THANDAZA SANTA MONICA ukucela umusa

Unkosikazi nonina wezimfanelo ezingavunyelwe zobuvangeli, uNkulunkulu omuhle amnikeze umusa, ngokukholwa kwakhe okungagungqi phambi kwazo zonke izinsizi nangomthandazo wakhe oqiniseka njalo, ukubona umyeni wakhe uPatrizio nendodana yakhe u-Augustine beguquka, behamba nathi futhi besihola, abashadikazi omama ohambweni lwethu olunzima oluya ebungcweleni. Santa Monica, wena osefinyelele eziqongweni zoPhezukonke, kusukela phezulu ubuke futhi usinqamule thina sithengisa uthuli phakathi kobunzima obuyinkulungwane nenkulungwane. Sinikeza izingane zethu kuwe, sizenzele ikhophi enhle ka-Augustine wakho futhi zisinikeze injabulo yokuphila nazo izikhathi zokomoya ezifana nokuhlala e-Ostia, ukuba ndawonye lapho ukhona. Qoqa zonke izinyembezi zethu, unisela izinkuni zesiphambano sikaJesu wethu ukuze ubukhazikhazi obuningi basezulwini nobaphakade buqhume kuwo! Santa Monica sithandaze futhi asikhulumele sonke. Amen!

 

UMonica wazalwa ngonyaka ka-331 eTagaste, idolobha lasendulo laseNumidia, namuhla eyiSouk-Ahras (Algeria), emkhayeni wamaKristu ojulile wezimo zezomnotho. Wavunyelwa ukutadisha futhi wasebenzisa lelo thuba ukuze afunde iBhayibheli futhi azindle ngalo.
Ushade noPatrizio, ongumnikazi weTagaste onesizotha, ongakabhajadiswa, umlingisi wakhe wayengalungile, futhi owayevame ukungathembeki, ngesimilo sakhe esihle futhi esimnandi wakwazi ukunqoba ubutha.
Wazala indodana yakhe izibulo u-Agostino ngonyaka ka-354. Ubenenye indodana, uNaviglio, nendodakazi egama layo elingaziwa. Wanikeza bobathathu imfundo yobuKristu.

Ngo-371 uPatrick waguqukela ebuKristwini futhi wabhapathizwa; uzokufa ngonyaka olandelayo. UMonica wayeneminyaka engama-39 ubudala futhi kwadingeka ukuthi athathe izintambo zokuphatha indlu nokuphatha izimpahla. Wahlupheka kakhulu ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi kuka-Augustine. Ngenkathi ethuthela eRoma, wanquma ukumlandela, kepha yena, edlubhe imbandezelo, wamshiya emhlabathini eCarthage, ngenkathi eqala eRoma.

Ngalobo busuku uMonica wayichitha ekhala izinyembezi ethuneni likaSt. yize ayekhohlisiwe, akazange adikibale futhi ngobuqhawe aqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe wokuguqula indodana yakhe.
Ngo-385 waphinde waqala wamjoyina eMilan, lapho ngaleso sikhathi u-Agostino, ecasulwe isenzo esiphikisayo sabantu baseManichean eRoma, wayesethuthele isihlalo sobuciko.
Lapha uMonica waba nenduduzo yokumbona efunda esikoleni sika-S. Ambrogio, umbhishobhi waseMilan wabe esezilungiselela ukubhapathizwa nawo wonke umndeni, kubandakanya nomfowabo uNavigio nomngane u-Alipio; ngalokho-ke imithandazo yakhe yayiphenduliwe. Umbhishobhi waseTagaste uthe kuye: "Akunakwenzeka ukuthi ingane yezinyembezi eziningi ilahleke."

UMonica wasala eceleni kwendodana yakhe imeluleka ngokungabaza kwakhe futhi ekugcineni, ngobusuku be-Easter, ngo-Ephreli 25, 387, wakwazi ukumbona ebhapathizwa kanye nawo wonke amalungu omndeni. Manje njengoba esengumKristu oqiniseka ngokujulile, u-Augustine wayengeke akwazi ukuhlala esimweni somshado esivele sikhona. Ngokomthetho wamaRoma, akakwazanga ukushada nencekukazi yakhe ebihlala naye, ngenxa yesigaba esiphansi, futhi ekugcineni, ngeseluleko sikaMonica, osekhulile manje futhi ezimisele ngokuhlala kwendodana yakhe, kwanqunywa ukuthi kuhlehliswe, ngemvume yakhe, incekukazi e-Afrika, kanti u-Agostino wayezomondla yena nendodana yakhe u-Adeodato, owahlala naye eMilan.
Ngalesi sikhathi uMonica wayecabanga ukuthi angathola umakoti ongumKristu ofanelekayo kule ndima, kodwa ngokumangala kwakhe okwamukelekayo, u-Agostino, wanquma ukungashadi futhi, kodwa abuyele e-Afrika naye ukuze aphile impilo yezimangaliso, wasungula isigodlo sezindela.

Sibe sesimthola esondelene nendodana yakhe eCassiciaco, eduze neMilan, exoxa nayo namanye amalungu omndeni ngefilosofi nezinto ezingokomoya, futhi azibambe iqhaza ezingxoxweni, kuze kufike lapho u-Augustine efuna ukuloba amagama kanina emibhalweni yakhe. Lokhu kuzwakale kungajwayelekile, ngoba ngaleso sikhathi abesifazane bebengavunyelwe ukukhuluma.

Ngo-Agostino washiya uMilan waya eRoma, wase eyela e-Ostia, lapho baqasha khona indlu, balinda umkhumbi ovela e-Afrika. Kwakuyisikhathi esigcwele izingxoxo ezingokomoya, u-Augustine asibuyisela kuzo ukuvuma kwakhe.
Lapho wagula khona, mhlawumbe wabulawa umalaleveva, futhi wafa, ezinsukwini eziyisishiyagalolunye, ngo-Agasti 27, 387 eneminyaka engama-56. Isidumbu sakhe sangcwatshwa esontweni iSant'Aurea di Ostia.
Ngo-Ephreli 9, 1430 izindondo zakhe zathuthelwa eRoma esontweni lika-S. Trifone, namuhla le-S. Agostino, futhi zabekwa ku-sarcophagus eyigugu, umsebenzi ka-Isaya wasePisa (ngekhulu le-XV).
ISonto lamaKhatholika ligubha inkumbulo yalo ngo-Agasti 27 (phambilini bekugujwa ngoMeyi 4), usuku olwandulela olokufika kukaSt. Augustine, yena, ngengozi, ngo-Agasti 28.