On this Mother’s Day, as we honor our mothers (and all of those who have been like mothers to us) I can’t help thinking of the patron saint of mothers, St. Monica, the mother of the future St. Augustine. I think every mother of every son has prayed to her at one time or another when their kids are getting a little bit wild or are a little (or a lot) bit lost on life’s journey. Many of us know her story. St. Monica was a devout Christian who was married to a man named Patricius, a pagan who did not share her beliefs. Most troubling to her, though, was that her oldest child, Augustine, had strayed far and wide from the Christian beliefs she tried to teach him. St. Monica has many qualities to emulate, but I think her the most enduring ones are her steadfast patience and complete trust in God. Monica could have taken a certain approach, I suppose, to dealing with her son; to badger him, and beat the faith into him, if only figuratively. She tried that for a while. At one point, she kicked him out of the house, fed up with his lifestyle. She eventually tried a different tack. She put everything in God’s hands . . . and she prayed . . . and prayed. My guess is that she was praying for herself just as much as she was praying for her son; that she would be patient with him, that he would know that no matter what happened, she would always love him, that she would trust God, and that she, too, was a sinner who needed prayers. Her steadfast faith and motherly persistence was a potent combination that eventually bore abundant fruit. Moved by his mother’s prayer, Augustine returned to the faith of his childhood and became one of its greatest defenders. Lord knows, my friends, that like Augustine, many of us have tested the patience of our mothers over the years! Perhaps the greatest gift we can give them today is to let them know we are praying for them. May our Lord Jesus Christ, who so honored his own mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, bless all our mothers on this special day. 

Loving Lord, we ask your special blessing on our mothers and those who have been like mothers to us. Their presence brings light and warmth to our lives and we thank you for giving them to us. Bless them with the same consolation that your Mother received during her life. Lord, your mother Mary found joy in her motherhood and when she discovered God's will for her she announced:

We pray that this same happiness will come upon our own mothers as we honor them today. Protect them, and give them all the grace they need to serve you in good health and peace. Keep us united in mutual respect and love for one another. We ask all this in your name, for You are Lord forever, and ever. Amen.