Bede

She shall not fear for her household from the snows. The cold of snow is the hearts of the reprobate, rigid with the numbness of their own treachery. Of whom the Lord says, "And because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24). These indeed are oppressed by that most wicked snow, which, falling from heaven due to the merit of original pride into the depths of darkness, still presumptuously shows itself to fools as an angel of light, and offers to the ignorant the habit of its merits similar to the whiteness of snow. It is proper for the Lord and his angels to signify the brightness of their virtue in a snowy garment. However, the Church will not fear for her household from the cold of the aforementioned snow, because she believes the Lord's promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against her. For all her household are clothed with double garments: wisdom, to reveal the heretical doctrines of false brethren, and patience, to endure the battles of open enemies. Or certainly, they are clothed with double garments because they have the promise of life both present and future. Now, in the temporal pilgrimage, they are aided by divine assistance so that they do not fail; then, in the eternal habitation of the homeland, they are uplifted by the vision of divine grace to live happily forever. Likewise, her household is clothed with a double garment: one of works, the other of faith of the mind, having the coverings of deeds, and imbued and informed by the sacraments of their Redeemer and his examples. Thus it becomes as the Apostle says, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3). The cold of snow can also be understood as eternal torments, which we read are near both fire and cold; when it is said, "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8). For indeed, fire and smoke produce weeping in the eyes, while cold usually causes gnashing of teeth. Hence the blessed Job speaks of the eternal punishments of the reprobate, saying, "They pass from the waters of snow to excessive heat" (Job 24). But from these, the Church will not fear for her household, because whoever perishes did not belong to her household, nor were they clothed in her spiritual garment; although for a time they seemed to be instructed in her mysteries. Indeed, we read in the Gospels that a man who presumed to enter the house of that feast with the filthy garments of works was cast out into the outer darkness, where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Rightly indeed, he was bound to the cold of punishment, because he had neglected to have the garments of piety.

She made herself a striped garment, etc. A striped garment, which is usually made very strong by varied weaving, signifies the strong works of the Church and her diverse ornaments of virtues. Of which the prophet, in the praise of the supreme king, namely that man, sang: "The queen stood at your right hand in a garment of gold, clothed with variety" (Psalm 45). Fine linen and purple are her clothing; fine linen, in the whiteness of pure conscience and conversation; purple, in the shedding of precious blood. For fine linen is of a white color; and purple, made from the blood of a creature called purpura, has the appearance of blood itself: hence it was beautifully said by the Fathers that the Holy Church, blooming with the flowers of the elect, has lilies in peace, and roses in war. Likewise, because fine linen, which grows green from the earth, through long and varied exercises, loses its moisture and native greenness, is brought to the adornment of a white garment. Purple, however, is the royal attire. The Church is clothed with fine linen when the elect chastise their bodies and subject them to servitude; with purple, when they exercise the same continence, not for popular favor, but to acquire the blessedness of the eternal kingdom. But this habit of virtues in the present indeed seems contemptible to the ignorant, but in the future, what it was will be clearly evident. Hence, John beautifully reports in his Apocalypse that he heard the voice of the saints saying, "Let us rejoice and exult, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has prepared herself, and it was given to her to be clothed with bright, clean fine linen" (Revelation 19). For fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Her husband is known in the gates, etc. The husband of the holy Church, the Lord, is the husband of every faithful soul. He who seemed ignoble when he stood before the governor's tribunal, when he accepted reproaches, scourges, spit, and even the death of the cross; but he will appear noble when he comes to judge the world in righteousness, and all his angels with him. Then he will sit, he says, on the throne of his majesty, and all nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another, and so forth (Matthew 25). Her husband is noble in the gates, because the ancients used to sit at the gates to judge, so that those coming to the city from elsewhere would immediately receive the ready response of the judge. Neither would the unusual buildings of the city astonish rustics or shepherds, nor would the frequent disputes of litigants defile the inner peace of the city. Therefore, the Lord will be noble in the gates of his city, because he who is now thought to be contemptible by many, when the end of the world has come, when the entrance to the heavenly homeland has appeared to the elect, he will already be sublime to all. But he will sit with the senators of the earth. Amen, I say to you, that you who have followed me, in regeneration, when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His majesty, you also will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew XIX).

She made a fine linen garment, and sold it, etc. In the weaving of fine linen is symbolized the holy preaching in which one softly rests, because the mind of the faithful is refreshed by a heavenly hope. Thus also animals were shown to Peter in a linen cloth, because the souls of sinners, mercifully gathered, are contained in the gentle rest of faith. Therefore, the Church made and sold this linen garment, because the faith, which it had woven by believing, it learned by speaking, and receives from the faithful the life of righteous conduct. And it gave a girdle to the Canaanite woman, because through the strength of demonstrated justice it extinguished the loose works of paganism. So that what is commanded may be held by living: Let your loins be girded (Luke XII). Indeed, well by the name of Canaan, who also begot the Gentile people and is interpreted as changed, the Gentile populace converted to faith is designated; which by a most blessed change, migrated from vice to virtues, from the devil to Christ. Hence also the forty-fourth Psalm is written in his praise, whose title is: To the end, for those who shall be changed, a song of the sons of Korah; moreover the sons of Korah are interpreted as the sons of Calvary, who are the sons of the Lord’s cross, saying: But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians VI). As for how they are changed, the following of the same psalm teaches, where the Beloved Himself, that is, the Church's Lord, says: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house (Psalm XLIV). For He desires her to be changed, whom, so that she may be called a daughter, He orders to forget the house of her prior father, that is, the ancient foe.

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she will laugh at the last day. Strength, to endure the harshness of the wicked; dignity, to exercise the grace of virtues. Dignity, because she works justice; strength, because she suffers persecution for justice (Matthew V). And therefore she will laugh at the last day, that is, she will rejoice in the recompense of the heavenly kingdom, who grieved in the struggle of present life. It is indeed customary in Scripture to put laughter for joy; as the Lord says: Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh (Luke VI). And blessed Job: But the mouths of the righteous will be filled with laughter (Job...). The prophet indeed sets a similar sentiment regarding the Lord and Savior of this most powerful woman, saying: The Lord reigns, clothed in majesty, the Lord is clothed with strength, etc. (Psalm XCII). For when He preached the Gospel of the kingdom, He pleased some, displeased others; some spoke well of Him, others detracted, lacerated, bit, and calumniated Him. To those therefore whom He pleased, He was clothed in majesty, to those whom He displeased, in strength. Therefore, imitate your Lord, that you may be His attire; be with dignity among those who are pleased by your good works; be strong against detractors.

She considers the ways of her household, etc. She considers the ways of her household, because she carefully investigates all the thoughts of her conscience. She does not eat the bread of idleness, because what she has perceived from understanding the sacred word, she shows by her works before the eyes of the eternal Judge. Again, the house of the strong woman is the dwelling of the heavenly country; the ways of that house are the commands of justice, by which one arrives at the mansion of eternal life. Indeed, the soul well considers these ways, when both it diligently examines by what acts it should arrive at the higher, and does not cease to zealously practice what it has learned must be done. She does not eat the bread of idleness, when receiving the sacrifice of the Lord’s body, she strives to imitate in action what she celebrates in ministry, being very concerned not to eat and drink the Lord’s bread and cup unworthily, lest she eat and drink judgment upon herself; but that by suffering for Christ, and shedding tears, persisting also in good deeds, she may follow the examples of His passion as much as she can. It can also be simply understood that the strong woman does not eat the bread of idleness; according to that saying of the Apostle: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat (II Thessalonians III). And he himself said of himself, "Because for what I needed, and for those who are with me, these hands have ministered" (Acts 20). Hence, rightfully reproving luxurious widows, he adds: "Besides, they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies" (1 Tim. 5).

"Her children rise up," etc. Knowing this would certainly come to pass, he speaks prophetically as if it were already done. For the children of the church shall rise, namely all the elect in the end, endowed with the immortality of the flesh; and then they proclaim that their mother, who bore them to God from water and the Holy Spirit, is most blessed, even though she is now despised as wretched by the faithless. And truly, as the Apostle says: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (1 Cor. 15). But because we strive for another life in the present, when it appears what we shall be, we shall deservedly proclaim our mother, who, gathered from all the righteous, is called the one dove of Christ, the bride and friend, as most blessed. Her husband will also rise and praise her, saying in judgment: "Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food," and so on (Matt. 25). Although he himself rose as the firstfruits of the sleeping from the dead, in the day of judgment he will more plainly demonstrate to all, whom he will judge worthy of his praise, how great is the glory of his resurrection. What is said, "Her children rise up and call her blessed," can also be fittingly understood in this time, when any of the faithful, having passed through the afflictions of the world, are led to the heavenly kingdoms. For to sit often pertains to humility, to rise to glory. Hence it is said: "Formerly sitting in ashes and sackcloth they repented" (Luke 10), that is, they were humbled. And the prophet: "I sat alone because of your hand, for you have filled me with indignation" (Jer. 15). And the Psalmist: "It is vain for you to rise up early; rise up after you have sat down, you who eat the bread of toil" (Ps. 127). This is plainly to say, "Why do you seek to rejoice in the present, which is reserved for the elect in the future? For you cannot in this life, that is, before the dawn of supernal retribution, possess the glory of true happiness; rather, after you have been humbled here for a time, there you should hope to be truly exalted forever; for you, to whom everything that seems sweet and pleasant to the lovers of the world is bitter. Therefore, the children of the Church rise and proclaim her most blessed when, exalted with heavenly goods, they see how great is the beatitude of that homeland to which they have merited to belong. And they celebrate her with due praise in the divine vision. Her husband praises her when he rewards the good deeds he has given. By what words he praises her is subsequently shown, when it is said:

"Many daughters have gathered riches," etc. He calls many daughters the churches of heretics and crowds of the wicked; and the daughters of the Catholics or of Christ or the Church, for they too are reborn through the sacraments of the Lord, and received the adoption of children, which they did not preserve. Hence John says: "They went out from us, but they were not of us" (1 John 2). They have gathered riches, namely, the works of good deeds, fastings, alms, affliction and chastity of the flesh, restraint of the tongue, meditation on the Scriptures, and the like. These are true riches of the Spirit where they are conducted with the pure sincerity of mind; but where they are done without faith which works through love, they benefit nothing to those who do them. But even those daughters have vainly gathered riches; of whom the Lord says: "Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and done many mighty works in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you" (Matt. 7). But the Catholic Church surpasses all such daughters, which follows the footsteps of its Redeemer with pure faith and perfect works.

"Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain," etc. "Grace" is the praise that a person receives from men is deceitful, and "beauty" of chastity or good works which the soul shows to men is vain if it lacks the fear of God. But that conscience is truly worthy of praise, which in all things keeps the fear of God. For he is the beginning and guardian of all virtues, as Scripture says: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. 111; Prov. 1, 9; Ecclus. 1). And again: "He who fears the Lord neglects nothing" (Sir. 7). For this reason blessed Job, both in prosperity flourished incomparably in virtues, and in adversity remained an insuperable enemy, because he could truly say: "For I always feared the Lord like waves swelling over me, and I could not bear his weight" (Job 31). Hence, the grace of dissemblers is deceitful; the decoration of the work of fools is vain. But the Church, which lives temporally in the fear of its pilgrimage, because it will offer burning lamps of virtues to its coming Judge and Husband, rightly praised by him, will enter with him the gate of the heavenly kingdom. How he praises her is taught in the concluding verse:

"Give her of the fruit of her hands," etc. These are indeed the words of that man of whom it was said: "Her husband, and he praised her," that is, of our Lord and Savior, who will command the angels at the end to lead the Church, after the struggle of this life, after the threshing of earthly afflictions, to the joys of the heavenly kingdom, and to gather it together as a companion of immortal life, according to that evangelical saying, "Gather the wheat into my barn" (Matt. 13). "Give her," he says, "of the fruit of her hands," because she has taken care to bear the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, modesty, self-control, faith, patience. For this, give her the due recompense, and let her works praise her in the gates, that is, in judgment or in the entry to the heavenly homeland. Not the superfluous praises of men, but the very works she has done, examining, approving, and rewarding him whose gracious gifts these are, so that we may deserve to be praised by him in the future, may he graciously grant us to praise him worthily in the present life with appropriate services. Amen.

We need to direct our whole intention, dearly beloved brothers, to learning the mysteries of the faith, and we need to show that our works accord with our faith. With all vigilance we need to beware of the multifarious and subtle snares of the gates of hell, so that, in accordance with the word of the psalmist, we may be worthy to be snatched from these [snares] by the Lord’s aid and to announce his praises at the gates of the daughter of Zion, that is, to enter into the joys of the heavenly city. And we should not think that it is sufficient for our salvation if either in our faith or our acts we [merely] come up to the level of the undiscerning and untaught crowd, for whom there is prescribed in the sacred literature only one rule of believing and of living. But as often as the examples of those who have gone astray are made known to us, let us immediately turn away the eyes of our mind so that they may not see vanity, and instead with attentive heart let us examine what truth itself discerns, following the example of blessed Peter. He rejected the false ideas of those who were in error, and with unhesitating words he delivered his confession of the hidden mystery of the faith he had come to recognize, and he kept [it] with unconquerable care in his heart.