Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume X/Works/Concerning Widows/Chapter 9

Chapter IX.

To an objection that the state of widowhood might indeed

be endurable if circumstances were pleasant, St. Ambrose replies that

pleasant surroundings are more dangerous than even trouble; and goes to

show by examples taken from holy Scripture, that widows may find much

happiness in their children and their sons-in-law. They should

have recourse to the Apostles, who are able to help us, and should

entreat for the intercessions of angels and martyrs. He touches

then on certain complaints respecting loneliness, and care of property, and ends by pointing out the unseemliness of a widow marrying who has daughters either married already or of marriageable age.

52. have

learnt, then, you who are widows, that you are not destitute of the

help of nature, and that you can maintain sound counsel. Nor, again, are you devoid of protection at home, who are able to claim even the highest point of public power.

53. But perhaps some one may say that

widowhood is more endurable for her who enjoys prosperity, but that

widows are soon broken down by adversity, and easily succumb. On

which point not only are we taught by experience that enjoyment is more

perilous for widows than difficulties, but by the examples in the

Scriptures that even in weakness widows are not usually without

aid, and that divine and human support is

furnished more readily to them than to others, if they have brought up

children and chosen sons-in-law well. And, finally, when

Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with violent fever, Peter

and Andrew besought the Lord for her: “And He stood over

her and commanded the fever and it left her, and immediately she arose

and ministered unto them.”

54. “She was taken,” it is said, “with a great fever, and they besought him for her.” You too have those near you to entreat for you. You have the Apostles near, you have the Martyrs near; if associated with the Martyrs in devotion, you draw near them also by works of mercy. Do you show mercy and you will be close to Peter. It is not relationship by blood but affinity of virtue which makes near, for we walk not in the flesh but in the Spirit. Cherish, then, the nearness of Peter and the affinity of Andrew, that they may pray for you and your lusts give way. Touched by the word of God you, who lay on the earth, will then forthwith rise up to minister to Christ. “For our conversation is in heaven, whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” For no one lying down can minister to Christ. Minister to the poor and you have ministered to Christ. “For what ye have done unto one of these,” He says, “ye have done unto Me.” You, widows, have then assistance, if you choose such sons-in-law for yourselves, such patrons and friends for your posterity.

55. So Peter and Andrew prayed for the

widow. Would that there were some one who could so quickly pray

for us, or better still, they who prayed for the mother-in-law, Peter

and Andrew his brother. Then they could pray for one related to

them, now they are able to pray for us and for all. For you see

that one bound by great sin is less fit to pray for herself, certainly

less likely to obtain for herself. Let her then make use of

others to pray for her to the physician. For the sick, unless the

physician be called to them by the prayers of others, cannot pray for

themselves. The flesh is weak, the soul is sick and hindered by

the chains of sins, and cannot direct its feeble steps to the throne of

that physician. The angels must be entreated for us, who have

been to us as guards; the martyrs must be entreated, whose patronage we

seem to claim for ourselves by the pledge as it were of their bodily

remains. They can entreat for our sins, who, if they had any

sins, washed them in their own blood; for they are the martyrs of God, our leaders, the beholders of our life and of our actions. Let us not be ashamed to take them as intercessors for our weakness, for they themselves knew the weaknesses of the body, even when they overcame.

56. So, then, Peter’s mother-in-law

found some to pray for her. And you, O widow, find those who will

pray for you, if as a true widow and desolate you hope in God, continue

instant in supplications, persist in prayers, treat your body as dying daily, that by dying you may live again; avoid pleasures, that you, too, being sick, may be healed. “For she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.”