St Monica completes AA steps #1-3, in St Augustine’s "Confessions"

Every addiction is--slavery--to sin. The only way out is God.

In St Augustine's "Confessions," he describes his mother taking the first three steps of Alcoholics Anonymous' 12-step program. AA was designed to help individuals recover by fostering personal accountability, spiritual awareness, and community support.

Below are excerpts in yellow that apply. Thank you St Monica and son for your humility to help unchain us from our addictions. 

The Confessions of St. Augustine

…And yet, Thy handmaid [St Monica] told me her son [St Augustine] there had crept upon her a love of wine.

For when (as the manner was) she, as though a sober maiden, was bidden by her parents to draw wine out of the hogshed, holding the vessel under the opening, before she poured the wine into the flagon, she sipped a little with the tip of her lips.

For this she did, not out of any desire of drink, but out of the exuberance of youth, whereby it boils over in mirthful freaks, which in youthful spirits are wont to be kept under by the gravity of their elders. And thus, by adding to those little, daily littles (for whoso despiseth little things shall fall by little and little), she had fallen into such a habit as greedily to drink off her little cup brim-full almost of wine. Where was then that discreet old woman, and that her earnest countermanding?

STEP 1 Admit Powerlessness – “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” This step emphasizes honest acknowledgment that willpower alone cannot control addiction

Would aught avail against a secret disease, if Thy healing hand, O Lord, watched not over us?

STEP 2: Believe in a Higher Power – "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." It encourages openness to guidance beyond oneself

Father, mother, and governors absent, Thou present, who createdst, who callest, who also by those set over us, workest something towards the salvation of our souls, what didst Thou then, O my God? how didst Thou cure her? how heal her?

STEP 3: Turn Over to a Higher Power – "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him."

Didst Thou not out of another soul bring forth a hard and a sharp taunt, like a lancet out of Thy secret store, and with one touch remove all that foul stuff? For a maidservant with whom she used to go to the cellar, falling to words (as it happens) with her little mistress, when alone with her, taunted her with this fault, with most bitter insult, calling her wine-bibber. 

But Thou, Lord, Governor of all in heaven and earth, who turnest to Thy purposes the deepest currents, and the ruled turbulence of the tide of times, didst by the very unhealthiness of one soul heal another; lest any, when he observes this, should ascribe it to his own power.

The Remaining 12-Steps of AA

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, ourselves and to another human being—our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people where possible, except if injury were involved.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Through prayer and meditation, sought to improve our conscious contact with God, praying for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Prayer for St Monica's Intercession

O Lord, I come with humbled heart, asking for a brand-new start
I need a Light that cannot fade, for my attempts are dark & frayed.
I surrender my will, my days, my care; to You, please hear my desperate prayer!
Like Monica’s tears, through You I plead, for grace, for love, the strength to breathe.

My conscience examined, the sins I find, I confess to You & humankind.
Remove the flaws that block my way & guide my life to brighter days.
By naming all whom I have wronged; amends I seek, to soon belong.
Please guard my path from causing pain, let healing be my greater gain.

In prayer, I seek Your gentle voice; to do Your will, a daily choice.
With sober heart and spirit free, I’ll share the hope You send to me.
Please help these demons to be slain so I can live in peace again.
Through patient love, like Monica’s own; I’ll walk with You to heaven’s home.

Source:

The Project Gutenberg eBook. The Confessions of Saint Augustine | by Saint Augustine

The Twelve Steps | Alcoholics Anonymous