Feast of St Monica, Mother of St Augustine and Patron Saint of Mothers.

"SON, NOTHING IN THIS WORLD NOW AFFORDS ME DELIGHT. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THERE IS NOW FOR ME TO DO OR WHY I AM STILL HERE, ALL MY HOPES IN THIS WORLD BEING NOW FULFILLED." (ST MONICA, MOTHER OF ST AUGUSTINE).

"Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

"Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.

"After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.... ." (Matthew 25: 14...
30).

Saturday 27th August 2022 of the 21st Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Monica. Born in 331 in Tagaste in modern Algeria in N. Africa and died in 387 near Rome  at the age of 56. Monica is the mother of St Augustine, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church.

The Church cannot praise our saint of the day enough. Look at  the Entrance Antiphon from the special Mass for St Monica. Look also at the Collect prayer to the Father. Almighty Father accepted the motherly tears of St Monica for the conversion of the once prodigal Augustine and made Augustine a great Shepherd of souls.

St Monica also handled a difficult husband, the once alcoholic and hot tempered Patricius, a pagan city councilor. He died a baptized Christian! At a time when wife beating was not considered a crime, Monica counseled her female married friends how to handle their husbands. According to Monica, despite the fact that her husband was both a pagan and alcoholic, Patricius  never threatened nor abused her in any way.

The Church made Monica the patron saint of married women and a model for Christian mothers.

Who will doubt that we need many Monicas today.  We need women who are strong in Christian virtue and able to mother a Christian household. How can the young preserve purity and chastity today? Maternal advice can go like this:

#1 Daily Prayer: Vital Necessity.
#2 Daily word of God.
#3 Frequent Holy Communion.
#4 Frequent Confession.
#5 Spiritual Reading.

O woman, if you do this, "God will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (Cf 1 Corinthians 1: 9).

Our Gospel for today is the Parable of the Talents. God gives everyone gifts of time, talent and treasure according to His merciful and mysterious Providence for each human being. God demands an accounting for the use of the talents.
The wise and diligent servants who use their gifts well will hear from the Supreme Judge:
"Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy."

The lazy and delinquent will hear:
"You wicked, lazy servant!....
"Throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com