Today commemorates Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231). She was the daughter of King Andrew II and Queen Gertrude of Hungary. At the age of 14 she was married to Ludwig IV, Landgrave of Thuringia.

She came under the influence of Franciscan friars and developed a great affinity for the poor. When disease and floods struck Thuringia, Elizabeth cared for the victims even to giving away her and her husband’s clothing to people in need.  She set aside time every day to take bread to hundreds of poor people in her land which leads to a legend told about her.

One day while secretly taking bread to the poor, she met her husband Ludwig on a hunting party. Although Ludwig had no objections to her generosity, his courtiers suspected that she was stealing treasure from the castle. Ludwig asked her to reveal what was hidden under her cloak. She opened her cloak and the bread had been miraculously changed into roses.*

Elizabeth was widowed when she was 20. She became a Third Order Franciscan and continued her work with the poor, founding a hospital at Marburg. She died at the age of 24. I marvel at what Elizabeth did in her short life, and am humbled by how little I have done in my much longer life.

Generosity should be a way of life. You don’t have to be a Princess of Hungary (or Landgravine of Thuringia) to have something to give to others. There have been times in my life when it wasn’t cash I needed, but just someone to listen to me. What can you give to others?

Read Luke 21:1-4 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

*Thanks to Zsuzsanna Jobbagy for telling me the story about Elizabeth.