A MOTHER AND HER LOST CHILD=Saints Monica and Augustine

WITNESS




6-7-13




A MOTHER AND HER LOST CHILD






Do you know the story
Of Monica---and her lost child---Augustine
A Mother
With a lost grown-up child


Any mother---or any parent
For that matter
Knows the pain
Of having a child
Who has made some wrong decisions
And are on the road to destruction


They are unable to help themselves
And you their Mother ---their parent
Are unable to help them either


This is the story of two such people---Monica and Augustine


Monica was married to a pagan man
Or a nominal Christian at best
Her mother-in-law lived with them
And created further difficulties for her


Monica was the mother
Of 3 children
But it was her son, Augustine
Who brought her dismay
And ultimately great glory


Augustine was
Brought up a Christian by his mother
But was never baptized


Augustine completely turned away from God
And renounced the Christian faith


He became a notorious womanizer
And partier
He lived with a mistress
For 15 years
And even had a son


Monica was angry at him at first
Refused to even let him in to her house
But after awhile
Turned to God
With patience and prayer
For his conversion


She decided
To never ever give up on her child


I plead with you
As a mother
As a parent
To never ever give up
On your child


No matter
How much pain and suffering
They may be causing you


Augustine eventually
Returned to God
Became baptized
And went on to become
A Saint, and one of the great writers and thinkers
Of his time
And a Doctor of the church


ALL because
He had a mother---he had a parent
That refused
To give up on him


Saint Monica is seen
As the mother of ALL CHRISTIAN mothers


At her last illness, and death, she said,


“Nothing in this world
Now gives me pleasure
I so not know what there is left
For me to do
Or why I am still here
All my HOPES
In this world are now fulfilled”


Monica died a fulfilled mother---a fulfilled parent


I plead with you
To never ever give up on your child


To help them
With your patience and your prayers


AND TURN THEM OVER TO GOD


Robert P. Wallman
8-11-11


AUGUST 27^th is the feast day of Saint Monica
August 28^th-the feast day of Saint Augustine




Ps WITNESS 6-7-13


8-27-14