St. Monica was married by arrangement to a pagan official in North Africa, who was much older than she, and although generous, was also violent tempered. His mother Lived with them and was equally difficult, which proved a constant challenge to St. Monica. She had three children; Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua. Through her patience and prayers, she was able to convert her husband and his mother to the Catholic faith in 370. He died a year later. Perpetua and Navigius entered the religious Life. St. Augustine was much more difficult, as she had to pray for him for 17 years, begging the prayers of priests who, for a while, tried to avoid her because of her persistence at this seemingly hopeless endeavor. One priest did console her by saying, "it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish." This thought, coupled with a vision that she had received strengthened her. St. Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose in 387. St. Monica died later that same year, on the way back to Africa from Rome in the Italian town of Ostia.
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1
St Monica and her son St Augustine
27 ta' Awwissu
Tifkira ta' SANTA MONIKA
Armla: 332 – 387
*Nitlobu għall-ommijiet kollha li jitolbu biex uliedhom jiltaqgħu mal-Mulej.
Santa Monika twieldet fi ħdan familja nisranija sinjura fis-sena 332, f’Tagaste, illum Souk-Arras, fl-Afrika ta’ Fuq. Meta kellha madwar sittax-il sena, kif kienet id-drawwa ta’ dawk iż-żminijiet, tgħammdet u għamlet l-Ewwel Tqarbina. Xi erba’ snin wara żżewwġet lil wieħed żagħżugħ pagan jismu Patrizju, u kellha tlitt itfal, żewġ subien u tifla.
Monika sofriet ħafna minn żewġha minħabba n-natural qalil li kellu u wkoll minħabba n-nuqqas ta’ fedelta’ lejha. Hi ma nfexxitx fil-ġlied u fit-tgħajjir, imma fittxet li tgħix sewwa u tkun twajba, ħelwa u paċenzjuża miegħu.
Anke omm żewġha kienet ta’ l-istess natural ta’ binha, u Santa Monika sofriet ħafna minnha wkoll.
Wara tmintax-il sena f’din il-ħajja ta’ żwieġ, Monika rat lil żewġha jinbidelu jaqbad ħajja tajba u saħansitra sar nisrani. Wara sena miet, fis-sena 370.
Għall-aħħar ta’ l-istess sena, binha l-kbir Wistin meta kellu sittax-il sena mar jistudja f’Kartaġni li dak iż-żmien kienet il-belt ewlenija ta’ l-Afrika. Hemm iltaqa’ ma’ mara u għex magħha bla ma żżewwiġha sas-sena 385, u kellhom tifel, Adeodatu. Sadanittant kien ħaddan l-ereżijata l-Manikej. Minn Kartaġni mar Ruma u wara Milan.
F’Milan kellha x-xorti tara l-konverżjoni ta’ binha u għenitu jipprepara ruħugħall-magħmudija minn idejn l-Isqof San Ambroġ fl-Għid tas-sena 387.arret Milan.
F’Milan kellha x-xorti tara l-konverżjoni ta’ binha u għenitu jipprepara ruħu għall-magħmudija minn idejn l-Isqof San Ambroġ fl-Għid tas-sena 387.
Ftit wara l-magħmudija, Santa Monika flimkien ma binha telqu minn Milan biex imorru lura lejn l-Afrika. Meta kien f’Ostia jistennew il-bastiment biex jimbarkaw fuqu għal Kartaġni, Monika mardet u fi żmien disat ijiem mietet meta kellha 54 sena. Difnuha f’Ostia, iżda fl-1430 il-Papa Martin V ġab ir-relikwi tagħha Ruma fejn illum jinsabu fil-Knisja ta’ San Wistin.
Ħsieb
”Min jistenna jithenna!” Imma rridu nistennew kif stenniet Santa Monika – bis-sabar, bil-kuraġġ, bil-għaqal u bit-talb. Hi rnexxielha tara l-konverżjoni ta’ żewġha, tal-kunjata u ta’ binha.
(Laikos)
27 ta' Awwissu - Tifkira ta' Santa Monika, omm Santu Wistin
Quddiesa u Rużarju mill-Kurja tal-Arċisqof - 27 ta' Awwissu
(2020 - Holy Mass transmitted in Maltese during the Pandemic of the corona virus)
Proper Gospel for the Feast of St Monica
Lk 7:11-17 -- Jesus Raises a Widow's Son - Ġesù jqajjem lil bin l-armla ta' Najn mill-mewt
- AUGUST 27 - PROPER GOSPEL FOR THE FEAST OF ST MONICA
- TUESDAY GOSPEL OF WEEK 24 IN ORDINARY TIME
- NOVEMBER 2 - one of the alternative Gospels on Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
- IN YEAR C - SUNDAY GOSPEL OF WEEK 10 IN ORDINARY TIME
Evanġelju
Żagħżugħ, qiegħed ngħidlek, qum!
Lq 7, 11-17
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Luqa
F’dak iż-żmien, [Lq:7:11] Ġesù mar f'belt jisimha Najn, u marru miegħu d-dixxipli tiegħu u kotra kbira ta' nies. [Lq:7:12] Kif wasal qrib il-bieb tal-belt, kienu qegħdin iġorru wieħed mejjet li ommu, mara armla, ma kellhiex ħliefu; u magħha kien hemm għadd ġmielu ta' nies mill-belt. [Lq:7:13] Kif raha l-Mulej tħassarha."Tibkix" qalilha. [Lq:7:14] Resaq, u mess it-tebut. Dawk li kienu qegħdin jerfgħuh waqfu. U hu qal: "Żagħżugħ, qiegħed ngħidlek, qum!" [Lq:7:15] U l-mejjet qam bilqiegħda u beda jitkellem. U Ġesù tah lil ommu.
[Lq:7:16] In-nies kollha tkexkxu bil-biża', u bdew jagħtu glorja lil Alla u jgħidu: "Profeta kbir qam fostna" u,"Alla żar il-poplu tiegħu." [Lq:7:17] U dan il-kliem li qalu xtered mal-Lhudija u dawk l-inħawi kollha.
Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
R/. Tifħir lilek Kristu
August 27 - Homily: St Monica, Conversion By a Mother's Tears
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