28 August, Monday — The influence of a prayer

Aug 28 – Memorial for St. Augustine, bishop, doctor

After investigating and experimenting with several philosophies, Augustine (354-430) became a Manichaean for several years; it taught of a great struggle between good and evil, and featured a lax moral code. A summation of his thinking at the time comes from his Confessions: “God, give me chastity and continence – but not just now.”

Augustine finally broke with the Manichaeans and was converted by the prayers of his mother and the help of St. Ambrose of Milan, who baptised him. Upon the death of his mother, he returned to Africa, sold his property, gave the proceeds to the poor, and founded a monastery. He founded religious communities and fought heresies. His later thinking can also be summed up in a line from his writings: Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you.

1 Ths 1:1-5,8-10
Mt 23:13-22

We always mention you in our prayers…

There isn’t a literate Christian alive who hasn’t read words that St. Augustine penned. Here are a few of my favourites.

• Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.
• If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. He will not deny us. God withholds what you are not yet ready for. He wants you to have a lively desire for His greatest gifts. All of which is to say, pray always and do not lose heart.
• To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him the greatest human achievement.
• There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.
• The greatest kindness one can render to any man is leading him to truth.
• What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and the needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the signs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.
• If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe in, but yourself.
• Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God.
• God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.
• He who has God has everything; he who has everything but God, has nothing.
• Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.

These words, and so many more that poured from the tip of his pen have changed countless individuals – and I can’t help but believe that had it not been for his mother, for the words his mother prayed, well….. 

This is especially in my mind today because my mom, just a few months shy of her 89^th birthday, left this world a few weeks ago on August 5, 2023. My mom had been ill and housebound for nearly ten years, but still, I didn’t expect that she wouldn’t be here for another few years. It is with that in mind that my mornings have included contemplating and reflecting on all that she did for me – and especially on WHO I am because of her love and prayers. I know the daily prayers I pray for my own daughter, and I realize my mom did the same. I imagine she is still praying for me. I will never know the impact of her love this side of heaven, and I pray that I will be reunited with her in heaven so that we can stand beside other mothers and daughters (and sons), faithful, faith-filled prayer warriors.  

Until then, I shall remember my mom in my prayers, and pray for her (knowing she will dispense of my prayers where they are needed most if she no longer needs them).

(Today’s OXYGEN by Gina Ulicny)

Prayer: How we praise your name, Father God. Let us never forget that You, God, are the Creator of all, that You are the Almighty, that You are ALL GOOD all the time. We beg you to remind us of WHO you are, and of your great love for each of us. We pray that we will be united in your perfect timing with all the angels and saints in heaven so that our voices will join theirs in hallowed praise of You.

Thanksgiving: Lord God of all, thank you for making yourself known to us. Thank you for those who pray for us – those we know and those we don’t know. Thank you for those who pray without ceasing for the whole world. Amen.