by Trisha Bleau (Smith)
Name:
Catherine (Katie) Von Bora Luther (1499-1552)
Quote:
“I will stick to Christ as a burr to a topcoat.”
Family:
wife of Martin Luther, mother of 6 of her own and 4 orphans
Job:
Wife, mother, helpmate for the monastery at Wittenburg. Katie managed the finances, the animals (including butchering), the chores, the family, as well as caring for any students staying at the monastery.
Introduction:
We hear of the great works of Martin Luther and the reformation he led. But no one stops to think of his wife and the role she played in things. Now you have the chance to learn more about this female of faith.
Lesson:
Catherine von Bora was 18 when Martin Luther nailed his famous theses to the door of the church. Not long after, her and other nuns in the convent she had been raised in, expressed their desire to be free of it. They escaped in a fish barrel wagon through the help of the delivery man and Luther. Luther helped the women to find homes – either with previous family, with new husbands, etc. But Katie was not to be handed off. Through her own persuasion and that of the others, Luther eventually took her as his own wife.
Luther, previously a celibate monk, found marriage to be a wonderful and glorious thing. The marriage Martin and Katie had should serve as an example to each of us today. For many years it has served as an example to others, and it is now that I return to this marriage for those women who are married today and those who plan to be married, to see and examine.
Luther said, “ next to God’s word, the world has no more precious treasure than holy matrimony. God’s best gift is a pious, cheerful, God-fearing, home-keeping wife, with whom you may live peacefully, to whom you may entrust your goods, your body, and life.”
There was a sharing of the responsibilities with in the Luther home. Martin was the spiritual head of the home, encouraging his family in their studies. Katie was educated and was encouraged to read and study the Bible herself. We can be sure that her children were also taught to read and study, as well as to memorize the Scriptures.
Katie took over managing the monastery from the moment she moved in. She cleaned it up, put it in order, and put order in to Martin’s life as well. She was in her mid twenties when they married, he in his forties. But she quickly took to the role of wife and helpmate easily.
She managed not only the regular “wifely” duties of cooking and cleaning, but she also took care of the finances and the animals. She even went so far as to butcher her own animals when needed. She also cared for the monastery visitors when they were there, sometimes having up to 30 people to care for at once. Yet she was not heard to grumble. Rather, she worked cheerfully and helped to make her husband the success he became through removing the worries of daily life from him so that he could focus on preaching and teaching.
Thus, it is little known how much support and assistance Luther had as he led our world to reform. Katie Luther is not given credit for the role she played in the reform movements, yet without her Luther would have had much more to worry about and focus on. She was a tremendous help to him as a wife, mother, and support system. Her faith is an example to all of us today.
Katie died six years after Martin. She was able to see her children succeed in life. One became a physician, one studied theology, her daughters married well. She was most likely very proud to see her children do well for themselves before her own death.
What can we learn from Katie Luther? To be a help to our husbands. To take on responsibilities where we can to help relieve our husbands of the burden of doing it all themselves. To be the best manager we can for our homes, finances, and lives. Katie Luther is a great example of a woman who sought the Lord and put her trust in Him as she helped her husband spread God’s Word with the world.
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