From lavoro di cura to Christian service: an Augustinian approach to the contemporary care crisis

Abstract

This article offers a reinterpretation of Saint Augustine of Hippo’s thought on care through the lens of the Gospel episode of Martha and Mary (Lk 10:38–42). From a theological-patristic perspective and in dialogue with contemporary care debates, it argues that Augustine removes care from its feminized conception and presents it as a universal vocation of the Church. The active service embodied by Martha is understood as a necessary mediation for sustaining life and as a concrete expression of Christian charity, though marked by the temporality of human existence. In contrast, Mary’s contemplation represents the eschatological fullness toward which all ecclesial action is oriented. Thus, care is redefined as a communal and theological practice that sustains life, anticipates the Kingdom, and bears witness to the unity between action, faith, and divine love.