Memorial of Saint Monica
- Readings for the Memorial of Saint Monica
Reading 1 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
and Sosthenes our brother,
to the Church of God that is in Corinth,
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,
with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always on your account
for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,
that in him you were enriched in every way,
with all discourse and all knowledge,
as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Alleluia Matthew 24:42a, 44
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Matthew 24:42-51
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,
whom the master has put in charge of his household
to distribute to them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.
Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’
and begins to beat his fellow servants,
and eat and drink with drunkards,
the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day
and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely
and assign him a place with the hypocrites,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
August 27, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Monica
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51
Reflect on the Word //
As I entered the retreat chapel, the priest’s words echoed in my mind: “And if there is a particular Saint whom you have an aversion to, I encourage you to ask that Saint to intercede for you.”
But, I objected inwardly, I like all the Saints. After a moment of silence, I recalled my resistance to the story of Saint Monica’s copious tears for her son and his subsequent conversion and Sainthood. Am I jealous?
Tentatively, I asked Jesus to introduce me to Saint Monica. Clarity came immediately. I was never meant to compare my seemingly ineffectual prayers for my wayward sons with Saint Monica’s answered prayers. Instead, I was invited to friendship with her. It turns out she’s eager to intercede for me and she understands the heart of a mother who longs for the conversion of all her family.
Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel bring the same startling clarity I experienced that day in the chapel. “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42). When I examine my own heart, I see how often I succumb to drowsiness and lethargy, downplaying the mission God has given me. I am sometimes listless, barely willing to do my part so that others may partake of the Bread of Life. Other times, I doubt whether the Lord will show up. I don’t physically beat His other servants, but I am sometimes prone to criticize the work they do rather than collaborate with them to make it better.
Every Sunday we pray in the Creed that He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. What would He find us doing if He came for us today? Will we, like Saint Monica, be ready to share in His glory when He comes? Let’s hear and obey Jesus’ words, “Stay awake!” (Matthew 24:42)
Relate to the Lord // Is there a Saint you feel an aversion toward? Ask Jesus to introduce you to him/her.
Lani Bogart began to love Jesus as a child and He eventually led her and her family into the Catholic Church. An Arizona transplant to Houston, she enjoys singing, writing, scripture study, and hosting family and friends with her deacon husband.For more of her story see Lanibogart.blog.
Lani Bogart nació en Hawaii y creció en Ohio y Michigan. Era una niña pequeña cuando empezó a amar a Jesús. Está en su casa en Texas con su esposo, un carpintero diácono, cerca de sus hijos y nietos. Lani también es una directora espiritual activa y voluntaria de curación de traumas. Puedes leer más en Lanibogart.blog
