Today April 18

Today is the feast of Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, (died 1618), born Barbara Acarie, known as "la belle Acarie", laywoman -- at least for awhile. She wanted to be a Franciscan -- or at least a sister at Hotel-Dieu in Paris -- but her parents insisted she marry, as she was their only surviving child. Her husband, Peter, was a minor official in the government, a good man but not exactly thrifty, so she did occasionally suffer a good bit. But she took him in hand, raised their six children, gave to charity, maintained the household, and, miracle of miracles, was even a hero to her maid! (The woman, Andree Levoix, testified to as much, years later.) She took to the courts to defend her husband against charges of conspiracy for heavily endowing the Catholic League, when that organization fell out of favor upon the accession of Henry IV to the throne. She restored his good name (though not his fortune), allowed him to return to the Paris from which he'd been banished, and even found favor with the king and queen themselves. So trusted was she, she was given more than one fortune to distribute as alms, which she did, quietly and efficiently, without keeping a penny to herself. Her little family did her proud, and she lived a deeply satisfying and prayer-filled lay life until the death of her husband in 1613, at which point she joined the Discalced Carmelites, an order she was instrumental in introducing into France. But little Mary of the Incarnation, as she was called, only served four years in the habit; her main road to sanctity had all been as a laywoman. She died of a stroke after suffering a long time due to very lame feet and legs. Her last words were: "If it should please Almighty God to admit me to eternal bliss I will ask that the will of His divine Son should be accomplished in each of you." Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, pray for us.