November 17, 2012

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, religious

Also called St. Elizabeth of Thuringia, born in Hungary, probably at Pressburg, 1207; died at Marburg, Hesse, 17 November (not 19 November), 1231.

She was a daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary (1205-35) and his wife Gertrude, a member of the family of the Counts of Andechs-Meran; Elizabeth's brother succeeded his father on the throne of Hungary as Bela IV; the sister of her mother, Gertrude, was St. Hedwig, wife of Duke Heinrich I, the Bearded, of Silesia, while another saint, St. Elizabeth (Isabel) of Portugal (d. 1336), the wife of the tyrannical King Diniz of that country, was her great-niece....Read more.

Lectionary: 496

A reading from the Third Epistle of St. John

3 Jn 5-8

The third epistle of St. John is a personal letter to a person named Gaius.

Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters,

especially for strangers;

they have testified to your love before the Church.

St. Gaius is a very loving Christian who lives his faith.  He is well known for his charity towards the Christian brethren.

Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey.

St. John is, in the context of the letter, speaking about a certain group who are on a journey and will be crossing paths with St. Gaius.  To help them in the way, then, would mean to provide them with the material means of accomplishing their mission.  Food, clothing, hospitality and the like.

Spiritually speaking however,  helping them on the way would mean to provide them with the spiritual assistance that we all need to continue along the Way of Our Lord.

For they have set out for the sake of the Name

and are accepting nothing from the pagans.

I'm assuming the Name is the Name of Christ.


To me, this verse also has two meanings.
1.  They set out for the sake of the Name of Christ.  In order to preach the Christian faith where ever they go. 

They are accepting nothing from the pagans.  Because they are preaching to the pagans and seeking to convert them to the faith.

2.  Or, it could mean that They set out for the sake of the Name of Christ  because they are new converts from Paganism who have set out on the Way of Christ.  And

They are accepting nothing from the pagans.  Because they have now turned away from paganism.

Therefore, we ought to support such persons,

so that we may be co-workers in the truth.

In either case, St. John is telling St. Gaius that they should support this party on their mission.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.

R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.

R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.

R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I have to confess that the Third Epistle to St. John is one of those which I have neglected until now.  But I am truly impressed with St. Gaius and that the Word of God holds him in such high regard.  This Psalm seem appropriate for him.

Gospel Lk 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable

about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

 Jesus told His students to pray continually.  And He told them a story to emphasize the point.

He said, "There was a judge in a certain town

who neither feared God nor respected any human being.

He said there was a certain judge who feared no one, not even God.

And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,

'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'

 But there was a widow in that judge's town who came to him asking for a decision in her favor.

For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,

'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,

because this widow keeps bothering me

I shall deliver a just decision for her

lest she finally come and strike me.'"

But the widow insisted so much, that she finally wore the judge down and he did as she requested.

The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones

who call out to him day and night?

Will he be slow to answer them?

I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.

And Jesus said, in the same way, God will answer the prayers of all who pray to Him continually, He won't be slow to answer.

But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

And then Jesus said something which doesn't seem to fit.  He asked, "will anyone be praying when I come back on the Day of Judgement?"

Which is sort of scary.

Sincerely,

De Maria