As a young man Augustine set out from his home in North Africa, to embark on a journey in search of truth ~ ironically a journey which he began by abandoning the truth: the Christian faith that his mother Monica reared him in.

Like the majority of the disciples in the Gospel today, Augustine voted with his feet and chose to "no longer accompany him (Christ)." After several years and thousands of his mothers' prayers, Augustine rediscovered his faith and did something about it. He changed his vote ~ and his life.

Like the apostle Peter in today's Gospel who replies to Jesus' question, "Do you also want to leave me?" by saying: "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:69), Augustine too was convinced that in Christ he discovered the Truth. From the time of his conversion, his "yes" to Christ and to His Bride, the Church, was unequivocal and absolute.

He became a great defender of the Faith, a Doctor of the Church - i.e., officially declared as a Teacher for the Universal Church- a courageous leader, a pastoral bishop, a faithful disciple of Christ, and a loyal son of His Bride, the Church. Augustine demonstrated that his faith was real and his love was genuine. He is truly a patron worthy of our admiration ~ but especially our imitation.