A Wife's Work: A Nest of Love

"What is the value of a housewife?" Dr. Alice Von Hildebrand answers our question. For, as she will propose, a wife accomplishes far more in her ordinary tasks than any hired help could. The reason? Draw your own conclusions, but part of the answer is clear. The wife's work is sanctified by her love. And, the fruit of that sanctified work, is nothing less than a home.

"Home must be much more than just a place to sleep and eat. It should be that mysterious enclosure in which your two lives can take root; a place where you both are sheltered and protected. The place where you can rest spiritually and can dare to be yourselves because you know you're loved.

Each of you [husband and wife] now has a calling to create this spiritual space in which your two lives can blossom.

Your own mission as "wife" goes far beyond household chores which could be done just as well by hired help. You must create a nest of love, a place where it is good to be. Let your love for your husband transform the small, boring, tasks of everyday life into magnificent works of love.

And, new light is brought to washing dishes and doing laundry. For, when you do them with love, the everyday becomes magnificent.

When we look to the Cathechism of the Catholic Church, we find that all of it rings true. As it says, we were created for work. Even before the Fall. And, work was created to bring things to perfection.

378 The sign of man's familiarity with God is that God places him in the garden [in Genesis]. There he lives "to till it and keep [the garden]". Work is not yet a burden, but rather the collaboration of man and woman with God in perfecting the visible creation

Couple that concept of work - and, its original purpose - with our Catholic identity, and you can begin to see just how a wife's work [who is united to Christ] can be sanctified by her love. And, how her love can be sanctified and perfected by her work.

901 "The laity, dedicated as they are to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are marvelously called and prepared so that even richer fruits of the Spirit maybe produced in them. For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit - indeed even the hardships of life if patiently born - all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord. And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives."

It almost appears that the work of a housewife is not only valuable - but, irreplacable. So it is.

And, our work is redemptive by virtue of our vocation as "wife". For, we are dedicated to Christ. And, it is out of reverence for Him, that we live as we do.

2427 .. By enduring the hardship of work in union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of God in his redemptive work. He shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by carrying the cross, daily, in the work he is called to accomplish. Work can be a means of sanctification and a way of animating earthly realities with the Spirit of Christ.

In the work that we are called to accomplish as a wife, let us never forget that the small, boring tasks of everyday life are simply waiting to be transformed into magnificent works of love - through our true and honest "Fiat".