"If i am your child, oh my God, it is because You did give me such a Mother" - Memoria of St. Monica.

Feast Day - August 27.

St. Augustine said this of his mother, St. Monica; "Never can i describe what her love was for me! By her glance as well as her words, she raised our hearts to God. If I am your child, oh my God, it is because You did give me such a mother".

It never actually hit me when when my friends says fond things about my mother after having met her, until i read what Augustine had to say of his mom.
This made me to reflect that my mother was one of the source of my inspiration to be a priest. I believe her simple ways and her prayer life has given me the courage, the love and the joy of wanting to serve Christ. Her words like "Praying for you" and "I love you" after each time I call gives me the motivation to persevere.

I'm sure we all have someone praying for us or someone who has been an inspiration in our life, that now we want to be Christ-like (be it our mother, father, a priest, saints, politician, humanitarian and charity workers, the many unsung heroes or even a friend, etc.). They might still be alive or even dead. So today in a special way we remember them and thank the Lord for them and its our turn now to pray for them.

All those who have been influential in our life have lead us to know God the father who loves us very much, with childlike trust we pray...