Description: Chapter 3: PrayersArchaeologists have found some stones on a small mound, nestled at the end of a long valley shadowed by the hill country of Samaria, tantalizing remains of the first sanctuary ever built to the God of Israel. In the Bronze Age, pilgrims left the taxing labors of existence to pray and offer sacrifices to God in Shiloh. One woman prayed so persistently that she was brought to the attention of the priest, Eli. Misconstruing how utterly absorbed she was in her supplications, he upbraided her for showing up drunk. Hannah's reply was similar to Peter's on the day of Pentecost: "I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15; see Acts 2:15).I thought of this kind of intensive prayer several years ago when I visited a church named after Saint Augustine in Rome. The nave was dark, not ready for tourists. While my eyes struggled to adjust to the shadowy candlelight, I heard a plaintive, weeping voice, repeating over and over, "Mio bambino, mio bambino." A woman fervent in her prayer for her child was kneeling by the sarcophagus where the body of Saint Monica has rested for centuries. Monica was born in 331 and reared in a devout family. As wife and mother, she was resolute and unswerving in her faith. Her husband Patricius was unfaithful to her and exhibited a wicked temper. But her prayers and patience wrought a conversion in his soul, and he died a Christian.Most of Monica's holy zeal was lavished on her son Augustine. Her dreams by night led her to believe he would be a great leader of the church. Wounded by day by her son's waywardness, she persisted in her dogged love for him and, above all, in her prayers for his soul and destiny. Seeing the passion of her supplications for him and somewhat vexed by her clinging and tears, the great bishop Ambrose told her, "Go away from me now. As you live, it is impossible that the son of such tears should perish."2 For her this was an assurance from heaven. Augustine was converted and was baptized on Easter eve of 387. Indeed he did become a great saint and theologian, but Monica lived only a few weeks after his baptism, almost as if, having prayed her son to salvation, she could depart this earth in peace.

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