August 27: ST. MONICA.
Patroness of Mothers, Married Women and Widows.
Outline
- St. Monica’s sufferings as a wife and mother.
- The fruits of her perseverance in prayer.
- Prayer to Saint Monica
- Our prayer and gratitude for all wives and mothers.
Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Monica. She is the persistent, determined, patient and loving mother of St. Augustine who never threw the towel on her son’s waywardly life, who as we know was a great sinner but later got converted to the Catholic faith after passing through turbulent years of sincere search for the truth, until he finally found what his heart was looking for in the Catholic Church.
1. St. Monica’s sufferings as a wife and mother.
Moreover, she had to deal with the infidelity and ill-temperedness of her husband, Patricius, a Roman pagan, and the cruel, unpleasant attitude of her mother-in-law who kept on criticizing her. Monica sought strength from God with her daily constant prayers and sacrifices for 20 years asking for the conversion of her son, her husband and her mother-in-law.
2. The fruits of her perseverance in prayer.
As a result, the latter two got converted to the Catholic faith. The time for her son had to wait.
Patricius died a year after his conversion, when Augustine was about 17 yrs of age. Augustine was then in Carthage, living with a mistress, with whom he had his child, Adeodato. Monica prayed for the faith of her son. However, Augustine opted to form part of the Manichean heresy and because of this, she drove her away from her table. Nevertheless, she constantly prayed for Augustine and frequently consulted her bishop, asking for help; but, the bishop responded: “Don’t worry; it is impossible that a son of so many tears should be lost.”
When Augustine left her and had gone to Rome secretly, Monica followed her wayward son but when she arrived there, he had already gone to Milan, so there she went. In Milan, she met St. Ambrose who became her spiritual director and asked his help to re-orient her son. A trusting relationship between Ambrose and Augustine grew and finally, after 17 years of Augustine’s resistance, St. Monica’s persistent prayer bore fruit: St. Augustine, together with his son, Adeodatus, got converted to Christianity and was baptized in 387 by St. Ambrose of Milan.
3. Prayer to Saint Monica
Exemplary Mother of the Great Augustine,
You perseveringly pursued your wayward son
Not with threats but with prayerful cries to heaven.
Intercede for all mothers in our day
So that they may learn to draw their children to God.
Teach them how to remain close to their children,
Even the prodigal sons and daughters who have sadly gone astray.
Dear St Monica, troubled wife and mother,
many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet, you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
you prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine;
your prayers were answered.
Grant me that same fortitude, patience,
and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for me, dear St Monica,
that God may favorably hear my plea.
(mention your intention here)
Grant me the grace to accept His Will in all things,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen
4. Our prayer and gratitude for all wives and mothers.
Dear friends, especially all the suffering wives, mothers and widows, in St. Monica, we find a wonderful example of a strong, determined, persistent woman of great faith, of persevering prayer and love for God, on whom she finds the strength to bear the daily difficulties of married and family life and who, out of love for her husband and son, did what she had to do in order to assure the spiritual well-being of her loved ones.
Let us pray for all mothers in the world so that they may have the same divine wisdom, faith, determination, hope and love which St. Monica had and so that they may put all the means at their reach −prayer, sacraments and sacrifices−, without giving up on their loved ones in order to gain eternal salvation for them.
Rest assured, dear mothers, that I will pray for all of you
in the Holy Mass,
asking St. Monica and Our Lady, Mother of all mothers,
for your person and intentions.
Dear mothers, thank you for all the love and sacrifice for your husbands and children!
-Fr. Rolly Arjonillo, priest of Opus Dei. CATHOLICS STRIVING FOR HOLINESS FB page and website. Hope you like our page and invite your friends as well to do so in order to help more people.
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