St.
Monica was born in Tagaste (modern Algeria, Northern Africa) in 322. She
was given in marriage to a bad-tempered, adulterous pagan named Patricius. She
is the mother of three sons one of whom is St. Augustine of Hippo, whose
writings about her are the primary source of our information about her. She
prayed constantly for the conversion of her husband (who converted on his death
bed), and of her son (who converted after a wild life). Augustine (whose feast
day we will celebrate tomorrow) was the spiritual student of St. Ambrose of
Milan. After Augustine’s baptism in Milan, he and his mother set out for Ostia,
but she died on the way in 387. She was fifty-five. Monica is reported to have
said to her son before her final illness that she had fulfilled her life’s
purpose in seeing him converted and baptized.
Our readings today are
particularly suited for St. Monica. The first reading speaks the beauty of a virtuous wife as the
radiance of her home: like the sun rising in the Lord’s heavens. The gospel
passage spoke to Monica about the moral resurrection of her own son, Augustine,
when Jesus raises the deceased only son of a widow in Nain. The widow, like
Monica, asked the Lord in faith to have mercy on her son; Jesus does not refuse
a mother’s prayer for her children.
In
you, Lord, I have found my peace!
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