and sustenance. This passage from his Confessions offers a profound biographical insight into the journey from sin to repentance and thanksgiving.
Text
1. During this period of nine years, from my nineteenth year to my twenty-eighth, I went astray and led others astray. I was deceived and deceived others, in varied lustful projects--sometimes publicly, by the teaching of what men style \"the liberal arts\"; sometimes secretly, under the false guise of religion. In the one, I was proud of myself; in the other, superstitious; in all, vain! In my public life I was striving after the emptiness of popular fame, going so far as to seek theatrical applause, entering poetic contests, striving for the straw garlands and the vanity of theatricals and intemperate desires. In my private life I was seeking to be purged from these corruptions of ours by carrying food to those who were called \"elect\" and \"holy,\" which, in the laboratory of their stomachs, they should make into angels and gods for us, and by them we might be set free. These projects I followed out and practiced with my friends, who were both deceived with me and by me. Let the proud laugh at me, and those who have not yet been savingly cast down and stricken by thee, O my God. Nevertheless, I would confess to thee my shame to thy glory. Bear with me, I beseech thee, and give me the grace to retrace in my present memory the devious ways of my past errors and thus be able to \"offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving.\"[82] For what am I to myself without thee but a guide to my own downfall? Or what am I, even at the best, but one suckled on thy milk and feeding on thee, O Food that never perishes?[83] What indeed is any man, seeing that he is but a man? Therefore, let the strong and the mighty laugh at us, but let us who are \"poor and needy\"[84] confess to thee.
Sermon Outline
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I. Reflection on Past Sin
- Acknowledgment of leading self and others astray
- Description of pride and superstition in youthful pursuits
- Recognition of vanity in public and private life
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II. The Futility of Worldly Fame
- Striving for applause and theatrical honors
- Pursuit of empty desires and popular acclaim
- Realization of the emptiness behind these pursuits
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III. The Need for Divine Grace
- Confession of shame to God's glory
- Request for grace to remember and repent
- Acknowledgment of dependence on God as true sustenance
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IV. Encouragement to the Humble
- Contrast between the proud and the needy
- Invitation to confess and seek God
- Hope found in God's sustaining grace
Key Quotes
“I was deceived and deceived others, in varied lustful projects--sometimes publicly, by the teaching of what men style "the liberal arts"; sometimes secretly, under the false guise of religion.” — St. Augustine
“What am I to myself without thee but a guide to my own downfall?” — St. Augustine
“Let the strong and the mighty laugh at us, but let us who are "poor and needy" confess to thee.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Recognize and confess personal sins honestly before God.
- Reject the pursuit of empty worldly fame and desires.
- Depend daily on God's grace as the true source of strength and sustenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What period of Augustine's life does this sermon focus on?
It focuses on the nine years from his nineteenth to twenty-eighth year when he went astray and led others astray.
What kinds of errors did Augustine confess to?
He confessed to pride, superstition, vanity, and pursuing empty fame and lustful desires.
How does Augustine view his own strength without God?
He sees himself as a guide to his own downfall without God's help.
What does Augustine ask from God in this passage?
He asks for grace to remember his past errors and to offer thanksgiving to God.
Who does Augustine say should laugh at him?
He says let the proud laugh, but those who are humble should confess to God.