Saint Monica, Motherhood, and Home Education

Saint Augustine and Saint Monica, his mother

Saint Monica has long been a favorite of mine--an example of determined motherhood and seeking God's best for her wayward child in prayer and in action. Her focus was clear and unsullied. Here is her story, courtesy of Saint of the Day from AmericanCatholic.org:

St. Monica (322?-387)
The circumstances of St. Monica’s life could have made her a nagging wife, a bitter daughter-in-law and a despairing parent, yet she did not give way to any of these temptations. Although she was a Christian, her parents gave her in marriage to a pagan, Patricius, who lived in her hometown of Tagaste in North Africa. Patricius had some redeeming features, but he had a violent temper and was licentious. Monica also had to bear with a cantankerous mother-in-law who lived in her home. Patricius criticized his wife because of her charity and piety, but always respected her. Monica’s prayers and example finally won her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity. Her husband died in 371, one year after his baptism.
Monica had at least three children who survived infancy. The oldest, Augustine, is the most famous.

At the time of his father’s death, Augustine was 17 and a rhetoric student in Carthage. Monica was distressed to learn that her son had accepted the Manichean heresy and was living an immoral life. For a while, she refused to let him eat or sleep in her house. Then one night she had a vision that assured her Augustine would return to the faith. From that time on she stayed close to her son, praying and fasting for him. In fact, she often stayed much closer than Augustine wanted.

When he was 29, Augustine decided to go to Rome to teach rhetoric. Monica was determined to go along. One night he told his mother that he was going to the dock to say goodbye to a friend. Instead, he set sail for Rome. Monica was heartbroken when she learned of Augustine’s trick, but she still followed him. She arrived in Rome only to find that he had left for Milan. Although travel was difficult, Monica pursued him to Milan.

In Milan, Augustine came under the influence of the bishop, St. Ambrose, who also became Monica’s spiritual director. She accepted his advice in everything and had the humility to give up some practices that had become second nature to her. Monica became a leader of the devout women in Milan as she had been in Tagaste.

She continued her prayers for Augustine during his years of instruction. At Easter, 387, St. Ambrose baptized Augustine and several of his friends. Soon after, his party left for Africa. Although no one else was aware of it, Monica knew her life was near the end. She told Augustine, “Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.” She became ill shortly after and suffered severely for nine days before her death.

Almost all we know about St. Monica is in the writings of St. Augustine, especially his Confessions.

Today, with Internet searches, e-mail shopping and instant credit, we have little patience for things that take time. Likewise, we want instant answers to our prayers. Monica is a model of patience. Her long years of prayer, coupled with a strong, well-disciplined character, finally led to the conversion of her hot-tempered husband, her cantankerous mother-in-law and her brilliant but wayward son, Augustine.

As our family embarks upon our 15th year of home education, I pray for Monica's tenacity, her self-discipline, her clear vision in loving and serving her children, and her fervent life of prayer, especially on behalf of her children. Her example as a faithful wife and mother brought her family into the Kingdom of God, helping them to love Christ with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength. May we mothers, whether we educate our own children at home or not, find much inspiration in Monica's example as well, and may we please our Lord in our faithfulness and tenacity as she did.

As we begin this new year of home education, I pray from the Book of Common Prayer 2011, page 68:

A Collect for Living in the Spirit
Breathe in me, Holy Spirit, so that all my thoughts may be holy; Act in me, Holy Spirit, so that my work, too, may be holy; Draw my heart, Holy Spirit, so that I love only what is holy; Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy; Guard me then, Holy Spirit, so that I may always be holy; All for Jesus' sake. Amen.
(inspired by John 20.22, Colossians 3.23-24, and Augustine's Confessions, ca. 397)

May we all be set apart for the work of the Holy Spirit, whatever our calling in life shall be, bringing glory to our Lord in all we say, do, and think, through His power and because of His love.

Frantically preparing for the school year,