The Prayers of a Mother: A Reflection on Saint Monica and Hope for Wayward Children

Feast of Saint Monica: August 27
Feast of Saint Augustine: August 28

Most people know Saint Monica as the mother of Saint Augustine. That alone says so much — not because she was defined by her son’s sainthood, but because without her, we may never have had one of the most influential saints and theologians in Christian history.

But before there was a conversion, there were years of sorrow. Years of tears. Years of watching her son walk away from everything she had taught him about God.

And she never gave up.

To the Mothers Who Are Still Praying

I’m writing this for every mother who knows the ache of watching a child drift from the faith — or run from it entirely.

For the mother who raised her children in the Church, but now sees them choosing selfishness, sin, or indifference.

For the mother who lies awake at night asking, “Where did I go wrong?” or “What more can I do?”

Let me offer you a reminder rooted in the life of Saint Monica:
God treasures the prayers of mothers.

Saint Monica followed her son across continents, not with lectures or control, but with persistence in prayer.

She didn’t have Instagram devotionals or support groups. She had God, her tears, and her unwavering belief that He was listening.

Even when Augustine embraced heresy, rejected her pleas, and literally sailed away to escape her… she prayed.

And God heard her.

He not only answered her prayers — He went above and beyond.

Augustine didn’t just return to the Church. He became one of the greatest minds and hearts the Church has ever known.

From Tears to Triumph

It’s said that an unnamed bishop once consoled Monica by saying:
“The child of so many tears will not perish.”

Augustine himself would later write about the moment of his conversion — how his mother, after years of anguish, wept tears of joy.

He wrote of how he told her he wanted baptism, and how she “leapt for joy and blessed You, who are able to grant more than we can ask or imagine.”

God did not waste her suffering. He sanctified it.

Mary: The Mother Who Stood at the Cross

Saint Monica isn’t the only mother who watched her child suffer — and stayed.

We can’t forget Mary, the mother of Jesus.

She did everything right.
She loved perfectly.
And still, she had to stand at the foot of the Cross and watch her Son be rejected, mocked, tortured, and killed.

There is no promise in the Christian life that says: If you love well, your children will never suffer or stray.

But there is this promise: God is with you. He sees your tears. And your prayers matter.

A Personal Word of Gratitude

I’m personally grateful that my own mother never stopped praying for me — even when I was living selfishly and had turned away from my faith.

And now, I get to witness my wife as a mother: praying for our children, sacrificing daily, staying faithful in both joyful and anxious seasons.

It reminds me that motherhood is not just a role. It’s a calling — a holy vocation.

And prayer is not a last resort. It is the most powerful gift a mother can offer.

Don’t Stop Praying

So if you are a mother who feels tired, discouraged, or unsure of how to help your child find their way — remember Saint Monica.

Remember that God hears you.
Even when the story looks hopeless.
Even when the distance between your child and God feels too wide.
Even when you’re tempted to despair.

Keep going. Keep praying. Keep loving.

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
— Saint Augustine

So if your child is restless and wandering — continue to pray.
Pray that their heart may one day find its true rest and peace in God.
And don’t forget to ask for the intercession of Saint Monica and Mother Mary.
After all, there’s nothing quite like the heartfelt prayer of a mother.