Today is the Feast of Monnica in the Anglican Communion tradition. Monnica was the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, who as an adolescent was anything but a saint.
In his Confessions Augustine tells of his mother's love and worry for him and in a very moving depiction describes one occasion when Monnica went to see Bishop Ambrose in Milan, where Augustine was studying. Distraught over the prodigality of her son's life, Monnica tearfully begged Ambrose to go and talk some sense into her wayward boy. Ambrose was unwilling to go, perhaps wisely intuiting that young Augustine was not quite ready to receive a lecture from the Bishop. Ambrose instead consoled Monnica with these very tender and powerful words, "Surely it is impossible that the son of these tears should perish."
Many worry for sons and for daughters. The Feast of Monnica reminds us that God hears your prayers and counts your tears. Even should they should make their beds in the depths God knows and God loves and God is still working that they might not perish but live.
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