Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Widow, A.D. 1231
by VP
Posted on Tuesday November 19, 2024 at 12:00AM in Saints
"Enter into your own hearts, and resolve to imitate St. Elizabeth of Hungary, a saint and a queen, who would go with all royal pomp to Holy Mass, but on entering Church, would take the crown from her head, the jewels from her fingers, and, despoiled of all ornament, would remain covered with a veil, so modest in deportment, that she never was seen to direct a glance in any direction but the altar.This so please Almighty God that He chose to make His satisfaction apparent to all, for once, during Mass, the Saint was so glorified with Divine splendor, that the eyes which looked on her were dazzled, and she seemed to all as it were an angel of Paradise. Make use of this noble example, and be assured you will thus become pleasing to God and to man, and your share in the Divine Sacrifice will be of the highest profit to you in this life and in the next." The hidden treasure: or, The value and excellence of holy mass. by Blessed Leonard of Port-Maurice 1855 p111
"SHE was daughter of the king of Hungary, and from her childhood accustomed to all the exercises of piety. Being married to the Landgrave of Hesse, her whole business was in assisting orphans and widows, and helping the sick. This she did, without any regard to her quality or state; judging nothing more honorable, than to do good. After her husband's decease, she embraced the third Order of St. Francis Spiritual and corporal works of mercy
occupied her, even to her last moments; and by her moving exhortations,
many obstinate sinners were converted to God. In prayer she found her
comfort and strength in her mortal pilgrimage, and was favored with
frequent raptures and heavenly communications. Being forewarned by
Almighty God of her approaching death, she redoubled her fervor, and ceased not to pray, or to discourse on the life and sufferings of our Redeemer, and his future coming to judge: The day of her happy death was the 19th of November in 1231.
She is an instruction to all states; and teaches virgins, wives and widows to seek first the kingdom of God, and not let the distractions of this world be a bar to the next Her example cannot be followed without great labor and self-denial, in overcoming those inclinations, which keep the soul down, and confine it to this world. Vanity, solicitude and the desire of reputation, are powerful charms, but they look not beyond the earth; and how will this turn to a good account with them, who having but a short time to provide for the next world, consume it all in their concern for this? Think seriously of this
ill management, and pray for all who are subject to it. Pray in
particular for those, whose quality sets them above others, that they
may have a sense of what is truly honorable; that if they take their measures from the gospel, there is more honor in helping the poor
and distressed, and practicing humility and patience, than in all those
ways in which their vanity leads them. What is all that honor, which
will be the contempt of devils?" The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
