St. Monica (August 27^th) and St. Augustine (August 28^th)

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The great bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose, knowing of her prayers and tears for her son, told St.Monica that “it is impossible that the son of so many tears should perish.”

Bishop Ambrose of Milan, was right. At the age of 35, Monica’s son, Augustine, became a Christian and was baptized, along with his son, Adeodatus, by Ambrose. A few months later, on the way home to Hippo with Augustine and Adeodatus, Monica fell ill and died.

Monica could not have known that her prayers and devotion would affect not only the life of her son but also the course of history. Her concern was that her son believe “the truth which is in Jesus.”

This devotion to the spiritual welfare of her son is why Monica is regarded as the model for all Christian mothers.

When death was approaching and seeing her son?s grief, St. Monica told him, ?Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. ONE THING ONLY I ASK OF YOU: THAT YOU REMEMBER ME AT THE ALTAR OF THE LORD WHEREVER YOU MAY BE.?

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St. Monica (333-387) was born in Tagaste, northern Africa and died in Ostia, near Rome. Monica was a Christian, but her husband Patricius was a pagan and a man of loose morals. Monica’s virtues and prayers, however, converted him, and he was baptized a year before his death. When her son, Augustine, joined the Manichean sect and went astray in faith and morals, Monica’s tears and prayers for her son were incessant. She followed him to Milan, where Augustine went to teach, and there continued to storm heaven with her prayers for her son. Finally, she had the joy of witnessing St. Ambrose baptize Augustine in 387. She died in Ostia, as she and her son gazed at the sea and discoursed about the joys of the blessed.? Augustine would become a priest, bishop and one of hte greatest Doctors and Saints of the Catholic Church.

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Collect: God of mercy, comfort those in sorrow, the tears of Saint Monica moved you to convert her son Saint Augustine to the faith of Christ. By their prayers, help us to turn from our sins and to find your loving forgiveness. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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The post Answered prayer: The Powerful Tears of a Mother first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #090504 ( 08min) Play – Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine; Fr Ignatius normally celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass and therefore under the Traditional Latin calendar, today the Feast of St. Monica is celebrated – in the Novus Ordo calendar, her Feast has been transferred to Aug 27th.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)
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The post May 04 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: St Monica first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #100827 ( 08min) Play – Fr. Angelo Geiger preaches on the Feast day of St. Monica where we  have the Gospel story of the only son who is raised from the dead and given back to his mother with great rejoicing. Father relates this to the conversion of St. Augustine the son on St. Monica who prayed and wept for his conversion for decades. He points out the need for prayer and penance to bring about conversions.
Ave Maria! – Mass Ordinary Form: – Readings:
1st: 1 Cor 1:17-25
Gspl: Luk 7:11-17

Audio (MP3)

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The post Aug 27 – Homily – Fr Angelo: Mothers Tears and Prayers first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Nothing is far from God. – Saint Monica

Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.

– Saint Monica, about the conversion of Augustine

The day was now approaching when my mother Monica would depart from this life; you know that day, Lord, though we did not. She and I happened to be standing by ourselves at a window that overlooked the garden in the courtyard of the house. At the time we were in Ostia on the Tiber. And so the two of us, all alone, were enjoying a very pleasant conversation, “forgetting the past and pushing on to what is ahead..”

We were asking one another in the presence of the Truth – for you are the Truth – what it would be like to share the eternal life enjoyed by the saints, which “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, which has not even entered into the heart of man.” We desired with all our hearts to drink from the streams of your heavenly fountain, the fountain of life. That was the substance of our talk, though not the exact words.

But you know, O Lord, that in the course of our conversation that day, the world and its pleasures lost all their attraction for us. My mother said, “Son, as far as I am concerned, nothing in this life now gives me any pleasure. I do not know why I am still here, since I have no further hopes in this world. I did have one reason for wanting to live a little longer: to see you become a Catholic Christian before I died. God has lavished his gifts on me in that respect, for I know that you have even renounced earthly happiness to be his servant. So what am I doing here?”

 I do not really remember how I answered her. Shortly, within five days or thereabouts, she fell sick with a fever. Then one day during the course of her illness she became unconscious and for a while she was unaware of her surroundings. My brother and I rushed to her side, but she regained consciousness quickly. She looked at us as we stood there and asked in a puzzled voice: “Where was I?”

We were overwhelmed with grief, but she held her gave steadily upon us, and spoke further: “Here you shall bury your mother.” I remained silent as I held back my tears. However, my brother haltingly expressed his hope that she might not die in a strange country but in her own land, since her end would be happier there. When she heard this, her face was filled with anxiety, and she reproached him with a glance because he had entertained such earthly thoughts. Then she looked at me and spoke: “Look what he is saying.” Thereupon she said to both of us, “Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be.” Once our mother had expressed this desire as best she could, she fell silent as the pain of her illness increased.

– from the Confessions of Saint Augustine

The post Never cease praying for conversions first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #100828 ( 09min) Play – Fr. Bonaventure preaches on the Feast Day of St Augustine. He connects the Parable of the Talents in today’s Gospel to the many natural talents that Our Lord had given our saint, all of which were augmented with the power of miracles showing how God gives more to those who do well with the free gifts given to them.
Ave Maria! – Mass Ordinary Form: – Readings:
1: 1 Cor 1:26-31
R: Ps 33:12-13,18-21
G: Mt 25:14-30

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #110827 ( 07min) Play – Fr. Dominic preaches on the life of St. Monica and how she strived to convert her son, St. Augustine, and how we should also strive to convert others.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Monica – Mem – Form: OF

1st: Sirach 26:1-4, 13-16
Gsp: Lk 7:11-17

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #130504 ( 09min) Play -St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, was told by a bishop that “A child of so many tears cannot be lost.” After persevering in prayer for 26 years, she has the joy of seeing her son converted from a life of sin and heresy. Let us follow her great example of perseverance in prayer as we also weep for those we love.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Monica, Widow – 3rd Cl – Form: EF, Cognovi
Readings: 
1st: 1ti 5:3-10
Gsp: luk 7:11-16

Audio (MP3)

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The post May 04 – Homily – Fr George: St. Monica and St. Augustine: A Child of Many Tears first appeared on AirMaria.com.

In the homily for Election Day (Nov 06, Tuesday in the 31st Week in Ordinary Time), Fr. Alan reminds us that we have a responsibility to vote faithfully, in the light of Catholic principles. This duty relates to today’s Gospel in that we can choose to correspond with God’s grace, or we can decline. In any case, our choices will be measured against the Divine Will. Nothing compares to the offer God the Father makes us, but unlike the offer of “the Godfather” in the movies, God the Father’s is an offer we CAN (but shouldn’t) refuse.

In the parable of those invited to the banquet who decline to come when called, we have a warning of the danger of not corresponding with God’s grace, of preferring our own will to His: “none of those men … will taste My dinner.”

Ave Maria!

Mass: Tuesday in the 31st Week in Ordinary Time – Wkdy

Readings: 
1st: Phil 2:5-11
Resp: Ps 22:26-27, 28-30, 31-32
Gsp: Lk 14:15-24

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=986

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The post Vote the Faith, an Offer You Can (but Shouldn’t) Refuse – Nov 06 – Homily – Fr Alan first appeared on AirMaria.com.