"Our hearts are restless until they rest in you"

Four years ago, I was captivated by St. Augustine after hearing a priest speak about the “God shaped hole”  in our hearts. He quoted St. Augustine in saying, “our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”  From that moment on, I looked to this wise and very human Saint for guidance.

On Wednesday night, at the Catholic Writers Conference in Dallas, TX, I was privileged to see, “Restless Heart.”  It is the first full-length feature film made about Augustine of Hippo and a gem in Christian filmmaking.  It portrays the fallen nature of Augustine, who was born to a devout Christian mother (Monica) and a pagan Father.  The acting was fine and the cinematography first-rate.

The challenge of capturing St. Augustine’s story in a 2 hour movie is daunting and director Christian Duguay’s product is understandable for both believers and non-believers.  The storyline follows Augustine from his birth and childhood in Thagaste (Northern Africa); to Carthage where he hone raw skills into brilliant oratory. He lives a dissolute life, even bringing his concubine and child to live with his mother.

He denies his mother’s believe in God at many times in his life, inspite of his father’s baptism upon his deathbed.  One of the most powerful scenes takes place in the public square, in front of his Mother and priest as he states that belief is foolish because it cannot be scene or touched.  Augustine continues to seek truth, not finding it in fame or fortune or pagan religions.

Augustine is eventually called to Milan to serve in the court and here he meets St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan.  It is Ambrose who sees the talent of young Augustine and challenges him.  The portrayal of St. Ambrose by Andrea Giordana is easily the most compelling performance in the movie.

In a series of scenes, Ambrose plants and then nourishes the seed of belief in Augustine, allowing him to see how is ambition, self seeking, immoral life leads to emptiness.  He helps Augustine to understand that seeking truth means finding the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For me, the conversion scene was the least believable part of the movie.

Once Augustine understands the all consuming love and mercy that Christ has for him, he is liberated.  And that liberation leads to writing that still brings men and women to Christ today.  I now need to re-read his Confessions!  While seeing his life come to the big screen was entertaining, his written word is powerful and can't be replaced by a video medium.

It is a move that is best viewed on the “big screen”.  Private viewings of the movie are being sponsored by organizations and individuals throughout the country.  For a list of viewings, go to http://www.restlessheartfilm.com/movie-events.php. 

You can make that happen by hosting a theatrical screening in your area! To learn the steps involved in scheduling and hosting a successful screening of this amazing film, contact The Maximus Group at 1-877-263-1263 or RestlessHeart@MaximusMG.com.