Augustine and the Pear Tree
Christian Wollenberg
March 7, 2014
Mr. Jo
Christian Heritage
Augustine and the Pear Tree
“There was a pear tree near out vineyard, full of fruit, but it was not tempting because of its taste or appearance. Many of us lewd young me went late one night (having prolonged our street sports as was our custom) to shake and rob that tree. We took huge loads, not so we could eat them, and after tasting the pears, we threw the, to the hogs. We did this because we wanted to and because it was prohibited. Behold my heart, O God, behold my heart, which you pitied in the bottom of the bottomless pit. Let my heart tell you what it sought there: that I should be gratuitously evil, having no temptation to wickedness, but wickedness itself. It was foul, and I loved it; I loved to perish, I loved my own faults, not that for which I was at fault, but the fault itself. Foul, soul, falling from your heavens to utter destruction, seeking nothing through the shame, only the shame itself!” (Excerpt by Augustine of Hippo from his Autobiography, Confessions)
This short excerpt from St. Augustine of Hippo’s autobiography, Confessions, describes an incident in which Augustine uses to evaluate the nature of virtue and sin. He attributes this event from his youth as a proposal for the need to find God in order to find grace and turn away from sin. Augustine shows profound honesty when he confesses that he stole the pears not because he wanted or needed them, but because he enjoyed the lustful, immoral and wicked feeling he obtained from the act of stealing and that he had a deep, subconscious desire to sin. Augustine tells this tale as if he is reconciling for his actions. It is presented with such rectitude and reconciliation that it feels more like a prayer than a forthright autobiography.
One may wonder why Augustine seems to dwell on such an apparent insignificant event in his life. The story appears to be a mere indiscretion from his childhood. However, the essence of the
March 7, 2014
Mr. Jo
Christian Heritage
Augustine and the Pear Tree
“There was a pear tree near out vineyard, full of fruit, but it was not tempting because of its taste or appearance. Many of us lewd young me went late one night (having prolonged our street sports as was our custom) to shake and rob that tree. We took huge loads, not so we could eat them, and after tasting the pears, we threw the, to the hogs. We did this because we wanted to and because it was prohibited. Behold my heart, O God, behold my heart, which you pitied in the bottom of the bottomless pit. Let my heart tell you what it sought there: that I should be gratuitously evil, having no temptation to wickedness, but wickedness itself. It was foul, and I loved it; I loved to perish, I loved my own faults, not that for which I was at fault, but the fault itself. Foul, soul, falling from your heavens to utter destruction, seeking nothing through the shame, only the shame itself!” (Excerpt by Augustine of Hippo from his Autobiography, Confessions)
This short excerpt from St. Augustine of Hippo’s autobiography, Confessions, describes an incident in which Augustine uses to evaluate the nature of virtue and sin. He attributes this event from his youth as a proposal for the need to find God in order to find grace and turn away from sin. Augustine shows profound honesty when he confesses that he stole the pears not because he wanted or needed them, but because he enjoyed the lustful, immoral and wicked feeling he obtained from the act of stealing and that he had a deep, subconscious desire to sin. Augustine tells this tale as if he is reconciling for his actions. It is presented with such rectitude and reconciliation that it feels more like a prayer than a forthright autobiography.
One may wonder why Augustine seems to dwell on such an apparent insignificant event in his life. The story appears to be a mere indiscretion from his childhood. However, the essence of the