06/13/2026
Saint Monica can be an example of faithfulness to us all
To believe in God is to have faith; to have a child is to take a leap of faith. Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, bishop and doctor of the Church, perfectly exemplifies both the faith of a follower of God and the profound faith required of a mother.
This week marks the second installment of our summer reflection series, Praying with the Saints. Today, we reflect on Saint Monica.
Nearly everything we know about Saint Monica comes to us through her son, who wrote so beautifully about her in his spiritual autobiography, the Confessions. Augustine vividly captures his mother’s decade-long vigil of prayer and tears on his behalf:
"For nearly nine years were yet to come during which I wallowed deep in… the darkness of delusion… Yet all the time this chaste, devout, and prudent woman… never ceased to pray at all hours and to offer you the tears she shed for me." (Confessions 3.11)
Saint Monica refused to give up on her son. She never abandoned the hope that his heart would be opened to God or that he would one day follow the Lord earnestly and openly.
Her persistence was not in vain. Saint Augustine went on to become one of the most influential theologians in Christian history; a man whose thought shaped, and continues to shape, the Church today.
As I write about Saint Monica's devotion to God and her steadfast love for her son, I am reminded of a young woman I met just the other day under very unusual circumstances.
While driving home from dinner with my parents, my cousin, and my daughter, a reckless driver hit our car. She immediately sped off, and we couldn't catch up with her, that is, until we came around a bend in the road and saw her car sitting in a ditch.
Thankfully, she was okay, and we were too. But while my father called the police, the young woman had to wait for her mother to arrive.
In those tense moments of waiting, I spoke with this very upset young woman. Between heavy sobs, she shared that she and her mother had been fighting. Her father had recently passed away, neither of them was coping well with the loss, and she had been speeding simply because she was so angry.
Amidst her tears, she apologized profusely. At one point, she looked at me and said, "Maybe this is the Lord telling me to figure myself out." Then she paused and added softly, "God must be so mad at me."
Looking back at her, I said, "Maybe God is disappointed in your choices, but God will never stop loving you."
She shook her head, unable to imagine it. I reminded her that Jesus loved Peter even after Peter denied him, and that God would always love her, too. I told her that while this accident might indeed be a wake-up call, God would never give up on her, especially when she is going through such a painful, heartbreaking season of life.
Saint Monica was on my mind and heart during that conversation. I thought about how she refused to give up on Augustine, and how faithfully she interceded for him through a decade of rebellion and heartache.
Just as Monica didn’t give up on her son, God does not give up on us, even when we make foolish, destructive mistakes. God won’t give up on the young woman who hit our car and sped away, and God won’t give up on me or any of you, either.
When you find yourself weary, doubtful, or carrying the weight of a heavy heart, I invite you to call on Saint Monica to pray with you and intervene on your behalf. We don't ask for the intercession of the saints because we are unworthy to go to God ourselves; rather, we ask them to pray for us because sometimes we just need a little, or a lot, of extra faith to carry us through. And Saint Monica knows a great deal about getting through difficult times.
Now, I leave you with a prayer to Saint Monica that you can return to whenever you need or desire her companionship:
Dear St. Monica, troubled wife and mother,
Many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
You prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine.
Grant me that same fortitude, patience, and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for me, dear St. Monica, for (mention your petition here) and grant me the grace to accept his will in all things,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever.
Amen.
