Vita Brevis

“Life is short” that’s the meaning of vita brevis which also a title of a book that amazed me from Jostein Gaarder. Vita Brevis by Jostein is a book, translated from a bundle of letter named as “Codex Floriae”.

Codex Floriae was introduced in a single line “Floria Aemilia Aurelio Augustino Episcopo Hipponiensi Salutem” (Greetings from Floria Aemelia to Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of Hippo).

Floria herself was pressumed in the book Vita Brevis (based on her writing, stories and feelings) as St.Augustine’s concubine. And what shocked me the most was that St.Augustine had been a famous character in catholic culture. He was a famous bishop whose life had been inspiring the life of Catholic Church.

Me, myself hardly know about st.Augustine but all i amazed is his humanity as opposed to he was a saint. In Floria’s letter, she told Aurel (a name she called for st.Augustine when they were lovers) how sad and frustrated she was being deserted and separated not only from her lover, st.Augustine but also their son Adeodatus for st. Augustine’s call (st Augustine said the call as Abstinence).

There came my question …
As I honor the priests of Catholic Church also come along the question of their humanity as men. Have they ever felt anything regarding lust to material things and women? How do they manage those lusts? I mean lust here are not as sin, but as human needs, controlled not by mind but heart.
I know that human beings are not animal, we can control ourselves in public.
But, when we are alone, by ourselves, do the priests feel those lusts?
Or do they just simply saints or chosen people, born with the gift to not feeling the lust but ability to praise the abstinence? (Really?...again in wonder and amazement)
Well...

But, what I applauded the most from the letter is also, the greatest love given from Floria to a man as she said: “Life is so short we do not have time to pronounce any damning judgment on love. We must first live, Aurel, then we can philosophize" That was Floria's answer, with stunning lucidity and sanity to Aurel’s ideas about virtue, sins, chastity, celibacy and the relationship between God and men.

ps: dearly mod, if priests were truly chosen people then I guess we should be burnt in hell.
You, for asking the question (where would you take rm.h.pr if you were in a date?) and for making those “integrated best friend” faces and me, for taking the joke.