In this world that has accepted that EVERYONE goes to Heaven, that there is no right or wrong, and all actions are fine as long as they don’t “hurt” anyone, what about St. Monica? Do we believe she is a saint? Do we believe in the merit of her unceasing prayers and tears? Why was she so upset?! I mean, if everyone goes to Heaven, and God would never send anyone to Hell, then why was she crying? Why was she distraught? Did her prayers and tears have any merit at all?
Could it be that she could not enjoy anything in this world knowing that if her son didn’t change his ways, she would never see him again in Heaven? Could it be the fear of Hell really meant something to her? Could it be that the thought of her child not enjoying the Beatific Vision devastated her? Could it be a mother’s love, the one that would go to the ends of the earth and do anything and everything in her power for the life of her child?
Looking around today, do we think these prayers and tears had value? Was she a crazy woman?! Or was she scared to death that her son would spend eternity in Hell?! And what about the mothers of today who have children away from the Church? Children who have rejected the Eucharist – Our Life! Children who are living in sin and don’t seem to care. Where are the mothers on their knees in prayer before the Tabernacle? Where are the mothers crying and praying for the conversion of their sons and daughters? Where are the tears? The prayers? Is the fear of Hell forgotten? Has Hell vanished?
I say let’s bring back mothers who will go after their children and speak the truth to them about the state of their souls. I say bring back the mothers who will offer their very lives for the conversion of their children. I say bring back the women on their knees before Jesus in the Tabernacle crying and praying, praying and crying – every single tear offered for their conversion. Does a mother’s tearful pleading to her child to amend his/her life have no merit? What child seeing their mother in pain, would walk away? What child knowing that a mother speaks of love and truth, would not run in to her arms and make things right? What mother would lead her child astray? Bring back the devotion to St. Monica! Mothers, bring back the family Rosary, the Masses said for our children, the time on our knees! Fathers, join mothers in this plea! In this year of mercy – bring back St. Monica!
Did the innumerable prayers and tears of St. Monica have any merit? Ask Our Lord Jesus and – oh yeah – ask St. Augustine!
“It seems part of God’s technique in the sculpturing of saints is that he breaks the human heart again and again…but only to refashion it closer to His own. That is the secret of the 7 swords that pierced Mary’s heart. SANCTITY COSTS! IT costs much and the price is always in our purses….. but we fail to purchase it, not because we are poor, but because we are miserly!” – The Three Religious Rebels
– Maria Woltornist is married to her husband Greg for 29 years and is a homeschooling mother of 7 with a first grandchild on the way.
My own conversion, I think was thanks to my mother´s prayers. That´s why we have to pray for our own children, it would never be enough.
ohhh, this makes me want to rattle my saber and PRAY! Thank you Maria for reminding me of my duty – all the time.
Thank you Maria for rallying us moms to keep on fervently praying for our children and to never give up!
I am scared for one of my sons, very scared. But I hear not to worry from the most Catholic I talk to. But they are the ones with delusions, not me.
“…What child knowing that a mother speaks of love and truth, would not run in to her arms and make things right?”
Unfortunately, it is many a child who is raised, despite valiant effort, in the crucible of filth that is all around us, preaching fiercely that, yes, mother loves you,but the poor darling is deluded. Why else would she be so weepy and bereft?
The conversion tables have turned wherein the faithful are plagued by the apologists of error at every turn.
That is why, while tears and lamentations have their place, a firm and unalterable confidence in the generosity and power of Christ is critical. Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. Speak confidently of eventual conversion back to Christ. Give abundant thanks for the merciful patience of God who has, in His way, given our children a long leash by which to experience the ills of the world. The more fertilizer is collected along the way, the greater the bonfire of love will be when the scales eventually fall from those stubborn eyes that seek what they will instead of what is really there.
So pray! Absolutely. But pray with confidence, thanking God for the immense gift that will be the conversion of your child. Not in our time, so that we may ‘see’ and be comforted, but in His.
Michael Voris of ChurchMilitant returned to the Church due to the constant prayers & sacrifice of his mother, offering her own life for his conversion. He often says she was his “St. Monica”. Our prayers are indeed powerful. Jesus receives them with such open arms! I truly believe He has a soft spot for all mothers! Thank you for this vital reminder and for putting this message out there. So many mothers have no idea that motherhood is a “vocation” where they are called by God to raise His children to be in Heaven with Him someday. It is rhe MOST important thing we will ever do…and our daily prayers are our greatest weapon to get them there!
I ran across this article a little late, but I appreciate it nonetheless. St. Monica used to be the model for Christian mothers, second to the Blessed Virgin. She seems to have fallen out of favor of late since the advent of feminism. In spite of the fact that her husband was a pagan, abusive, openly unfaithful to her, and deliberately corrupted her own son, she did not leave him or even speak ill of him. She doesn’t get any respect anymore.