St. Brigid (or "Bride")of Kildare is one of my favorite saints. There are numerous, probably legendary accounts of her miracles, but even when you dismiss all the legendary accounts, what's left is still pretty impressive.
Brigid was, likely, the daughter of a king and his slave. She dedicated herself to Christ at a young age, becoming a nun. Soon after, she formed a convent (by most accounts, this was a double monastery, with nuns and monks) at Kildare, and it became a gathering place for scholars, who produced the most beautiful illuminated manuscripts in all of Ireland. She was intelligent, gentle, kind, compassionate, gave freely to the poor even before her consecration as a nun, and was courageously firm in her intent to help those who needed it.
(Speaking of legends, there's a legend that the word "bride" came into English language because St. Brigid exemplified everything a woman should be, in beauty, wisdom and kindness.
St. Brigid was also known as "Mary of the Gael" because of her goodness to the poor and those in prison. It was said that when she visited prisoners, she used the rushes on the floor of their cells to weave them crosses, so that they could look at the crosses and remember the love of Christ, even after she was no longer there to remind them.
The other cool thing about Brigid is how she shows that everything can be taken captive to serve the Lord Christ. Where "Brigid" was once the name of a pagan goddess, it's now famous as the name of one of the patron saints of Ireland, and "Brigid" is now brings to mind not darkness and fear, but the light of Jesus Christ.
As for homemaking, one of the coolest decorations you can have up in your home, to remind you to serve Christ in the poor, and to serve him in wisdom and beauty, is a St. Brigid's cross.
Happy St. Brigid's day!
peace of Christ to you,
Jessica
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