The Prior General, Miguel Miró, emphasized that “St. Augustine always leads us to Christ” in the Eucharist for the solemnity of the Father and Doctor of the Church in Rome.
The Eucharist on the Solemnity of St. Augustine, celebrated in Rome, crossed borders and reached all corners of the world. Transmitted also on Facebook LIVE, hundreds of people celebrated with the Prior General of the Order of Augustinian Recollects one of the most important celebrations in the Augustinian family. Miguel Miro presided over the mass on Friday August 28 at the Church of St. Ildefonso and St. Thomas of Villanova in Rome.
In his homily, Miguel Miro reflected on the figure of St. Augustine and his relevance to the world, especially through the Augustinian Recollect charism. “We may think that St. Augustine is a memory of the past, but I invite you to think that Augustine continues to walk with us today,” he said. The Prior General defined the Bishop of Hippo as “father, teacher and friend”. His testimony of life and his work connects directly with Christ, who can be found, as he indicated, within us: “Whatever our reality and our circumstances, St. Augustine always leads us to Christ, to the master within us”.
Relic of St. Augustine placed next to the altar of the Church of St. Ildefonso and St. Thomas of Villanova on the day of their solemnity.
He also invited them to open up, to allow themselves to feel God’s mercy: “We believe that everything has to be as we want it to be. Let us learn to open our hearts, to meet Christ. In this sense, he assured that St. Augustine leads us to Him at all times. “He is the spark that illuminates us in the spiritual combat,” mentioning the second reading of the Eucharist from St. Paul to Timothy. “He calls us to be prophets of the kingdom and to create communion in a fraternal and simple life,” he said.
In addition, Miguel Miró highlighted the figure of St. Augustine in today’s society, which faces the challenge of the COVID-19. “With the pandemic we find ourselves isolated and vulnerable. Let us recognize Christ in the cross, in the infected and the poor. The Prior General asked that we unite “our hearts in prayer and solidarity”.
At the beginning of his homily he also remembered St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine whose feast day was celebrated on Thursday, August 27. “She instilled in Augustine three ideas: God the Creator, Christ our Savior and the desire for eternal life”, he said.