Prayers from the Confessions

Saint Augustine's Confessions is considered one of the literary masterpieces of the Western world, one of the classics of civilization. Imbedded in The Confessions are awesome, moving prayers, which depict Augustine's passion for life, his thirst for God, his compassion on his neighbor, and, above all, his love for humanity in God. These are collected in the present collection, which opens up to the reader the intimate relationship of love of one of Christianity's greatest souls.

Let me seek you, Lord, even while I am calling upon you, and call upon you even as I believe in you; for to us you have indeed been preached. My faith calls upon you, Lord, this faith which is your gift to me, which you have breathed into me through the humanity of your Son and the ministry of your preacher. (Confessions I, 1, 1)

The Confessions is a prayer in itself, from the beginning of Book I to the ending of Book XIII. Augustine wrote this prayer to give praise and thanks to the all-powerful and all-knowing God for the many wonders manifested in his journey and for the providential designs in his life. Augustine remembers his past, reflects on the present, and puts his faith and hope in God’s future plan for the remaining years of his life.

Endorsements

The late Fr. John Rotelle has done a work I have been waiting for a long time. Having prayed my way through The Confessions for half a century, I hail this marvelous anthology of prayer and the beautiful translation.

Benedict J. Groeschel

Author of Augustine: Major Writings

About the author

Saint Augustine

Augustine of Hippo is one of the greatest thinkers and writers in the Western world. After becoming a Christian he was made bishop of Hippo in Africa, where he was influential in civil and church affairs. His more than 100 books, 200 letters, and 500 sermons have left a lasting impact on Western philosophy and culture. His classic and best-selling works include The Confessions, The Trinity, The City of God, and Teaching Christianity.

Maria Boulding

Maria Boulding (1929-2009) was born in Wimbledon in south London in 1929. She spent 62 of her 80 years as a much-valued member of Stanbrook Abbey, a community of enclosed Benedictine nuns. She translated St. Augustine's Confessions (1997) and his Expositions of the Psalms in several volumes (2000-2004), to much acclaim. She is the author of Marked for Life: Prayer in the Easter Christ; The Coming of God; and Gateway to Hope: An Exploration of Failure. She served on the advisory board for the series Works of Saint Augustine, A Translation for the 21st Century.