Memorial of Saint Monica
2 Thessalonians 1:11
To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith
I don't know about very many saints but Monica is one that I have always gravitated to. The reason I know St. Monica is because she reminds me so much of my mother. Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine and if you are familiar with his story you know that he credits his conversion to his mother's steadfast faith and unwavering prayer. Not that I can compare myself to St. Augustine, at least not in the saint part, but I also credit my mothers prayer as a pivotal part of my coming to a relationship with Christ.
One aspect of prayer I believe is overlooked is its ability to give us humility. It takes humility to ask for prayer. It takes humility to put your own needs aside and pray for others. It takes humility to accept that God is going to give us what we need, regardless of what we are praying for. I love that the letters Paul writes to the early church. In them you will find encouragement, instruction and even admonishment. No matter the reason for the letter you will always find Paul praying for those he is writing to. Like St. Monica was steadfast in her prayer for her son, we should be steadfast in our prayer for one another. How can you practice humility through prayer today?
