Pope Francis tells Augustinian order to be ‘restless’ in love

Last updated on: August 29, 2013 at 3:23 pm by CNA Daily News

Pope Francis tells Augustinian order to be ‘restless’ in love 2013-08-29T15:23:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Aug 29, 2013 / 09:23 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis asked members of the Order of Saint Augustine gathered in Rome for the opening Mass of their meeting to be restless in continuing to seek the well-being of other people.

“Restlessness is also love, always seeking the good of others, of loved ones, with that intensity that also leads to tears,” Pope Francis said at the Basilica of Saint Augustine.

“The restlessness of love always encourages us to reach out to the other, without waiting for the other to express his needs,” he added Aug. 28.

Pope Francis presided over the Eucharistic celebration to launch the “general chapter” of the Augustinian order, which takes place every six years, and after several weeks of meetings results in choosing their new leader and setting out their aims until the next chapter.

The religious order gathered from five continents at the basilica alongside a number of other religious groups and lay men and women. Pope Francis greeted people who were waiting to see him along the street before entering the church.

Aug. 28 was the feast of Saint Augustine, who lived in modern day Algeria during the Roman Empire and converted to Christianity in his early thirties. The Order of Saint Augustine was founded in 1244 aimed at living and promoting the spirit of community as it was lived during the fourth the fifth centuries.

During his homily on Wednesday, the Pope spoke about the saint's restlessness, which ultimately led him to an encounter with God.

“Even in the discovery of God and in the encounter with Him, Augustine doesn’t stop, doesn’t rest, doesn’t become closed in on himself like those who have already arrived, but continues along the way,” he told the congregation.

“The restlessness of the quest for the truth, of the quest for God, becomes the restlessness of always coming to know Him better, and of going out of oneself in order to make Him known to others and this is the restlessness of love,” he explained.

The pontiff affirmed “the restless heart of Augustine has something to teach us,” which is “the restlessness of the spiritual quest, the restlessness of the encounter with God, the restlessness of love.”

“I would say to those who feel indifferent to God, towards the faith, to those who are far from God, or are abandoned, and even to us, with our distances and our abandonment towards God, little, perhaps, but there are so many in daily life: look into the depths of your heart,” he said.

“Look deep within yourself and ask yourself, do you have a heart that desires something great, or a heart that is put to sleep by material things?” the Pope remarked.

Pope Francis told the Augustinians that the saint’s restlessness became pastoral.

“Augustine is left with the restlessness from God, he never tires of announcing it, of evangelizing with courage, without fear,” he stressed.

He underscored that the saint did this “seeking to be the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, who knows his sheep, indeed, as I love to repeat, who smells like his flock, and goes out to seek those who are lost.”

The pontiff noted that St. Augustine lived what Saint Paul told Timothy, and encouraged the congregation to “announce the word, be urgent in season and out of season, announce the Gospel with the magnanimous, large heart of a Pastor that is restless for his flock.”

“Always go out towards God, go out towards the flock,” Pope Francis said. “You should always be on the journey, always restless, and this is the peace of restlessness.”

Vatican

Previous Post

August 29, 2013

Charity 5K takes on new meaning as family preps for adoption

Next Post

August 29, 2013 'Month of Martyrs' in Korea draws praise from Pope Francis

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did John see coming down from heaven in Revelation 21?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The New Jerusalem The four horsemen The Ark of the Covenant A chariot of fire