FEAST
DAY OF ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
AUGUST 28
God hears our
prayers for our loved ones
Today
is Sunday, the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
And today began in an ordinary way for me, in prayer.
Being open to direction from God, I began by praying Come,
Holy Spirit and Saint Augustine's Prayer to the Holy
Spirit. And then I realized that
it's the Feast Day of Saint Augustine of Hippo. Of course!
Yesterday was the feast day of his mother, Saint Monica, whose prayers
for her son's conversion were eventually answered in a most powerful way.
It got me to thinking that it's
never too late to pray for somebody else to change; and also, it's never too
late for YOU to change.
No
matter where you are now, or what mistakes you've made, it's never too late to
change. Saint Monica prayed for
years for her son's conversion. Her prayers were eventually answered, and her
son, Saint Augustine of Hippo, is now one of the great doctors of the church.
His life is a superb example for us that our prayers for our loved ones
will be answered and also that every person can have a change of heart and turn
to God.
Saint Augustine
sought and attained the heavenly prize. And he continues to inspire us today.
So let us share the gift of God's grace by assisting and praying for others and
for the salvation of all souls. It's
not up to us to determine who is or is not worthy, for none of us is worthy of
God's mercy. But let us pray that we
may be made worthy of
the promises of Christ.
Always
encourage others who seem lost or resistant to conversion - the person CAN
change if you give them a reason to believe.
We can't avoid or stop the challenges they face, and we're not supposed
to. So for those praying for their
loved ones who are either lost or suffering in any way, know that they are in
Good Hands. I once read this beautiful passage by Oswald Chambers called "What
is that to you?" We have to
trust that God will allow those we love to suffer or make mistakes, for it is
these experiences that help us to grow into the person God wants us to be. It's
usually our sufferings that help us to develop empathy and thus, serve the Lord
as He intends. We won't stop praying for those we love, but may we pray that God
uses their challenges to help them grow and to use these challenges to
ultimately serve Him.
Eventually,
Saint Monica's prayers paid off. And
Saint Augustine veered off the wayward path and onto the road to salvation.
ADDITIONAL
QUOTES FROM SAINT AUGUSTINE:
Let
those who think I have said too little and those who think I have said too much,
forgive me and let those who think I have said just enough thank God with me.
If
you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what
you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep
adding, keep walking, keep advancing.
I sighed
and you heard me. I wavered and you steadied me. I travelled along the broad way
of the world, but you did not desert me.
What
wonderful profundity there is in your utterances! The surface meaning lies open
before us and charms beginners. Yet the depth is amazing, my God, the depth is
amazing.
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