In Book II of the Confessions, Saint Augustine contemplates the presence of God throughout his adolescent years. He was an intelligent young man with tremendous potential, so his parents wanted to make sacrifices to invest in his education and his future.
However, when his father is no longer able to financially support his schooling, Augustine returns home at the age of 16 to begin a period of idleness. He becomes caught up in sexual urges and experiences peer pressure to join in the rebellious actions of his friends.
By reflecting on this period of his life, Augustine begins to question why we choose to do wrong. He discovers that in all his pursuits, his deepest desire was to love and be loved. He had mistakenly thought that concupiscence was the path to find the love that he was looking for.
He sought things that were appealing to his senses, which he had failed to recognize as only good because they come from God. Sin results when we attempt to love created things rather than the creator.
Reflection Questions
1. What is it that you are seeking in life?
2. Where might love of these things be a reflection of your own search for God?
[…] – Saint Augustine, Confessions 2, 1 […]