The Church celebrates the feastday of St. Margaret of Scotland today. Much has been written about the significance of the name, Margaret. It came originally from the Greek, margaron, meaning pearl. For that reason Margaret was sometimes called “The Pearl of Scotland,” to which one of her biographers commented, “The fairness pre-shadowed in her name was eclipsed in the surpassing grace of her soul.”
Franciscan Communications’ commentary on St. Margaret includes this: “There are two ways to be charitable: the ‘clean way’ and the ‘messy way.’ The ‘clean way’ is to give money or clothing or other material goods to organizations that serve the poor. The ‘messy way’ is dirtying your own hands in personal service to the poor. St. Margaret’s outstanding virtue was her love of the poor (every day, for example, she would feed orphans and needy families before she would sit down at her own family’s table). Although very generous with material gifts, Margaret also visited the sick and nursed them with her own hands. She and her husband (King Malcomb) served orphans and the poor on their knees during Advent and Lent. Like Christ, she was charitable the ‘messy way.'” St. Margaret, pray for us.
***
“Santa Margarita de Escocia, alma virtuosa, que, amando tanto a Jesús, fuiste misericordiosa con los que menos tenían y te ocupaste personalmente de sus necesidades con tanto amor. Este fervoroso amor por Dios hizo que fueras ejemplo para tu esposo y tus hijos como también para el pueblo que te conoció. Cambiaste sus corazones, los hiciste blandos y llenos de amor, transformaste sus vidas, y llevaste la paz verdadera a tu familia. Haz que por tu intercesión nuestro Señor nos dé la gracia de amar como tu amaste, dando testimonio con el ejemplo, que no es más que dedicar nuestra vida a amar a Dios y a todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas. Llena de paz y conocimiento de Dios a todos las almas de nuestras familias, para que todos hagamos su voluntad y podamos dar gloria a Dios por los siglos de los siglos en el cielo. Amén.”
