Confessions - Book Xii - Chapter Iii
St. Augustine reflects on the profound mystery of creation, emphasizing the transition from formless darkness to divine light as a metaphor for spiritual awakening.
In this devotional sermon, St. Augustine meditates on the profound mystery of creation as described in Genesis. He explores the concept of darkness as the absence of light and the formless state of the earth before God's creative act. Augustine invites listeners to understand spiritual awakening as the illumination of the soul by divine light, transforming chaos into order.
Text
3. And truly this earth was invisible and unformed,[459] and there was an inexpressibly profound abyss[460] above which there was no light since it had no form. Thou didst command it written that \"darkness was on the face of the deep.\"[461] What else is darkness except the absence of light? For if there had been light, where would it have been except by being over all, showing itself rising aloft and giving light? Therefore, where there was no light as yet, why was it that darkness was present, unless it was that light was absent? Darkness, then, was heavy upon it, because the light from above was absent; just as there is silence where there is no sound. And what is it to have silence anywhere but simply not to have sound? Hast thou not, O Lord, taught this soul which confesses to thee? Hast thou not thus taught me, O Lord, that before thou didst form and separate this formless matter there was nothing: neither color, nor figure, nor body, nor spirit? Yet it was not absolutely nothing; it was a certain formlessness without any shape.
Sermon Outline
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I. The State of the Earth Before Creation
- Earth was invisible and unformed
- A profound abyss existed above with no light
- Darkness covered the face of the deep
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II. The Nature of Darkness
- Darkness defined as absence of light
- Silence compared to absence of sound
- Darkness was heavy because light was absent
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III. The Divine Teaching on Formlessness
- No color, figure, body, or spirit existed
- Formlessness was not absolute nothingness
- God’s formation brought order and light
Key Quotes
“Darkness, then, was heavy upon it, because the light from above was absent; just as there is silence where there is no sound.” — St. Augustine
“Before thou didst form and separate this formless matter there was nothing: neither color, nor figure, nor body, nor spirit.” — St. Augustine
“What else is darkness except the absence of light?” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Recognize moments of spiritual darkness as opportunities for divine illumination.
- Trust in God's power to bring order and purpose out of chaos in your life.
- Seek the light of God to transform formlessness into meaningful spiritual growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Augustine mean by darkness?
He explains darkness as the absence of light, symbolizing a state before God's creative light entered the world.
Why is the earth described as formless and invisible?
Augustine describes the earth before creation as lacking shape and form, emphasizing the initial chaos before God's ordering.
How does Augustine relate silence to darkness?
He draws a parallel that just as silence is the absence of sound, darkness is the absence of light.
What spiritual lesson does Augustine convey in this passage?
He teaches that spiritual awakening comes from the arrival of divine light into the formlessness of the soul.