Over the years I have served as a pries, I have had parishioners tell me that they did not learn a lot about specific saints while growing up Catholic, even those who went to Catholic school. That surprises me, because I so enjoy learning about the saints and there is so much we can learn from them. Today, we commemorate St Elizabeth of Hungary. Born in Hungary in the year 1207 to a noble family, she was betrothed to a young prince in Germany at a young age. She had a loving relationship with her husband, but his family resented her piety and her love for the poor. At one point, she and her husband opened up the royal granaries to the hungry in a time of famine. Her young husband Ludwig died at a young age while traveling to the Crusades. Her husband’s family 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, her charity, and her example of faith. Even the rich families who once scorned her grew to admire her faith and charity. She died at the young age of 24 and was canonized only 4 years later by Pope Gregory IX. Elizabeth of Hungary exemplifies the values of stewardship and charity to which we are all called as disciples of Christ. All of us are to use our talents, our gifts, our time, our treasures, and our interests in service to God and to his people. This can manifest itself in different forms.
Our readings today from the book of Revelation and from the Gospel of Luke point us to the heart of Jesus ministry and Gospel message. We hear at the end of the reading from Revelation: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house.” Then we hear in the Gospel after Jesus’ interaction with Zaccheus: “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house.” These words reflect Jesus’ desire to bring us his mercy and his salvation, to have us enter eternal life with him and with God the Father. He is always knocking at our door and wants us to enter a life of discipleship with him. In turn, we are to share that life of faith with others and to bring that joy of our faith to the world, to invite and to welcome just as Jesus does with us.
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