Day 9 – Saint Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Saint Augustine was born in North Africa, the son of a pagan father and a devout Christian mother, Monica. Brilliant, ambitious, and restless, he searched for meaning in every direction — in philosophy, rhetoric, and pleasure — yet each pursuit left him empty. His famous words from the Confessions capture his life before Christ: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

Augustine’s turning point came in Milan. Wrestling with conviction over his sin, he heard a child’s voice saying, “Take and read.” Opening the Scriptures, his eyes fell on Paul’s words: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14). In that moment, grace broke through, and Augustine surrendered his restless heart to Christ.

Baptized by Saint Ambrose, Augustine soon returned to North Africa, where he was ordained and eventually became bishop of Hippo. His ministry was marked by preaching, pastoral care, and prolific writing. His Confessions gave the church a profound testimony of grace, while The City of God lifted the eyes of Christians above the crumbling Roman Empire to the eternal kingdom of Christ. He fought heresies like Donatism and Pelagianism, insisting that salvation is the work of God’s grace from beginning to end.

For us today, Augustine shows that no life is too far gone, no heart too restless for the grace of God. His story reminds us that Christianity is not merely an intellectual system but a transformation of the whole person by divine love. And his teaching still shapes us every time we speak of grace, sin, and salvation.