“I should
have been a better mother,” St. Monica said to Bishop Ambrose about her son
Augustine.
“If
Augustine had been an easier child, God would not have given him a mother like
you,” he responded. –Dialogue from the movie Restless Heart:
The Confessions of St. Augustine.
Augustine had been an easier child, God would not have given him a mother like
you,” he responded. –Dialogue from the movie Restless Heart:
The Confessions of St. Augustine.
When a saint prays for her son for 33 years before he
becomes Catholic, how long will less holy people have to pray for their
children? That, is the reason I did not like the story of St. Monica. Of course we should never give up hope and
keep praying no matter how long it takes, but no one wants to wait that long
for prayers to be answered.
becomes Catholic, how long will less holy people have to pray for their
children? That, is the reason I did not like the story of St. Monica. Of course we should never give up hope and
keep praying no matter how long it takes, but no one wants to wait that long
for prayers to be answered.
As the long-suffering mother of St. Augustine, Monica
prayed unceasingly for the conversion of her rambling husband and her wayward
son. She cried so much over the years that St. Ambrose famously said, “Woman, the
child of so many tears shall never perish.”
prayed unceasingly for the conversion of her rambling husband and her wayward
son. She cried so much over the years that St. Ambrose famously said, “Woman, the
child of so many tears shall never perish.”
Such a perspective is balm to a parent’s praying
heart. Yet, the story of St. Augustine and St. Monica was one that I once
did not particularly like. Monica shed many tears and stormed heaven for
his conversion until his baptism at the age of 33.
heart. Yet, the story of St. Augustine and St. Monica was one that I once
did not particularly like. Monica shed many tears and stormed heaven for
his conversion until his baptism at the age of 33.
My mother’s heart tends towards impatience, wanting my
children to be close to God now and always. St. Monica was a saint, yet
the results of her prayers were slow in coming. Or so it seemed to my
limited thinking. During a homily at Mass one morning, my pastor presented a
perspective on Augustine’s conversion.
children to be close to God now and always. St. Monica was a saint, yet
the results of her prayers were slow in coming. Or so it seemed to my
limited thinking. During a homily at Mass one morning, my pastor presented a
perspective on Augustine’s conversion.
“He lived over 1,500 years ago,” Father stated. “Yet
his books are still sold in bookstores. People have been reading his words for
over 1,500 years.”
his books are still sold in bookstores. People have been reading his words for
over 1,500 years.”
At that moment, I understood that the magnitude of
Augustine’s conversion dwarfed the years of his mother’s prayers. His
prolific words (no author from antiquity has left us more—5.4 million) have
reached through the ages. Instead of looking upon the story of Saints
Augustine and Monica with impatience, I suddenly saw the power behind such a
mother’s prayers.
Augustine’s conversion dwarfed the years of his mother’s prayers. His
prolific words (no author from antiquity has left us more—5.4 million) have
reached through the ages. Instead of looking upon the story of Saints
Augustine and Monica with impatience, I suddenly saw the power behind such a
mother’s prayers.
Augustine began listening to the great preacher
Ambrose. He was intrigued yet conflicted. Augustine still sought
truth because he had never been satisfied. Ambrose told him: “It’s truth
that finds the man because the truth is a person. It’s Jesus, the Son of God.”
Ambrose. He was intrigued yet conflicted. Augustine still sought
truth because he had never been satisfied. Ambrose told him: “It’s truth
that finds the man because the truth is a person. It’s Jesus, the Son of God.”
One afternoon in his garden, Augustine wrestled with
his thoughts until God finally reached him. The great orator stopped
talking and began to listen to Bishop Ambrose. Augustine repents and
gives himself completely to Christ. Ambrose baptized him, imparting the
peace of Christ to Augustine’s once restless heart.
his thoughts until God finally reached him. The great orator stopped
talking and began to listen to Bishop Ambrose. Augustine repents and
gives himself completely to Christ. Ambrose baptized him, imparting the
peace of Christ to Augustine’s once restless heart.
From that point on, St. Augustine’s gifts of rhetoric
and oration once used selfishly and even against the Church, were used to serve
the Church. And they still do, over 1,500 years later.
and oration once used selfishly and even against the Church, were used to serve
the Church. And they still do, over 1,500 years later.
St. Monica’s son became a saint and a doctor of the
Church. She faced a culture in which Christianity had not yet fully
taken hold; we live in a culture in which Christianity is no longer taking hold
and our children are slipping away from the faith. She understands what we are up against. Pray for her intercession,
Church. She faced a culture in which Christianity had not yet fully
taken hold; we live in a culture in which Christianity is no longer taking hold
and our children are slipping away from the faith. She understands what we are up against. Pray for her intercession,
PRAYER TO
ST. MONICA
ST. MONICA
Exemplary
Mother of the great Augustine,
Mother of the great Augustine,
you
perseveringly pursued your wayward son
perseveringly pursued your wayward son
not
with wild threats
with wild threats
but
with prayerful cries to heaven.
with prayerful cries to heaven.
Intercede
for all mothers in our day
for all mothers in our day
so
that they may learn to draw their children to God.
that they may learn to draw their children to God.
Teach
them how to remain close to their children,
them how to remain close to their children,
even
the prodigal sons and daughters
the prodigal sons and daughters
who
have sadly gone astray.
have sadly gone astray.
~~~~~~~~
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