Margaret of Scotland, Saint of the day for November 16

Saint of the day for November 16
(1045-16 November 1093)

Story of Saint Margaret of Scotland

Margaret of Scotland was a truly liberated woman in the sense that she was free to be herself. For her, this meant the freedom to love God and serve others.

Not Scottish by birth, Margaret was the daughter of Princess Agata of Hungary and the Anglo-Saxon Prince Edward Atheling. He spent much of his youth at the court of his great-uncle, the English king, Edward the Confessor. His family fled William the Conqueror and was shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. King Malcolm made friends with them and was fascinated by the beautiful and graceful Margaret. They married in Dunfermline Castle in 1070.

Malcolm was kindhearted, but rough and uneducated, as was his country. Due to Malcolm's love for Margaret, she was able to soften his character, perfect his ways and help him become a virtuous king. He left her with all internal affairs and often consulted her in matters of state.

Margaret sought to improve her adopted country by promoting the arts and education. For religious reform she encouraged synods and was present in discussions that sought to correct common religious abuses between priests and laity, such as simony, usury and incestuous marriages. With her husband she founded several churches.

Margaret was not just a queen, but a mother. She and Malcolm had six sons and two daughters. Margaret personally supervised their religious education and other studies.

Although she was very busy with home and country affairs, she remained detached from the world. His private life was austere. He had a few moments to pray and read the scriptures. He ate sparingly and slept little to have time for devotions. She and Malcolm maintained two Lent, one before Easter and one before Christmas. During these times he always got up at midnight for mass. On his way home he washed the feet of six poor people and gave them alms. She was always surrounded by beggars in public and never turned them down. It was recorded that she never sat down to eat without first feeding nine orphans and 24 adults.

In 1093, King William Rufus made a surprise attack on Alnwick Castle. King Malcolm and his eldest son, Edward, were killed. Margaret, already on her deathbed, died four days after her husband.

Reflection

There are two ways to be charitable: the "clean way" and the "messy way". The "clean way" is to give money or clothes to organizations that serve the poor. The "disordered way" is to get one's hands dirty in personal service to the poor. Margaret's chief virtue was her love for the poor. Although very generous with material gifts, Margaret also visited the sick and treated them with her own hands. She and her husband served orphans and the poor on their knees during Advent and Lent. Like Christ, he was charitable in the "messy way".