Friar Ángel Herranz introduces us to some keys of the book In the Only Christ We Are One, written by Friar Bruno D’Andrea, a work that applies Augustinian spirituality to the heart of daily life.
Spirituality for life
On the Order’s website, I read the article dedicated to commenting on the book “In the Only Christ We Are One. Augustinian Spirituality in the Heart of Life”. I have also seen the presentation of the book made by Friar Alfonso Dávila and, subsequently, by Friar Bruno D’Andrea himself; however, I want to express here some impressions that have particularly caught my attention in this important book.
In these times when we hurry with haste and the accelerator, it suits us perfectly to take some time to read this book. Friar Bruno has had the good and wise idea of applying Augustinian spirituality to the heart of life. By way of a bouquet of ears of wheat, we are going to extract some of its teachings.
The search for true happiness
The purpose of the book is that “it is designed for us to seek together, or at least, to be more aware of walking together in the search for what makes us happy, for what gives us peace and fills our hearts and that, in addition, can also help us to promote that peace and make others happy” (p. 15).
We can ask ourselves: who does not want to be happy? Even thieves, rapists, extortionists, and drunkards believe that with these evils they will be happy.
The Trinity as the source of all spirituality
The source of all spirituality, as it could not be otherwise, is born from the Trinity. That is why the first chapter begins by recognizing that “if God the Father is the source of life, our worldview will be authentically believing: behind everything that happens there is a loving intelligence that sustains and accompanies created life, even in the moments when it suffers.”
He does not say this for the sake of saying it, but he bases it on an Augustinian text in In Io. eu. tr. 34,5. According to this, we are obliged to defend life in all its stages and to take care of ourselves and everything around us.
A heartwarming example: some children deprive themselves of sweets and gifts that their parents give them in order to buy food with that money and give it to the poor who beg or work as elderly people. With this gesture, they contribute to making the hardship of these needy people more bearable.
Christ the Physician, Teacher, and Mediator of life
We normally call Christ the Divine Physician because we implore from Him the health of body and soul; well, Friar Bruno also adds Teacher and Mediator of life.
Saint Augustine says without hesitation: “I do not hide my wounds; you are the Physician and I am the sick man” (Conf. 10,39).
The Holy Spirit and the new forms of Pelagianism
The Holy Spirit is the life-giver. We believers affirm this, but nevertheless some fall into new forms of Pelagianism, believing that man is self-sufficient and that he is justified by his works.
Against this thought, Pope Francis already warned: “It manifests itself in many apparently different attitudes: the obsession with the law, the fascination with showing social and political conquests, the ostentation in the care of the liturgy, of the doctrine and of the prestige of the Church” (Gaudete et exultate, 67). St. Augustine drastically combated this Pelagian heresy that still survives in our days.
A search that orders desire
In chapter II he speaks of “A search”, which confronts us again with the search for happiness present in every human being.
Everything consists of looking for it where it truly occurs. That is why the author comments: “The happy life depends, in large part, on the ordered search towards true goods and on our persevering attitude in relation to them” (p. 78).
When we love what is good and true, we are on the path to true happiness. But when we desire bad things, we move away from authentic bliss.
“He who possesses God is happy” (beata u. 11).
For this, it is necessary to cultivate the true desire for God, to yearn for Him and dream of Him as our authentic goal and destiny. If our desires are good, our thoughts and works will be in accordance with them.
Hence the importance of yearning with ardent desire for the life of unity with God, now on earth and later in eternity.
In the heart of life: spirituality made a path
The third chapter, “In the Heart of Life”, is the most practical because it deals with deeply current issues such as:
The Eucharist, food for the journey and bread of the inner man.
The affective experience of Saint Augustine: at the age of 16 he wanted to love and be loved, but he did not find peace until he found true love.
The Augustinian teaching of living according to the order of love.
The path of love for God passes through love for one’s neighbor, where attention to affections is more important than external works, what we usually call charitable works.
Other topics covered are the help of friends, the six values in the Augustinian key, forgiveness, service…
The motto of Pope Leo XIV, In Illo uno unum, reminds us that in Christ we are one: the family of God, beyond the diversity of languages, cultures, and experiences.
Evangelizing on the road
In this Year of the Missions that we are beginning, we are inspired by the passage of Philip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-38): evangelizing on the road, taking advantage of every moment to announce and accompany.
We must consider our parish or mission as a field of action, evangelizing on all occasions that present themselves to us. We will do this well if at the root of everything is love.
Pilgrims of hope
Finally, the motto that illuminates us this year is “Pilgrims of Hope”, which Friar Bruno comments on with great success:
“Joyful pilgrims in hope because we certainly have reasons, many, for hope, because ‘All my hope rests only on your very great mercy. Give what you command and command what you will’” (Conf. 10,40).
Truly this is a book to read slowly, ruminate with the heart and take to life.
