Two Really Holy Women

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2011

Two Really Holy Women

This is from a few years ago, but it’s about today. 

"When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, as an unfailing prize."
(Proverbs 31:10-11)

These were the opening words of our First Reading on Sunday. 

Yesterday the Church celebrated two such women, both of whom would be powerful models for modern-day wives and mothers. The first of these is the mother from Maccabees -this holy woman truly understood that all children are a gift from God, whose sole purpose in life is to bring Him praise and glory. From this deep belief of her heart, she encouraged all seven of her sons to martyrdom -begging them to give up their earthly lives in order to gain eternal life. From 2 Maccabees 7 we read:

"Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their ancestors with these words: "I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."

"...She leaned over close to her (youngest) son and said in their native language: "Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age. I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence. Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them." 

If only mothers today would train their children with such fervor and holy surrender to God, that they would rather see them die than be unfaithful! How many little 'gods' and idols does our culture present before the eyes of our children -and mothers today have the most difficult task of teaching their children to reject such temptations of culture (temptations of excess riches, power, lust, selfishness, popularity). May this Maccabean mother intercede for all of you, who also must teach your little ones to love God radically enough to defy the world, especially when it is necessary in order to remain faithful to His Gospel of humility and purity of heart.

The other woman celebrated yesterday was St. Margaret of Scotland -another great model for those trying to raise holy, polite children in an often rude and selfish world. Catholic Online describes her life as thus:

"Margaret was an English princess. She and her mother sailed to Scotland to escape from the king who had conquered their land. King Malcolm of Scotland welcomed them and fell in love with the beautiful princess. Margaret and Malcolm were married before too long.

As Queen, Margaret changed her husband and the country for the better. Malcolm was good, but he and his court were very rough. When he saw how wise his beloved wife was, he listened to her good advice. She softened his temper and led him to practice great virtue. She made the court beautiful and civilized. Soon all the princes had better manners, and the ladies copied her purity and devotion. The king and queen gave wonderful example to everyone by the way they prayed together and fed crowds of poor people with their own hands. They seemed to have only one desire: to make everyone happy and good.

Margaret was a blessing for all the people of Scotland. Before she came, there was great ignorance and many bad habits among them. Margaret worked hard to obtain good teachers, to correct the evil practices, and to have new churches built. She loved to make these churches beautiful for God's glory, and she embroidered the priest's vestments herself. 

God sent this holy Queen six sons and two daughters. She loved them dearly and raised them well. The youngest boy became St. David. But Margaret had sorrows, too. In her last illness, she learned that both her husband and her son, Edward, had been killed in battle. Yet she prayed: "I thank You, Almighty God, for sending me so great a sorrow to purify me from my sins."