A Good Wife is a Great Blessing

"A good wife is a great blessing; she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord."

"Whether rich or poor, his heart is glad, and at all times his face is cheerful." Sirach 26:3-4

What a privilege we wives have! We have the opportunity of changing one man's life forever, for the better, giving him blessing upon blessing in our desire to serve the Lord.

So many women I know want very badly to help someone, anyone. . .my friends tell me things like, "If I could make a difference in one life, then I will not have lived in vain", or some such heroic notion. Yet they neglect their husbands and/or children in the pursuit of finding that "one life" to make a difference in, quite forgetting that there is a life right inside their own houses that needs a difference!

One distinguishing characteristic of all the sainted wives I've read about, is that no matter what kind of prayers, penances, sacrifices and charitable works they did, their husbands and families were always put first. A wife's main job is to be her husband's help-meet, his mate, the other half of his heart. A woman who will be all this for her husband is so valuable that Sirach adds her among the high blessings awarded by God to a man who fears the Lord.

We've got to be so careful of our actions, our words, our attitude, to make sure that we are every day building our husbands up, instead of tearing him down. Yes, you must be yourself around your husband, obviously, but instead of accepting the depressing, micro-managing, emotional woman that you are, you must make "yourself" into a better person, day by day. It takes so much work, but that is what we are on earth for.

I love the part about whether rich or poor. . .my husband and I can very well be considered poor by the world's standards, but even though we have gone through so many trials and tribulations together, we have each learned so much about being good spouses. More than money, more than food, more than even common necessities, we love and need each other, to help each other get to heaven. . .and that really is the whole point of life here on earth. He is the person God ordained for me from the very beginning, who would help direct my feet in the right paths, and I am the person God ordained for him from the very beginning, who would love and support all of his efforts, obey his directions, and be the heart of his home. I wouldn't trade my life with him for any amount of financial security, beautiful homes, rest or luxury in the entire world, because I know he is my good work for heaven.

Today is St. Jane Frances de Chantel's Feast Day (as well as Our Lady of Knock), and here is a little tid-bit about this sainted wife, given by a witness for her canonization:

"Together, these two spouses [St. Jane Frances de Chantel, and her husband Christopher de Rabutin] provided a model of a genuinely holy marriage. They had between them one heart and one soul. Jane Frances surrounded her young husband with honor and obedience and loved him with a touching tenderness, with ardor and reverence. At the same time she in turn was loved and respected just as much and surrounded by the most tender confidence of her husband. All of this was quite evident."

St. Jane Frances de Chantel, ora pro nobis. Our Lady of Knock, ora pro nobis.