O God, our refuge and strength, You raised up Your servant Katharina to support her husband in the task to reform and renew Your Church in the light of Your Word. Defend and purify the Church today and grant that, through faith, we may boldly support and encourage our pastors and teachers of the faith as they proclaim and administer the riches of Your grace made known in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Katharina Luther, nee von Bora (1499–1552) was placed in a convent when still a child and became a nun in 1515. In April 1523 she and eight other nuns were rescued from the convent and brought to Wittenberg. There Martin Luther helped return some to their former homes and placed the rest in good families. Katharina and Martin were married on June 13, 1525. Their marriage was a happy one and blessed with six children. Katharina skillfully managed the Luther household, which always seemed to grow because of his generous hospitality. After Luther’s death in 1546, Katharina remained in Wittenberg but lived much of the time in poverty. She died in an accident while traveling with her children to Torgau in order to escape the plague. Today is the anniversary of her death. (Collect and Intro from The Treasury of Daily Prayer, Concordia Publishing House)
Katharina Luther died on this day in 1552. She died in the Advent Season with the approach to Christ Mass (Christmas). The associations of Dr. Luther and Mrs. Luther are close and intimate with Christ Mass and so much so that there is a legend, passed on as fact, that Dr. Luther had the idea of the Christmas tree. He and his wife may have started the custom of giving gifts, but for this godly couple it was the gift of the Child-for-us that was the wonder: the Incarnation. In this quote we hear Luther’s amazement:
“God must be much friendlier to me and speak to me in friendlier fashion than my Katy to little Martin. Neither Katy nor I could intentionally gouge out the eye or tear off the head of our child. Nor could God. God must have patience with us. He has given evidence of it, and therefore he sent his Son into our flesh in order that we may look to him for the best…When I reflect on the magnitude of God’s mercy and majesty, I am myself horrified at how far God has humbled himself.” (Luther’s Works, Vol.54, Table Talk)
The evidence of things not seen is the only begotten Son of the Father was born of the Virgin Mary: “…into our flesh”. Mrs. Luther, her family and household, and so many guests could see in Luther his cheerful countenance in this blessed time.
Just think: Fr. Luther, the priest, was the first father of a child, in his own family according to the laws of God and man in maybe over a thousand years. Here is Luther marveling at birth and motherhood, in his beloved Katy:
“It’s difficult to feed two guests, one in the house and the other at the door.” This he (Dr. Martin Luther) said when he saw his son Martin being nursed at his Mother’s breast at the same time that Katy, the doctor’s wife, had become pregnant.” ((Luther’s Works, Vol.54, Table Talk: Between June 12 and July 13, 1532/Paul Luther was born January 28, 1533)
Luther seems to have been taken aback by the strength of his wife. As I was of my wife who died too soon, but the Lord knows better than I. He knew better than I when at Church I met my intended. Natalie had strength of body and soul, and yet was humble. She gave birth to our three children. Like Luther, she loved to sing and play music. Luther saw in this holy season the wonders of God’s love as he had a living example in his Katy and their fatherhood and motherhood to open his eyes to the Incarnation. Don’t take your family for granted, but give thanks for such a gift and the Child born for us Who of all the sons of men began to bore your sin and sorrow on the 25th of December. Come home for Christmas…to your home and our Lord’s House.
Concordia and Koinonia 
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