From my somewhat elevated seat in the sanctuary each weekend, I have a clear view of most of the people in the pews. Regularly am I entertained – actually, edified – by families with children of a single-digit age.
Frankly, moms don’t get enough credit!
Their determination to teach little ones the art of worship displays heroic virtue. Their steadfastness amid all kinds of carrying-on deserves admiration. Somehow they, themselves, manage to pray, even while remaining alert to what’s happening on their right and left.
One might say that Mary’s Assumption gives “credit” to her maternal life and work. But what was it really like for the Blessed Mother raising Jesus as a young child? We know the intriguing story about the Holy Family’s pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52). But what about their regular attendance at the local synagogue?
It’s probably safe to assume that everything was fine as fine could be; after all, Jesus is said to have grown “in wisdom and age and favor” while with His mother in Nazareth.
But one would be mistaken to presume that mothers of saints have it easier than others.
Take, for example, Madame de Boisy and her son, Francis de Sales, whose birthday we remember this week (August 21, 1567). Francis was the firstborn of thirteen children, so this very young mother certainly had her hands full. Despite his frailty, he was known to act out occasionally, as we see in these vignettes:
One day he went, without permission, into the kitchen and silently demanded a fresh pastry, so the cook took one hot from the oven and put it in his hand!
Another time, he swiped a trinket from one of the workers; after owning up to it, he felt the rod of his father’s wrath and the shame of being disciplined in front of others.
And once, while his father was meeting with a friend of the family who was a Calvinist, young Francis raised a ruckus outside the window by chasing chickens around and yelling “out with the heretics.” Even in a castle, rebellious youth get grounded!
He may not have been a young angel, but Francis de Sales did grow to become a saint, known especially for his humility and gentleness in the face of human faults. One can fairly suppose that his mother played a key role in that growth, as we know the Blessed Mother did.
There’s a lesson there: even saints first have to grow up!
Saints don’t come with holiness built in, as much as they learn it along the way, on a personal path that includes any number of fits and starts occasioned by youthful mistakes and overcome through steadfast parental guidance.
So, too, for us and for our stories. Knowing the down-to-earth lives of saints like Francis de Sales makes holiness more “real” for the rest of us. As we try to make the good choices that will help us grow in grace, let’s also show some deference to the moms of little ones – especially in church!
Fr. Thomas Dailey, OSFS
The John Cardinal Foley Chair of Homiletics & Social Communications
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary
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