Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

 

 

Dear Fathers, Friends in Christ,

 

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

 

Revelation 5:1-10
 Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
 Luke 19:41-44

 

They will smash you to the ground and your children within you
 because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.
(Luke 19:44)

 

 Oh, how sad! Woe to us and to our world! We are so busy with worldly things that we, too, do not recognize the time of our visitation. God is here with us, begging for a little attention, yet we are addicted to our iPhones and video games. Why are these worldly things more important than spending time with God in prayer?

 

 Maybe we have not yet had our own personal "encounter" with God in the person of Jesus. Maybe we do not know the patient, loving, merciful Lord who longs for our love even more than we long for His. Maybe we are afraid of the silence because we might find out something about ourselves that we would rather not know. Maybe we do not want to hear Him asking us to do something that we would rather not do, even though it would be the best thing for us.

 

 Saint Elizabeth of Hungary was an amazing saint full of kindness and love for the poor and the sick. Even though she died at the age of 24, her entire life was given to doing God's Holy Will. She fed the hungry, clothed the naked with clothing made from wool that she had spun herself, cared for the sick in a hospital that she had built in her castle. After her husband's death, she gave all her money and possessions to the poor and joined the Third Order of Saint Francis.

 

 May we, like St. Elizabeth, hear the call of God and do what He is asking of us. He will never disappoint us or send us away empty.

Father Ed Bakker
Anglican Catholic Church / Original Province
Mission of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Launceston on Tasmania