32nd Friday in Ordinary Time, November 17, 2023, Feast of St Elizabeth of Hungary
Wis 13:1-9, Ps 19:2-5, Lk 17:26-37
A young Christian lady went off to college. As she sat in the cafeteria, she wondered about those around her, what they were like, what they believed, and what they were searching for in life. So being bold, she decided to sit down beside some of them, and asked them to tell her a little bit about themselves. As she listened, she took in all they had to say, conversed with them, and began to understand what they were about. The most striking thing she found out though, was most of them felt lost, lonely, and not sure what they were really seeking. Their first year of college, and being away from home, was a life-changing experience for them. They were on their own, and for many of them, were stepping out beyond this sheltered life they had been living for the last 18 years. And they were scared.
This young lady was taken aback, how could these other girls not see what was there in front of them? How could they not see the beauty God created for them? How could they not be in awe of everything that was there for them? She decided at that moment, she had a job to do, and that job was to reach out to them and tell them the truth. The truth that God is everywhere and in everything they see. God is whom they need to seek, and if they do, they will not be alone, and most definitely not be scared.
For these girls to look around and not see the beauty of God is foolishness. They were so distracted and busy that they missed the most important part of their lives, their relationship with God. As the psalm cries out, “The heavens declare the Glory of God!” they hide their heads in their phones and declare the glory of social media. They are so fixed on someone else’s fake life, that they forget their own, and forget to see the beauty God created in themselves and in each other.
Driving home the other night, I just marveled at the beauty of the sunset. Yes, it was created by the dust from the farmers harvesting crops, but the beauty was something to behold. How could I not see God in that beauty? How could they not see it as well?
St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231), whose feast day is today, saw the beauty of God in all those she met. Betrothed at the age of four to Nobleman Louis IV of Thuringia, and married at the young age of 14, she toiled constantly to ease the suffering and hunger of the poor at the expense of her husband’s charity. Once, after he complained bitterly about her activities, a basket of roses was changed into a basket of bread. This changed her husband’s heart and he supported her in all her charitable deeds. After he died, St. Elizabeth continued her efforts to help the poor despite the wretched conditions she had to endure. Finally, she met up with her uncle, Bishop of Eckbert, and she became a member of the Third Order of St Francis. After undergoing even more heartbreak, she returned to the area of Marburg and ended up founding a hospital there. She died in 1231 and in 1235 she was canonized by Pope Gregory the IX for her great works of charity and her deep spirituality.
Like St. Elizabeth and the young Christian lady, we all need to look up from our devices and see the beauty of God. It is only there where we will be found by God, find what we are seeking, and be at peace.
Saint James Catholic Church 