Day 20: Saint Monica - “Tears of Intercessory”
“For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh… Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
Introduction
Many of us know the pain of a loved one rejecting Christ. After years of prayer with no change, our efforts can feel pointless, as if God doesn’t hear. Someone who knew this struggle very well was Saint Monica. She was the mother of the famous Saint Augustine, who credits her prayers as a major influence in his conversion.
Tears of Intercessory
Not a day went by without Saint Monica praying for her son. This was her greatest spiritual burden. While Augustine mocked Christianity and pursued a worldly life, Saint Monica prayed relentlessly for him. With tears, she interceded for Augustine, asking God to soften his rebellious heart so that he would repent and accept Christ. It seemed impossible, however, for Augustine loved the world and sin too much, and solely relied on his rhetorical and philosophical skills.
One day, a bishop consoled her, saying, “It is not possible that the son of such tears and prayers should perish.” With renewed trust, her tears became tears of hope. She fully trusted that God heard her cries and would use them. Such prayers proved fruitful. After many years of persistent prayer, Augustine finally surrendered his life to Christ (a powerful testimony in itself).
In his memoir, Confessions, Augustine acknowledges the impact of his mother’s tearful prayers: “...you heard her and did not despise the tears which streamed down and watered the ground in every place where she bowed her head in prayer.” Truly, God let Saint Monica’s tears bloom into more flowers in His garden; not a single one was wasted.
Reflection
When we think about how we met Christ, someone undoubtedly prayed for us— someone who loved us enough to lift us in prayer. Let it be our turn to pray for those who are not saved. And if we have been praying for someone’s salvation, let’s persevere and pray with hope. May we imitate Saint Monica’s faith, trusting our God who always hears and never wastes our prayers.