St. Elizabeth was born into privilege. and destined for a position of authority. Her father was the Hungarian king, and she was promised in marriage to a royal family in Germany as “the ratification of a great alliance.“ (cited here, para 3) The court of Thuringia, Germany, was a wealthy and culturally rich environment. The same year that she married Ludwig, he succeeded his father to the throne.
So as a very young woman, Elizabeth became the queen. She had a position of authority, but she chose a life of service. Pope Benedict XVI actually referred to St. Elizabeth, as “a model for those in authority.” (cited here, para 23)
According to Franciscan Media, “The daughter of the King of Hungary, Elizabeth chose a life of penance and asceticism when a life of leisure and luxury could easily have been hers. This choice endeared her in the hearts of the common people throughout Europe.“ (cited here, para 1)
It also endears her to all of us, as we read about her and contemplate her life. Her generous spirit teaches us what it means to share God’s love in the world. Although, it is difficult to imagine what it would be like to have the means to do so much for the poor. Evidently, she fed almost 1,000 people a day during particularly difficult times.
I don’t know about you, but I am beginning to believe that the leaders of the world today enjoy telling everyone how much they care about the poor, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of action behind their words. It is very easy for them to write laws that force others to give up their resources, but I have become too cynical about them to believe that they really make any sacrifices, themselves.
Compare that with the poor widow, who we discussed a few days ago. She made a real sacrifice. It seems impossible that a wealthy person could ever make such sacrifice. Then we learn about St. Elizabeth. She gave away so much that her late husband’s family threw her out of the palace, so that she had to beg for a short time just to survive. How amazing is that?
To be fair, I don’t expect our leaders to go to that extreme, but I would love to see them spend more effort in service to the poor than in re-election campaigns. I would to have more leaders who live simply in stead of accepting the exorbitant salaries they give themselves. They could all use the example of St. Elizabeth to lead them to an actual life of service.
Lord God, please help our world leaders to find Your will in their lives. Let us approach a world in which a spirit of generosity is more valued than other political gains. Help us to discern which candidates have a more giving spirit without being led astray by impressive campaigns. Or, if it be your will, allow us to step up into those roles and to ensure that service to others becomes the priority.