Friday, May 28, 2021

St Augustine of Canterbury: The Reluctant Hero


 Today we read about St Augustine of Canterbury in the book In Caelo et in Terra. He was a very happy monk in a monastery in the sixth century. His bishop sent him to evangelize England. He didn't want to leave his happy monastery life, but he obeyed. He went to England and met with the king, who was not interested in Christianity but allowed him to found a church in Kent and start preaching. After awhile the king was impressed with them and asked to be baptized. Thousands of his subjects followed his example, and much of England became Catholic.

After years of faithful and reluctant work, he went home to be with God. You can read more about him here.

Has God called you to do something bigger than you're capable of? Don't worry, He'll enable you to do it. Does it mean you'll do it perfectly and everyone will be amazed at your ability? Not necessarily. Like Chesterton said, anything worth doing is worth doing badly.

God, thanks for the impressive work of this reluctant hero. St Augustine of Canterbury, pray for us.

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