A couple years ago, when the question of how to make a proper apology was entering the realm of genre, I resolved to read The Confessions of St Augustine (379-400 AD). Although I am barely through the second book (nicely translated and introduced by Henry Chadwick), I have to say, this work is less a confession to God than a sly autobiography by a remarkable man who began life on an Algerian farm, only to become a bishop in the imperial court of Milan.
Below is a passage (21, from "Book I", without attributions) that had me thinking, What social media platform most stands in for God today -- besides all of it?
"What is more pitiable than a wretch without pity for himself who weeps over the death of Dido dying for the love of Aeneas, but not weeping for himself dying over his lack of love for you, my God, light of my heart, bread of the inner mouth of my soul, the power which begets life in my mind and in the innermost recesses of my thinking. I had no love for you and 'committed fornication against you'; and in my fornications I heard all around me the cries, 'Well done, well done'. 'For the friendship of this world is fornication against you', and 'Well done' is what they say to shame a man who does not go along with them. Over this I wept not a tear. I wept over Dido who 'died in pursuing her ultimate end with a sword'. I abandoned you to pursue the lowest things of your creation. I was dust going to dust. Had I been forbidden to read this story, I would have been sad that I could not read what made me sad. Such madness is considered a higher and more fruitful literary education than being taught to read and write."
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