Here is the next part in our Proverbs 31 series! If you have read the previous posts (find links to those at the end of this post) then you are ready to dive into this very meaningful portion of the Bible. Today, let’s look at one of the many attributes of the Proverbs 31 woman, one which is very applicable today – that is a spirit of Hope.

“She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments…Strength and beauty are her clothing: and she shall laugh in the latter day.”

Excerpts from Proverbs 31:21, 25

Obviously this woman is without any fear. She even laughs at the future despite all its cares and sorrows. I can hear you saying, “What makes her so confident? Do you really expect me to be so carefree in the midst of times like ours? She must not have known hardship, or else she would have known better than to laugh at it.” Ladies, we are in hard times, but the Valiant Woman is not a stranger to hardship. While she knows what sorrow means, she does not despair. Instead, she has hope – hope in God. Take care to note that the verse does not say only, “she shall have no fear” and “she shall laugh”, but goes on to explain that she can laugh because “her domestics are clothed with double garments” and “strength and beauty are her clothing”. The Valiant Woman’s laughter comes not from her lack of cares, but from the knowledge that she has prepared for anything, and that God will make up for anything she is without. She knows that we ought not worry about what we should eat or drink or wear, but that living for God, even when it’s hard, is what matters. Also, she is clothed not only with earthly garments, but also with virtue, as Proverbs 31:25 states. Thus we see that she does her utmost to be ready for anything, and no matter what she has no fear of being unprepared to stand trials because she knows that God will supply all her needs, both physical and spiritual.

So my friends, in this world of sin and shame, of war and pestilence, take heart! Prepare yourself for battle. With God’s grace you will be warmly clothed “with double garments” while the storm rages outside, and your soul will be covered with “strength and beauty” should it attack within. Pray for His help through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is our ultimate role model as women. God will give you all you need to laugh – full of hope – in the face of any trial.

St. Philomena, pray for us!

Stay tuned for more in this series!

In the meantime, catch up on the last posts in this series: An Introduction to Proverbs 31, Approaching Proverbs 31: The Godly Woman

Works Cited

Holy Bible, Douay-Rheims version, Loreto Publications, 2007