Reflection: Saint Augustine...Late have I loved you

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Augustine. Yesterday we celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Monica. Her persistent prayers for her son led to her sanctification. We know that through the trust and prayers of Saint Monica, Augustine converted and became one of the most influential thinkers of the Church. 

"Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved You! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for You. In my unloveliness, I plunged into the lovely things which You created. You were with me, but I was not with You. Created things kept me from You; yet if they had not been in You they would not have been at all. You called, You shouted, and You broke through my deafness. You flashed, You shone, and You dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for You. I have tasted You, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."  Excerpt from the Confessions of Saint Augustine

I recall a time when I was very sick and became dehydrated. What a devastating experience! No matter how much water I drank I could not quench my thirst. I thought about this experience in reflecting on the words of Saint Augustine, "I drew in breath and now I pant for You. I have tasted You, now I hunger and thirst for more." Only God can quench our thirst through His Word and through the Body and Blood of Jesus.

Saint Monica's life can never be separated from that of her son, the great Saint Augustine, convert, Bishop, and Doctor of the Church. What we know of her, for the most part, is the account that Augustine gives of her in his Confessions. The story of Augustine's life, up until his conversion, is written in the autobiographical Confessions, the most intimate and well-known glimpse into an individual's soul ever written, a beautiful philosophical, theological, mystical, poetic and literary work.

Monica's almsgiving and her habits of prayer annoyed her husband, but he treated her with a sort of reverence. By Monica’s sweetness and patience, she began a successful apostolate among the wives and mothers of her native town. They knew that she suffered, as they did, and her words and example had a great effect on them. All Monica's anxiety centered on her son Augustine. He was wayward and lazy. Monica prayed constantly to God for the soul of her son. She went tearfully to the bishop to ask him to help and he responded famously,

"the child of those tears shall never perish."

Augustine went to Rome and then Milan in 386. Monica followed him and they met Saint Ambrose. She lived to see the conversion of her son and his Baptism after her years of tears and prayer. Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, gave sermons that inspired Augustine to look for the truth that he had always sought in the faith he that he had rejected. He was baptized. Soon after, his mother, Saint Monica, died with the knowledge that all she had hoped for in this world had been fulfilled.

Saint Augustine was one of the greatest sinners who became a great saint! All things are possible with God and through prayer. The prayers of Saint Monica and the teachings of Saint Ambrose had an effect on Saint Augustine, but he said it was the work of God that opened his heart.

"Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved You! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for You."

Saint Augustine and Saint Monica, pray for us, for our Church, for those who are grieving, for those who have lost their way and for all the names we receive through this prayer ministry. As we pray, let us always remember that it is God who changes hearts.