Confessions - Book XI - Chapter Xxvi
St. Augustine explores the mysterious nature of time, revealing that while we measure its passage, its true essence eludes human understanding and points us toward the eternal God.
In this devotional sermon, St. Augustine reflects deeply on the nature of time, questioning how humans perceive and measure it. He reveals the paradox that while we can measure intervals, the essence of time itself remains a mystery. Augustine’s meditation leads believers to consider the eternal nature of God, who exists beyond the confines of time. This sermon invites listeners to embrace humility and wonder in the face of divine mystery.
Text
33. Does not my soul most truly confess to thee that I do measure intervals of time? But what is it that I thus measure, O my God, and how is it that I do not know what I measure? I measure the motion of a body by time, but the time itself I do not measure. But, truly, could I measure the motion of a body--how long it takes, how long it is in motion from this place to that--unless I could measure the time in which it is moving?
How, then, do I measure this time itself? Do we measure a longer time by a shorter time, as we measure the length of a crossbeam in terms of cubits?[444] Thus, we can say that the length of a long syllable is measured by the length of a short syllable and thus say that the long syllable is double. So also we measure the length of poems by the length of the lines, and the length of the line by the length of the feet, and the length of the feet by the length of the syllable, and the length of the long syllables by the length of the short ones. We do not measure by pages--for in that way we would measure space rather than time--but when we speak the words as they pass by we say: \"It is a long stanza, because it is made up of so many verses; they are long verses because they consist of so many feet; they are long feet because they extend over so many syllables; this is a long syllable because it is twice the length of a short one.\"
But no certain measure of time is obtained this way; since it is possible that if a shorter verse is pronounced slowly, it may take up more time than a longer one if it is pronounced hurriedly. The same would hold for a stanza, or a foot, or a syllable. From this it appears to me that time is nothing other than extendedness;[445] but extendedness of what I do not know. This is a marvel to me. The extendedness may be of the mind itself. For what is it I measure, I ask thee, O my God, when I say either, roughly, \"This time is longer than that,\" or, more precisely, \"This is twice as long as that.\" I know that I am measuring time. But I am not measuring the future, for it is not yet; and I am not measuring the present because it is extended by no length; and I am not measuring the past because it no longer is. What is it, therefore, that I am measuring? Is it time in its passage, but not time past [praetereuntia tempora, non praeterita]? This is what I have been saying.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Challenge of Measuring Time
- Human attempts to quantify time using shorter intervals
- Limitations of measuring time by physical or linguistic units
- The paradox of measuring something intangible
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II. The Nature of Time as Perceived
- Time is not the past, present, or future in isolation
- Time as extendedness or duration in the mind
- The elusive quality of the present moment
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III. Theological Implications
- Time’s mystery points beyond itself to God’s eternity
- Human perception is limited compared to divine timelessness
- The soul’s confession of wonder before God’s creation
Key Quotes
“Does not my soul most truly confess to thee that I do measure intervals of time?” — St. Augustine
“I know that I am measuring time. But I am not measuring the future, for it is not yet; and I am not measuring the present because it is extended by no length; and I am not measuring the past because it no longer is.” — St. Augustine
“From this it appears to me that time is nothing other than extendedness; but extendedness of what I do not know.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Recognize the limits of human understanding and trust in God's eternal nature.
- Reflect on the present moment as a gift that cannot be measured or controlled.
- Approach the mystery of time with humility and awe, deepening your faith.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does St. Augustine mean by measuring time?
He means that humans try to understand time by comparing intervals, but true time itself cannot be directly measured because it is intangible and elusive.
Why is the present moment difficult to measure?
Because the present is momentary and has no extended length, making it impossible to quantify like past or future intervals.
How does this sermon relate to God?
It points to the idea that time’s true nature is beyond human comprehension and is connected to God’s eternal, timeless existence.
Is time considered a physical or mental reality here?
St. Augustine suggests time may be an extendedness of the mind rather than a purely physical phenomenon.