Saint Monica
Feast: 27 August
Patronage: Mothers, difficult marriages and children
Catholic Saints are ordinary people living extraordinary lives.
This week’s Saint of the Week is Saint Monica. I chose her this week, as today is my own mothers birthday and I feel that Saint Monica has strengthened my own mother through her prayerful intercession. I feel that Saint Monica is someone we can all call upon, as she is the patroness of mothers.
Saint Monica’s life was far from a walk-in-the-park. Her life could have made anyone feel bitter, negative and hopeless. She was a wife, mother and friend. Although she had many battles, sleepless nights and temptations throughout her entire life.
Saint Monica had three children one of them Saint Augustine. She suffered challenges with both her mother in law, and her husband. Despite their treatment of her, Saint Monica constantly prayed for them and their conversions. Both her mother in law and husband converted to the faith before their death.
St Augustine, as many of us know, began to live a life of sin and rejection of God. He was not welcomed anymore into the home of Saint Monica, although after a strong vision Monica had about her son returning to the faith she then built up the strength, courage and persistence to pray and fast for his reversion.
Saint Monica would not give up. She followed St Augustine to Rome and Milan to make sure he had all the opportunities of coming back to the faith. At Rome she had the aid of St Ambrose as her spiritual director, whom she deeply admired and respected. St Ambrose had great influence over Augustine, whom he later baptised.
Once Saint Monica had seen her son’s conversion, she knew deeply that her life was complete that she was now to be reunited with Christ. She told Augustine that her life mission was fulfilled and she had nothing else that she is called to do on this Earth. She then fell dramatically ill, suffered greatly for nine days and then died.
Saint Monica had a close relationship with her son, Augustine. Which was at times estranged yet eventually was healed by God and they were reunited.
What can we learn from this?
Never underestimate the power of prayer. Saint Monica never underestimated God’s power. She was persistence in prayer, showed great patience and prayed for God’s will above her own. This is something I know I need to possess more strongly. God’s timing is perfect, this something we often learn in hindsight.
When I think of Saint Monica and my own mother, I see one key quality they share, their patience in prayer. My mother has a gift of speaking with our Lord that others struggle with doing. She has a natural closeness which many do not find without constant work. I pray that St Monica will strengthen my own mother more and deepened more so her faith, love and prayer life.
Saint Monica, pray for us and our mothers.
Sources:
(1) http://www.americancatholic.org
(2) http://www.ewtn.com
Originally posted 2014-08-26 03:03:52.