Monica's Prayers

A few years after St. Augustine accepted the gospel message of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, he wrote what we call The Confessions of St. Augustine, which is really a sort of autobiography of his life.

Augustine was born in 352 AD, struggled for many years with various heresies and was finally converted and baptized at Easter in 387. He is famous for his City of God, which he wrote during the time the Vandals were destroying Rome, and for his strong, intelligent leadership of the church.

When he was a young man he was widely known for his sinful ways and unholy life. His mother, Monica, prayed fervently for her son's conversion.

This is how Augustine remembered his mother's prayers:

And You sent Your hand from above and drew out my soul from that profound darkness, because my mother, Your faithful one, continued to weep before You on my behalf more than mothers weep over the bodily death of their children. For, by that faith and spirit which she had from You, she saw that I was dead.

You heard her, O Lord. You heard her and did not despise her tears which streamed down and watered the ground under eyes where she prayed. Yes, You heard her!

At one time she begged a bishop to see her son and try to dissuade him from the heretical teachings he embraced. The bishop did not want to talk to Augustine, but eventually relented, saying "Go your way and God bless you, for it is not possible that the son of these tears should perish."

She never gave up praying for her son. And today statesmen and theologians alike quote St. Augustine and credit him with many of our views on the role and function of governments and the foundational articles of Christian faith and doctrine.

God answered the prayers of Monica, His good and faithful servant, for her son.

We must never give up praying.

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Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD;

O LORD, hear my voice.

Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If You, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O LORD, who could stand?

But with You there is forgiveness;

Therefore You are feared.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

And in His Word I put my hope.

 Psalm 130:1-5

I have heard your prayers and seen your tears...

2 Kings 20:5

Hear my prayer, O LORD,

Listen to my cry for help;

be not be deaf to my weeping...

Psalm 39:12