St. Augustine's Way of Life

These are some notes on the personal life and qualities of St. Augustine.

The Life of Augustine by his disciple Possidius gives a succinct and vivid portrait of the righteous man’s life. The narrative fills the gaps in Augustine’s life which were not reported in his Confessions. His way of living after his remove to North Africa, and especially on his becoming bishop of Hippo, is particularly illuminating and edifying, especially when set in the context of Augustine’s own works on the good life. In The Happy Life and book 19 of City of God, Augustine outlines his outlook on enduring life and happiness, and by viewing his life in Possidius’s Life, we are given to see how these beliefs were duly incarnated in the saint’s own life.

The Happy Life, being representative of St. Augustine’s early views, gives an idea for the trajectory that the saint would pursue later in life. In his conversations with his friends on “the good”, he outlines the necessity of good for both body and soul, and he sets this goodness, especially through his mother Monica’s comments, in the context of the love and contemplation of God. The intimate atmosphere of family in friends united in contemplation brings closely to mind Possidius’s comments on the arrangement of Augustine’s episcopal residence in Hippo. He arranged his life there in the form of a monastery, a sort of nascent cathedral canon. Possidius places Augustine’s entire life in the context of this sustained contemplation on God in a religious community of clerics, from the time of his return to Africa through to his later priestly and episcopal service. Possidius also makes clear the fruit of this contemplative labor in the massive output of edifying works which flowed from the saint’s mouth and pen.

As seen above, the society of friends as a component of the good life also marked Augustine’s entire attitude toward the good. Possidius makes several references to the saint’s sagacity in dealing with public matters, and especially in reference to his friends. For instance, the disciple remembers of his master that he never judged between two of his friends in competition, because such always leads to enmity. Likewise he showed no preference to his family or friends in the distribution of goods or in the granting of favors that jealousy might not break out amongst them. He had strict rules for the maintenance of order and repose at table, and forbade slander or gossip. All of these regulations serve one purpose: to produce concord amongst the saint’s closest friends and prevent any from thinking him mean, or preferential, but rather set him in the light as one who is fair and generous to all, if sounding a little shrewd to modern ears. This value for concord is likewise set out in book nineteen of the City of God, in which he describes how great a joy there is in life in friendships, and how many great evils ensue from false friendships; how great a concord and peace reigns in the well ordered family, and how disastrous is the family society at enmity.

From this last point, drawn from City of God and representing, at least somewhat the more mature ideas of the saint, we also reach a third and highest point in Augustine’s virtuous life; his trust in God alone as the giver of a true and lasting peace. This is seen in the Happy Life as well, especially in the preface in Augustine’s extended harbor metaphor, and in the conclusion, wherein Augustine associates true and lasting peace, without neediness, only with the apprehension of the wisdom of God. Likewise in City of God, true peace is only found in the celestial city, and goods here are merely preparation. In Augustine’s dying days, Possidius clearly shows the willingness of Augustine to pass to blessedness from toil, particularly in the anecdote he reports Augustine admired from one dying man whom the saint visited: “If I were never to die it would be well, but if I am to die, why not now?” Likewise there is Augustine’s favorite saying of St. Ambrose on this subject: “I do not fear to die, for we have Lord who is good.” This trust in the wisdom and love of God above all else, and this love of God’s peace which the saint made manifest in his own life, and especially the grace with which the saint approached his coming repose into blessedness all give an accurate estimate of the man, and show that the saint did not merely teach, but lived a life of virtue deserving of blessedness.

Readings Referenced: St. Augustine's De Beata Vita and book nineteen of City of God, and The Life of Augustine by Possidius.