Tuesday, March 15, 2011

March 14 -- St. Matilda, Empress

St. Mathilda , the daughter of Theodoric, a Saxon count and Reinhilde, the princess of Denmark, was raised in the monastery of Erfort where her grandmother was abbess.  She was very diligent in the practice of virtue and grew as a model of noble womanhood. 

In 913, her parents married her to the Duke of Saxony, the pious Henry, who later became the Emperor.  Their five children, one being St. Bruno, were raised in the fear of God and in the practice of mercy and justice.  Together Emperor Henry and Empress Matilda reigned their kingdom with the kindness of saints and the justice of God.

Their subjects enjoyed the fruits of their holiness through the building of monasteries, churches, hospitals and schools.  Emperor Henry, as the leader of valiant armies, protected his people and propagated the Gospel in pagan lands.

After twenty three years of marriage, her husband died and St. Mathilda carried on the good works for which she was loved in the kingdom.  She eventually retired from court to spend her last years in prayer and penance. St. Matilda died on March 14, 968.

Let us ask St. Matilda for the grace to understand what Christian marriage is and to be able to explain this God ordained union to those who oppose it

No comments:

Post a Comment