Saturday of Week 27 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Galatians 3:22-29 | Psalm 104:2-7 | Luke 11:27-28
The praise of Our Blessed Mother by an unnamed woman in today’s Gospel is both effusive and surprisingly explicit. The modern equivalent would be something like “oh, you must be so proud of your CEO son, he’s got enough money to take care of you for the rest of your life!” (Of course, said mother could instead be quietly shuffled off to an old folks’ home instead, but no one likes to talk about that these days.)
No such praise was accorded to the parents of St. Margaret Clitherow, whose shrine I visited as part of my UK Catholic tour. Instead, it’s likely they were vilified for letting their daughter stray from the Established Church (the Church of England), and her stepfather, being Lord Mayor of York at the time, probably distanced himself from her for refusing to attend Anglican services, and likely prosecuted her case with enthusiasm to demonstrate his loyalty to the crown.
A humble abode turned simple shrine.
I doubt that St. Margaret was fearless, despite risking her life by practising her faith and sheltering priests. Instead, I think she worked through her fear, letting it strengthen her resolve, and deriving some form of happiness for doing God’s will. She is said to have told a friend: “The sheriffs have said that I am going to die this coming Friday; and I feel the weakness of my flesh which is troubled at this news, but my spirit rejoices greatly. For the love of God, pray for me and ask all good people to do likewise.”
The saint and a third-class relic.
Similarly, whenever I go against common secular practice, like refusing to deny or minimize my mistakes, I do indeed feel a frisson of fear (“did I just lose an important contract?”), but in the end, I am at peace, and that’s a precious form of happiness these days.
Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Margarita Pretiosa, Ora Pro Nobis
Precious Pearl, Pray For Us
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As far as I know, little has been written about her husband, John Clitherow. I think that’s a great pity, because even though he was a professed Anglican, he willingly paid the fines levied on her for not attending church services. Even more significantly, he did not stop her from sending their eldest son to train for the (Catholic) priesthood, nor did he denounce her to the authorities for the treasonable religious activities she was conducting in his house. That must have taken a lot of guts, or love, or both.
Similarly, I’m sure many converts have family members who don’t believe in God, but don’t stand in their way to conversion either. To misquote John Milton: “They also serve who only stand aside.”
Blessed are those who do not hear the Word of God,
but do not deny it to those who would receive it,
for they may one day come to know and love Him.
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P.S. It turns out that St. Margaret Clitherow’s story was made into an hour-long dramatization in 2007, available on YouTube: