The Suffering of a Parent

"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. 3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. 4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them. 7 My people are determined to turn from me...8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. 9 I will not carry out my fierce anger". (Hosea 1-9)

The first reading yesterday was so full of tenderness and heartache I found myself still thinking about it today.  Hearing the reading and the words of Hosea describing the Love of Our Father and His suffering as we reject Him I could not help but find the similarity in the sufferings of St. Monica.  For 30 years she wept and prayed for her son Augustine and his conversion.  Our Lord took pity on this heartbroken mother and bestowed a gift of faith to her son which brought one of the most beautiful fruits.  Augustine not only became a priest he is one of the few Doctors of the Church.  Both mother and child are saints. However,  this might not have come to pass without the faithful love and prayers of a parent for their child.  Months ago I wrote a Novena to Saint Monica which I began for a friend of mine who like St. Monica had prayed for years for the conversion of her children.  Now these children are grown and are having babies of their own.  My friend now has the added suffering to see a second generation growing up distanced from Our Lord.  The reading from Hosea describes the same heartache that parents suffer with today.  We each carry a cross or yolk designed especially for us.  One of the beautiful things about the cross that my friend has been given is that Our Lord in a very personal way shares it with her.  Our Father is the most loving of parents and we his children have hurt and rejected Him so many times.  To see my friend never giving up is the most beautiful witness of Our Loving God, for it resembles how Our Father never gives up on us and keeps waiting.

Novena to Saint Monica

Novena to Saint Monica

Patron Saint of difficult marriages, disappointing children, mothers, and victims of adultery

(Feast May 4th)

Dear St. Monica you suffered heartache for years over your children and husband who despite your prayers rejected the Christian faith.  Your patience and trust in the Lord was repaid by the conversion of your husband and the baptism of your three children.  As it would seem that your eldest son was always to pursue a life of sin the fruits of your prayer were realized when Your Son Augustine abandoned his prior ways and chose a consecrated life.  As a mother I beseech you to help my family and those of mothers across the world who suffer such pain trying to raise their children according to our Christian faith.  Please pray for peace to exist in our hearts and families.  Pray that a desire to pray will grow in the hearts of our children and a Love of Jesus and His Mother will burn within them.  As a loving Mother, St. Monica please carry our petitions to our Heavenly Mother Mary and Her Son who both love us. Amen

1 Hail Mary

St. Monica please pray for our families!

Shortly after Divine Mercy Sunday I was speaking with a dear friend from Church.  We began to speak about the children’s Bibles the children’s rosary was giving out.  As I was sharing some wonderful stories about families who had taken bibles and were beginning family prayer in their homes I could see my friend was becoming sad.  She shared with me a deep pain that had existed within her heart for some time.  Her children are grown now and come home for holidays.  Over Easter her years of attempts to bring her family to conversion were the subject of many jokes.  As tears rolled down her face I thought of St. Monica and thought that I would like to start a novena for my friend and for all the mothers who pray night after night for the children. One priest once told St. Monica not to worry because, “it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish.”  The priest was right and her son Augustine would become a Doctor of the Church and one of our great Saints. 

Ary Scheffer - St. Augustine and his mother St. Monica