Crivelli's Agatha and Augustine are a strange juxtaposition of saints. but I have been thinking of both of them today.
The painting fits into my theme today of youth, love and sacrifice. I cannot imagine a more painful suffering than Agatha's and she is one of my patrons, as I had cancer. Her peace and trust provide us with a great example of love and perseverance. So, too, Augustine persevered through his own personal sufferings for the Love of God. Can we do any less? Here is one of his prayers for a small meditation.
I beg of You, my God,
let me know You and love You so that I may be happy in You.
And though I cannot do this fully in this life, yet let me improve from day to day till I may do so to the full.
Let me know You more and more in this life, that I may know You perfectly in heaven.
Let me know You more and more here, so that I may love you perfectly there,
so that my joy may be great in itself here, and complete in heaven with You.
O Truthful God, let me receive the happiness of heaven which You promise so that my joy may be full.
In the meantime,
let my mind think of it,
let my tongue talk of it,
let my heart long for it,
let my mouth speak of it,
let my soul hunger after it,
let my flesh thirst after it,
let my whole being desire it,
until such time as I may enter through death into the joy of my Lord,
there to continue forever, world without end.
Carpaccio's painting of Augustine in the Studio of St. Jerome is one of my favorites. I would have loved to have been that little dog sitting in Augustine's study while he wrote all his amazing works. However, as a dog, I would have had to understand Latin. Some of the objects are symbols of his themes.
