ST. AUGUSTINE AND ST. MONICA

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St Monica and St Augustine
"It is impossible that the son of so many tears should perish."

With those words the bishop of Milan Italy, St. Ambrose, predicted that St. Monica's faith and fortitude would fuel a final showdown and lead to the baptism of her son, St. Augustine...And he was right on target.

St. Monica traveled far and wide, following her son to distant lands, praying incessantly on bended knee, storming the heavens in the unshakable hope that God would save her son's soul. In 386 A.D. at 35 years of age, the once morally corrupt alcoholic St. Augustine, saw the error in his ways and chose the high road that led him out of the darkness and into the light of heavenly Love.

It's a beautiful story and I keep it close to my heart as I pray for the healing of my own son Mackie. He fled Comunita Cenacolo two weeks ago and is now in a rehab facility here in New Orleans where he says he's committed to kicking the drug habit and healing his broken heart.

His father and I have pledged our support for an honest recovery because there is nothing we want more then to see our beautiful son healthy and happy and living the life that God has designed for him. So for now-we will also storm the heavens, as we take this unsettling process-one day at a time.

St. Monica went to whatever lengths necessary to support her son and to pray for his conversion, even traveling to distant lands to be near him in the hope that he would come to believe, "the truth which is in Jesus." Little did she know that after her death St. Augustine would become a priest, a bishop and one of the greatest Doctors and Saints of the Catholic Church...An anointed man of God whose spiritual insight would change the course of history.

In these challenging times I am holding fast to the example of St. Monica and to the belief in the power of prayer to perform miracles. I am also relying on personal recovery experience-knowing that when we begin fully cooperating with God he will transform our imperfections-into perfection!

"...My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
2Corinthians 12:9

Comments

Anonymous said…
Picked up Confessions of St Augustine for 25cents at used book store and upon reading has gave me vigor and hope for troubled memories of my life. Past alcoholic father and much shame of life and relation to a loving father(God).
November 06, 2013
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