"My Heart is Restless until It Rests in Thee, O God."

Historical Background

St Augustine of Hippo is an epitome of Christian world and culture.  Most scholars believed that he is much influenced by Platonism and Neo-Platonism, which were then part of the Hellenic culture and philosophy.  The Hellenic (or the Greek) culture died out when Rome conquered Greece and some neighboring states in the Mediterranean region including Nazareth (then part of Judea) –the natal place of Christ.   

The dominant Roman culture was characterized by legalism in that laws, not philosophy, governed the life of the Romans.  At the height of the Roman power and culture, Christianity emerged as a religious community regarded by some Roman leaders as deterrent to the unity of the vast empire.  During these times, all apostles of Christ, except John (the youngest apostle) were martyred; many other devout followers of Christ were martyred as well.  But when Christianity became the official religion in the Roman empire, great scholars and philosophers sprouted within Christian religion.  One of them was St Augustine of Hippo, who is considered as one of the Fathers of the Church.  He is known as the Father of the Church because he ardently defended the Catholic faith from the attacks of the Greeks’ pagan culture and philosophy.

One major problem St Augustine addressed during his times is the pagan philosophy of the Greeks.  Christians believed that Christ is the God incarnate.  Christ is the God in human form.  He is 100 percent human and 100 percent God.  In the mind of the Greeks, who are trained to reason out without resort to faith, the idea that God became man is absurd.  How could a God who is transcendent, eternal, all-powerful become a man –a mortal being, subject to decay and destruction?  Yet Christians accept this fact or idea by faith, without rationalizing it or without subjecting it to rational demonstration.  Christ himself encouraged his apostles to believe in him, without a slightest doubt.  “Faith can move mountains,” Christ exhorts his followers.  But faith doesn’t fit in the Greek’s culture and life.  Greeks were trained thinkers, who subject everything to rational demonstration. 

As a defender of Catholic faith, St Augustine struggles to reconcile faith and reason, which is I think the very heart of the problem.  What one can’t explain using rational demonstration like the idea, “God became man,” has to take a leap of faith.  And, what one has already accepted by faith can be hinged in the balance of doubt by his reasoning capability.  In the process, St Augustine has to make use of Greek philosophy to help explain the Christian faith –thus, making philosophy a handmaid to theology.  He finds Plato’s philosophy a right blend to Christian faith.  As some scholars claimed, St Augustine “christianizes” Plato’s philosophy.  As mentioned, he is influenced by Platonism and Neo-Platonism.  Hence, we can find some elements of Plato’s thought in our Christian faith. 

My Heart is Restless until It Rests in Thee

Though St Augustine is greatly influenced by Platonism but we can find some unique and peculiar elements of his philosophy.  One of his important thoughts is his prayer, “my heart is restless until it rests in Thee (You), O God,” which is found in his Confession (his greatest work).  This beautiful prayer is somehow a conclusion of a restless –literally “restless,” Augustine, who was born to a pagan family.  In his teenage, he studied different schools of thought such as Neo-Platonism, Manichaeism, etc.  Yet, none of these has satisfied his desire or longing of his heart to know what truth is.  As a young man, he engaged in exclusive relationships with two women.  Yet, none of them has satisfied what his heart longs for.  His heart desires or longs for something he knows important like a deer longs for a stream to quench its thirst.  St Augustine finds it nowhere but in God.  He will find his final rest when he has gone back in the bosom of the Father.  His “restlessness” expires until he rests in God.

A prayer –coming from the very depth of the heart of a pagan converted to Christianity is such a meaningful prayer.  A heart which once is a “dry place” quenches its desire in the glory of God.  Yes, his conversion is not his own labor all alone.  His mother, St. Monica, prayed ardently for his conversion.  St. Ambrose, a priest, also touched his heart for such metanoia.

His philosophy is typically a Christian one –grounded in a strong faith in God.   Some scholars criticize that his thought is not properly philosophical.  It is appropriately theological since it talks about God and his faith in God –the one who can give him full rest of heart.  However, we cannot discredit the fact that St Augustine was addressing the problem on how to reconcile faith and reason.  In consequence, we can expect that his philosophy is leading that way –combining reason with faith. 

In conclusion, St. Augustine is a man who willingly submits himself to God –the final fulfillment of our earthly life.