Aug 27 - St. Monica

+ 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 all fairness to all involved, I should like to mention a few some well known and others, not so well known facts, about both Monica and Augustine (but a lot more on Augustine tomorrow). So often we think that it is all the Monica did was to be found kneeling in prayer and crying her eyes out for her son. Well this is only partly true, according to historical research – actually Monica was an alcoholic: “she was what was known in those days as a “wine-swiller” – and was known to swill a bit too much on many an occasion.

Just as Augustine found his own personal experiences the learning place for theology, so too with Monica. She was, poor woman, an alcoholic, and perhaps has the melancholy distinction of being the first recognizable alcoholic in history. The story of her dependence on wine and how she overcame it, how she found redemption, is found in Book IX, 8, 18 of the Confessions, an account which her son says came from her. It is encouraging to know that the Saints overcame many difficulties to achieve sanctity, just as we all must. For them, and for us, redemption comes through the everyday. This is one reason, among many, why Monica and Augustine command such a place in Christian hearts today.

And so, even as we find ourselves embroiled in a scintillating scandalous expose now on “sexual intrigue” and “unspeakable abuse” among the hierarchy of the church – those who should know better – much better – we must not forget that we each have skeletons in our closets – in fact, most likely, many skeletons probably categorized by any number of moral and immoral labels. None of us therefore, can get on our soap-boxes and point fingers, judge or condemn. We simply as Pope Francis said yesterday in a possible cover-up ring that cast a wide net on prominent prelates – including himself – but Francis with bowed head said: “I’m not going to say a word: let the evidence, the document from the ex-nuncio to the United States speak for itself. I may comment on it at a later date.

We need to remember God is a God of mercy and justice: and that he will always offer the truly repentant sinner forgiveness, but he also expects “Caesar” – the civil authorities to settle accounts as well.

The Church will survive this: it is but a very long line of such atrocities or similar ones in the past: but, will we have learned something from it. I pray so: I pray that we will ultimately do unto others, what we know and would expect to be done unto us: if many skeletons in our closets went on a holiday!

St. Monica, St. Augustine – who was definitely “no saint” in his earlier days, and in fact, really up into his later one’s as well – but more on that tomorrow!

In you, Lord, our restless hearts will find our peace!