Saint Monica

 

SAINT OF THE DAY – AUGUST 27, 2023 REFLECTION

One of my sisters has been a lapsed Catholic for almost forty years. She was always rebellious as a child, non-traditional, and she refused to conform to the understanding of what good little girls are supposed to be, as defined by the generation of the late sixties to the early seventies. She was always headstrong and had a temper. She would constantly be fighting my father, who also had a temper. They were like two bulls butting heads, while my mother, younger brother, youngest sister, and I would sit by and watch. Only when it looked like it might get out of control would my mom step in and separate them. Then each of them would go back to their respective corners to steam until their respective tempers would cool down.

Part of the reason why she left the Catholic Church was in defiance of my father and because she wanted to live her life on her own terms. Around twenty years ago, she discovered Buddhist meditation, which seems to have helped her to deal with her anger issues and quieted her spirit. One of our family’s challenges has been to try to win her back to our Catholic faith.

The saint for today is Saint Monica (332-388). She is best known as the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, the great Doctor of the Church.

She was born in Tagaste, North Africa to a Christian family. When she reached a marriageable age, she was married off to a pagan named Patricius. He was a man with a violent temper, so I imagine that her home life was difficult. She bore him three children, Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua, who would later become a religious. Monica continued to be a good wife and did not lose her gentleness and kindness. She prayed for her husband’s conversion to the Christian faith. Her persistence and faith were eventually rewarded because a year before his death, Patricius converted to Christianity and was baptized. She prayed with equal fervor and persistence for her son, and the rest is history.

I was inspired by the story of Saint Monica to pray for my sister who left the Catholic faith—that God will reach her in the same way that he touched Patricius’ heart because of his wife’s prayers. I don’t know if I will live to see it happen, but it does not matter, because it is God’s work, not mine. I am just helping God by praying in the garden of my sister’s heart. I will leave the hard work to him.

The above reflection is published with the permission of the author, who wishes to remain anonymous.