In our readings today, we hear about two different kings. In the 7th chapter of 2nd Maccabees, we hear about a mother and her sons who refuse to be loyal to the king of their earthly kingdom and worship his false idols if that means that they are loyal to God, the eternal king. The mother and her sons would rather suffer greatly or be put to death instead of worshipping a false king or a false god. In the Gospel, a nobleman that travels to a foreign land in order to obtain a kingship for himself trusts the loyalty of those he leaves behind in positions of power. At the end of this parable, the king slays those whom he sees as his enemies.
In this two stories we hear today, we might ask ourselves: Where do we place our loyalties? Who is ultimately in charge of our lives? Where do we turn for guidance and direction? We can turn to God and the values of our faith, or we can deny our faith and follow the ways of the world. Jesus can be the center of our lives, or we can put our loyalty elsewhere. It is not enough to be passive. It is not enough to be ambivalent or to give up. We give all to Christ. Or what we give is not enough.
The saint we celebrate today gave her all to Christ: Elizabeth of Hungary. Born in the early 13th century, she married Prince Ludwig in southern Germany. She was known for her great charity to the poor, which included opening up the royal granaries to the hungry in a time of terrible famine. Her young husband died while traveling to the Crusades. Her husband’s family, which always scorned her for her charity and her faith, thrust Elizabeth and her young children out of the royal household. She lived a holy humble life, living in a small cottage and working to support her children. She was admired by many for her holiness. She died at the young age of 24 and was canonized only 4 years later. We unite our prayers with the prayers of Elizabeth of Hungary today.
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