“Saint Monica, wherever your heart takes you” is a new animated series on the YouTube channel of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine where, in five brief chapters, central aspects of the life and example of the saint.
Although her best-known facet is being the mother of Saint Augustine, Saint Monica (Tagaste, Numidia, today Algeria, 332 – Ostia, Italy, 387), offers Christians of all times a series of attitudes and experiences that are worth both to observe it as an example of life, and to question and evaluate when looking for personal happiness.
This is the objective of a new animation series on the YouTube channel of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, which was released last week taking advantage of precisely the liturgical feast of the saint.
There are five short chapters (two and a half minutes the shortest, four minutes the longest) that come to collect these main facets of Monica’s life: her early years, her status as her wife and her mother, the wisdom that she transmitted to her loved ones and her eternal heart that she continues to welcome so many people who come to her asking for intercession for their children.
Chapter 1: The early years
The first chapter develops her action in Tagaste (Algeria), during Monica’s adolescence, who was member of a Christian family in the midst of a pagan environment. Teaching focuses on learning about their own mistakes and the joy that comes from choosing the path of happiness. After watching the chapter, we are asked:
- The disordered heart leads you down bad paths. Do you let yourself be carried away by the heart?
- Do you know how to set limits to your passions, bad tendencies and influences?
Chapter 2: Heart Wife
The marriage with Patrick is a well-known classic in Monica’s life, with a pattern of difficulty that has been repeated throughout time. Monica, however, knew how to be happy with a peaceful and reconciler.
The teaching of Monica’s life, in this area, is transmitted to her own life, knowing how to answer these questions:
- Have you suffered or fed gossip, gossip or gossip out of pain or envy?
- Do you have a fluffy and empathetic heart that knows how to listen?
- What values are in your heart? Is faith a pillar of your life?
Chapter 3: Mother’s love
Mother of many tears, as her son Saint Augustine defined her, she raised her three children with total dedication. She put special care in education, in religious practice and in always being close to her children of her The animation recreates a dialogue between Monica and her most famous son.
The questions in this chapter lead us to a true self-assessment of feelings and goals:
- What pains or longings are in your heart?
- The strength of faith and heart is immense. What dream will you fight for until the end?
Chapter 4: Example and wisdom of life
Mónica participated in some of the community life projects of Augustine, her son. She brings her own vision of life, not achieved with studies or philosophies, but with the love and common sense of a mother.
This chapter questions us precisely about this listening to the elderly:
- Do you hear the voice of experience? Do you spend time talking to your grandparents?
- What lifestyle would you like to lead?
Chapter 5: Eternal Heart
The farewell of mother (Monica) and son (Augustine) in the port of Ostia, in Italy, is probably one of the best-known scenes from the lives of both saints and most represented in art and performed in the theater or the cinema. Its expressive power is immense: a goodbye full of emotions.
For this reason, the questions in this last chapter lead us towards future objectives:
- How would you like to be remembered?
- Enter your heart and ask yourself: What does God wants from me? Where do I have to let myself go?
