Saint Margarett Queen of Scotland,

The story of Saint Margaret shows how life can treat a person in a crazy way. She was born in Hungary in 1045 as the daughter of a British king who had fled the country. She grew up in England, became Queen of Scotland, and her remains now rest in Spain. But anyone who, like Saint Margaret of Scotland, firmly believes in divine providence will reach the high goal for which God has chosen them, even by crooked paths.

The fact that Saint Margaret was born in a foreign land, far from her homeland, is a clear sign of God’s providence. Out of this misfortune, the young princess found great happiness in that she saw with her own eyes the blessing that comes from a holy ruler. This ruler was the host of her parents, Saint Stephen of Hungary. The example that this prince, full of royal nobility, set for her in her youth was a guiding light for the salvation of the entire Scottish people when she herself became queen. So misfortune is not always misfortune, but can also be happiness.

When the royal family was later able to return to England, divine providence, which directs and guides everything for the best, soon showed itself for the second time in a new apparent misfortune. The father died, disputes over the throne broke out, and Margareta and her brother Edgar had to flee the country in a hurry. And because, as we all know, no misfortune comes alone, the storm drove the ship they were trying to use to reach the mainland far off course to the north, where it was wrecked on the Scottish coast. King Malcolm of Scotland welcomed the castaways hospitably, soon fell in love with Margareta, asked for her hand in marriage, and when she said yes to him, they celebrated their wedding. The fugitive princess had become a queen. So misfortune is not always misfortune, it can also be good fortune.

A little later, however, it turned out that the new happiness had brought with it a new misfortune. Malcolm was a daredevil and a quarrelsome man, and a miser at that, who committed many wrongs in his hot temper, and if this man had found a wife of the same kind, the misfortune would probably never have ended. Therefore, divine providence once again arranged that the hot-tempered king received a wife in Margareta who ennobled him and transformed him not only into a good person, but also into a capable ruler, so that the whole country was grateful to the queen.

Beautiful and happy years followed. The royal family was a haven of love and peace. Six sons and two daughters made the parents happy, and none of the children ever brought them disgrace. They all thrived; Margaret herself taught them to pray and explained the catechism and the Bible to them. But one should not think that the queen was squeamish in her upbringing. For example, if one of the princes was punished by a teacher for doing something wrong and complained to his mother about it, she would give him a second beating. Margaret looked after the poor of the country with royal generosity. She fed up to three hundred people a day. The noble woman also visited hospitals and prisons, considering it her privilege as a kind mother of the country to look after the poorest in particular.

Thirty blessed years passed through all this. Then, in one last great misfortune, divine providence came upon the good queen once more. Margaret was dying when she was told that her husband and her beloved son had fallen in battle. She folded her hands and prayed: “God, I thank you that you have visited me with this great suffering before my end, in order to cleanse me of the stains of my sins so that I can come to you in heaven.” Margaret had penetrated so deeply into the understanding of divine providence that turns all misfortune into happiness, up to the highest happiness, which consists in eternal bliss.