Today we read about a remarkable woman named St Catherine of Sweden in the book In Caelo et in Terra. She was one of the eight children of St Bridget. So she had a very good model of holiness her entire life.
Her father arranged her marriage, but she sensed that her husband also wanted to live a holy life, so she discussed it with him and they decided to live as brother and sister in celibacy. They devoted themselves to helping the poor, until her husband died. Then she worked with her mother in establishing a new order that helped the poor, called the Brigittines. You can read more about her here, at a delightful website called saints for sinners.
Let's clarify something: there's nothing sinful about a husband and wife reproducing. We were created to be fruitful and multiply. For example, St Therese of Liseux's parents also thought about living as brother and sister, but if they had, we would never have had St Therese! So God called them to have children.
But God called St Catherine of Sweden and her husband to something different. And that's a good thing to realize. Just because God calls YOU to something doesn't mean He's calling everyone to do that same thing. It's good to realize that He deals with us differently.
God, thanks for the great example of St Catherine of Sweden. St Catherine, pray for us.
3 comments:
Amen
1 Corinthians 7:5 is pretty clear on this. It should only be done with careful thought and discernment as husband and wife. Perhaps include a spiritual director.
5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.
Yes, most of the time God calls us to be fruitful and multiply in marriage. Just as the usual way to cross a lake is to use a boat. But sometimes God calls us to step out of the boat and walk on water.
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