Saint Monica
(331 – 387)
White
She was born at Thagaste in Africa of a Christian family. She was the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, who when young was intelligent but weak in morals. With many tears she prayed unceasingly to God for his conversion and her prayers were answered shortly before she died.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Prov 31: 30, 28
The woman who fears the Lord will herself be praised. Her children have called her most blessed, her husband has sung her praises.
Collect
O God, who console the sorrowful and who mercifully accepted the motherly tears of Saint Monica for the conversion of her son Augustine, grant us, through the intercession of them both, that we may bitterly regret our sins and find the grace of your pardon. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,14-17
To turn, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. Never let anyone deceive you in this way. It cannot happen until the Great Revolt has taken place and the Rebel, the Lost One, has appeared. Through the Good News that we brought he called you to this so that you should share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stand firm, then, brothers, and keep the traditions that we taught you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who has given us his love and, through his grace, such inexhaustible comfort and such sure hope, comfort you and strengthen you in everything good that you do or say.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:10-13
R/ The Lord comes to rule the earth.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’ The world he made firm in its place; he will judge the peoples in fairness.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let the sea and all within it thunder praise, let the land and all it bears rejoice, all the trees of the wood shout for joy at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth.
With justice he will rule the world, he will judge the peoples with his truth.
Gospel Acclamation : cf.Ac16:14
Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 23:23-26
Jesus said, ‘Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law – justice, mercy, good faith! These you should have practised, without neglecting the others. You blind guides! Straining out gnats and swallowing camels! ‘Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who clean the outside of cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance. Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that the outside may become clean as well.’
Prayer over the Offerings
We bring you these sacrificial gifts, O Lord, to commemorate Saint Monica, humbly entreating that they may bestow on us both pardon and salvation. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Mt 13: 45-46
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant who travels in search of fine pearls and who, on finding one of great price, sold everything and bought it.
Prayer after Communion
May the working of this divine Sacrament enlighten and inflame us, almighty God, on this feast day of Saint Monica, that we may be ever fervent with holy desires and abound in good works. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that the outside may become clean as well.”. The Pharisees were preoccupied with the external observance of religious laws. They were however not as keen about the corresponding inner spiritual values. It is the spirit that flows from wellspring of inner values that gives the external religious observances their relevance. This spirit is linked to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. By delinking their inner values from their external religious actions, the Pharisees had severed their dependence on the prompting of the Spirit. They were thus not followers of the law but took the law unto themselves. They had therefore elevated themselves from interpreters of the law to Authors of the Law. Because they disconnected from the Law of Love, their version of religion was filled with the spirit fear, self-seeking and burdening of people. We are called today to make an inner journey to the source of religious values. We are called to rediscover the full beauty and goodness of our external religious traditions by reconnecting ourselves to God the true source of values.