Rest For The Restless Heart
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”— Saint Augustine
This quote from Saint Augustine is likely a reflection of his life’s experiences, as he himself spent much of his early life living with the pain of a restless heart, a heart that succumbed to the temptations that surrounded him. Despite being highly intellectual and well educated, he spent much of his time partying, consuming alcohol, living with concubines and eventually fathering a son out of wedlock.
Obviously, Saint Augustine turned his life around – not only being canonized a saint, but also named a Doctor of the Church. So what influenced this change of heart? Since I did not know Saint Augustine personally, I can only surmise from the facts that have been written about him that a huge factor in his big turnaround was the perseverance of his mother, Saint Monica.
It is written that Saint Monica followed Saint Augustine wherever he went as he traveled, and that she prayed unceasingly for her adult son. After 17 years of following and praying for Augustine, Saint Monica had the joy of watching Saint Ambrose baptize him as he converted to Christianity.
I have long been fascinated by the story of Saint Augustine and Saint Monica. Their story is my story and your story. It is the story of family and community. It is the story of prayer and perseverance. It is the story of a restless heart that found the Lord.
Though Augustine and Monica’s story took place more than 1,500 years ago, it is a story for all time. We relate to the restless heart of Saint Augustine. We make a connection with the lamenting heart of Saint Monica who never gave up on her son. This must have been very trying at times, as I am certain they likely butted heads on several occasions. In one such documented incident, as Saint Augustine shared some heretical beliefs with his mother, she drove him from her house.
Their story touches me so, it moves me to tears. I believe if Saint Monica and Saint Augustine were here today they would fit right into our families, groups of friends and community. My heart aches as I ponder my own struggles, just as Saint Augustine’s heart must have ached as he found himself being led astray. My heart sinks as Saint Monica’s must have as I feel for family and friends who, like me, struggle with a restless heart, falling away from the comforting arms of our Lord.
I know I need to persevere in my prayers for others just as Saint Monica did for Saint Augustine. I realize too, that like Augustine, I have to be open to change my imperfections as others pray for my spiritual well-being so that I might experience the “rest” that Saint Augustine speaks of in the above quote. Our need to be for one another has never been so clear for me as it is in the example of these two beautiful and inspirational saints.
The pain of a restless heart—we all feel it, whether it be our own struggles or the struggles of our family, friends and community members. The Lord has made us for Himself. Until we fully commit our lives to the Lord, our hearts will be restless. This is my story and your story. It is the story of family and community.
Through the intercession of Saint Monica and Saint Augustine, may our restless hearts find rest in the Lord.
Brenda Hopf is a member of Divine Mercy Parish in Dubois County and also contributes to the “Sharing the Load” column in The Message.
