Margaret of Cortona

Homily of the Feast of St. Margaret of Cortona

We celebrate the life of St. Margaret of Cortona today, a penitent and member of the Secular Franciscan Order. May 16 is considered a feast day for members of the secular Franciscans and members of Third Order Regular communities.

The readings for this feast day focus our attention on the penitential nature of her life. Margaret was born in Laviano, Italy, to farming parents. After her mother’s death, she had a difficult relationship with her stepmother and eventually left home. She lived for nine years as the mistress of a nobleman, with whom she had a son. However, when her lover was murdered, Margaret was devastated and turned to a life of prayer and penance.

Under the direction of her confessor, who sometimes had to order her to moderate her self-denial, she pursued a life of prayer and penance at Cortona. There she established a hospital and founded a congregation of tertiary sisters. The poor and humble Margaret was, like Francis, devoted to the Eucharist and to the passion of Jesus. These devotions fueled her great charity and drew sinners to her for advice and inspiration. She was canonized in 1728.

St. Francis of Assisi’s earliest followers were originally known as the Order of Penitents. They were laypeople who sought to live a life of prayer, poverty, and penance, inspired by Francis’ radical devotion to Christ. Over time, this group evolved into the Secular Franciscan Order, which continues today as a community of laypeople committed to Franciscan spirituality. At the same time, various groups of men and women have formed what we now call the Third Order Regular, a term that means that they follow a particular rule, “regula” in Latin.

As we celebrate this today, we are reminded in the Gospel that there is more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 righteous people who have no need to repent. What we sometimes lose sight of is that we are all called to repentance.