From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
March 14: Saint Matilda of Saxony
(Also known as Mathildis, Maud, Mechtildis, Mathilde)
(895-968)
Saint Matilda was a woman of great royalty and privilege, who made it
her daily mission to feed and serve the poor through generous charity
and service. Saint Matilda's life demonstrates that while we all ma=
ke
mistakes, the Lord forgives, and brings us to Him in Christian
perfection through penance and repentance. Saint Matilda is the patron
saint of disappointing children, large families, falsely accused
persons, people ridiculed for their piety, queens, second marriages,
and widows.
Born in Saxony, Matilda was the daughter of Thierri, a prince of
considerable importance. From an early age, Matilda demonstrated great
piety and love for the Lord, and was raised by her pious grandmother,
Maud, the abbess of Enford, in the cloister. There, as she grew up,
she practiced daily prayer and penance, and learned a love of labor
and spiritual reading. Matilda would have been more than content to
spend her life dedicated to religious pursuits. However, her father
arranged her marriage to Henry, the son of the Duke of Saxony. Within
seven years, Henry found himself the King of Germany, and Matilda, the
queen.
King Henry demonstrated through his actions that he was a God-fearing
and pious spouse. His equity and courage won him the respect of his
subjects, and he encouraged and financed Matilda's longing to live =
a
life of charitable service to others. While Henry ruled his kingdom,
Matilda devoted herself to penance, and spent her days visiting the
poor and sick, offering them consolation and comfort. She also founded
schools to provide education to all, visited incarcerated prisoners,
and worked for the conversion of souls. Overall, her life was
relatively a simple one, despite her royalty, with her primary focus
on daily prayer.
After 17 years, Henry died of apoplexy, and Matilda, looking to the
Lord, gave up her royal vestments and jewels, laying them on the alter
of the Lord. Divesting herself of her title, she stepped aside for her children, with the eldest, Otho, becoming king. Henry became Duke of
Bavaria, and the youngest, Bruno, the Archbishop of Cologne.
However, all was not smooth prior to the coronation, with Henry
contesting his brother's rightful place as heir. Matilda, for her
part, always partial to Henry, sided with him, her words creating
significant discord between the brothers. Eventually, the brothers
reconciled, but turned against their mother, stripping her of her
dowry, and accusing her publicly of mismanaging the royal funds in
service to her charities. Saint Matilda accepted the punishment
gracefully, recognizing her sinfulness in siding with one son above
another, repenting, and offering herself wholly to the Lord in
reparation.
The persecution and suffering of Matilda was long and cruel, but she
patiently bore this all, until her son reconciled with her. Her dowry
restored, Matilda was allowed to move back into the royal court.
However, instead, she chose to live in the Benedictine monastery of Quedlinbourg, using her funds to serve the poor and extend the
religious communities in the region dedicated to charity. She founded
five monasteries, and built many churches.
Saint Matilda grew ill, and realized that death was upon her. In the
presence of her community at the monastery, she made a public
confession, donned sackcloth, and covered herself with ashes. She
further received last sacraments from William, Archbishop of Mayence,
her nephew. Her body remains at Quedlinburg, where she is buried
beside her husband. She is venerated there today.
The life of Saint Matilda suggests to us that the love and forgiveness
of the Lord are greater and more powerful than any sin we can commit,
if we turn to Him with humble and contrite repentance. Saint Matilda
spent her days in penance and service to others, through her prayer,
heartfelt repentance, and penance being washed clean of her sins and
reaching Christian perfection in sainthood. How might we begin the
process of repentance and conversion during this Lenten season? What
sins of our own might we offer to the Lord with humble and contrite
hearts?
Saint Quote:
Conform yourself as closely as possible to His humility and gentleness
in dealing with your neighbor. . . Love those who humble and
contradict you, for they are more useful to your perfection than those
who flatter you.
--St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Bible Quote:
No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God abides in us and
His love is perfected in us. (1 John 4-12)
<><><><>
Glory To God
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to His people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
Almighty God and Father,
we worship You, we give You thanks,
we praise You for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
You take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of the Father.
Amen.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)