+ 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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