21st Week in Ordinary Time : Wednesday 27th August 2025

St Monica is the mother of St Augustine. Her constancy, tenacity and perseverance in prayer for the conversion of her son is truly admirable and worth imitating. Her husband is not Catholic and she shed many tears for the salvation of St Augustine’s soul. At the end of her life, when St Augustine finally converted, she requested Augustine not to build any monument to her but that in every celebration of the Eucharist, he remembers her. This tells us that her only delight was to see all souls finally directed to the Lord.

The delight of St Paul and companions was working tirelessly for the preaching of the Word without being a burden to anyone. What delights us in our life? Do we delight in serving the Lord or being served by others and the world, like the Pharisees who are full of woes? To continuously pray for someone’s conversion is what we are all called to do, that we are not a burden to anyone. When we delight in the Lord, we will do everything in our capacity for the salvation of souls. This is indicated by performing our daily responsibilities and not adding burden to others.

If our final delight is union with God, then our priorities must be put right to serve the salvation of all. Let our delight always be in the Lord.

PRAYER: Jesus, You are my delight that my duty turns Joyous and not burdensome.