Today is the feast of St. Augustine, one day after the feast of his mother, St. Monica. And in order to celebrate the lives of these two influential and inspiring holy people, we've gathered together some of our most popular articles about these two North African saints and the positive influence they can have on your lives.
In collating the articles, it's easy to see that the two saints have almost created a set of rule books for different situations you may come across in life. So take a look at the list below and see what you can learn from the mother-son duo, and the respect and love they had for each other, and God.
St. Monica is a shining example of what a determined, loving mother can achieve. Take inspiration from her life and see how she can help you parent your own kids, both the tricky ones and the more angelic ones!
Take heart from St. Augustine that you are allowed to make mistakes in life. In fact, the mistakes he made are so relatable that he reminds us that we all have vulnerabilities, but God and our moms never, ever give up.
With the advent of social media there have never been so many tools to share the minutiae of your life with friends, family, and even strangers. However, if you look at St. Augustine's Confessions, although it reveals some very personal aspects of his life, the motives behind the publication are very different from the "oversharing" we're exposed to today. So before you post what you ate for lunch, or share your inner-most thoughts, take a look at these vital lessons:
There is something so beautiful about the mother-son bond, and perhaps the sometimes strained relationship between Augustine and his mother is the perfect example of why it is so important to build on it, no matter what challenges you're faced with.
If ever there was a saint who showed us exactly the importance of being patient, it's St. Monica. So in those moments when you're ready to go bananas, remember the benefits of drawing a breath and seeing the greater picture.
St. Augustine's life, although tumultuous, was one that ultimately led him to great happiness. Let him show you how to find this same contentment and joy, while also serving God.
