ST ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY (Memorial) White

Elizabeth was the daughter of King Andrew of Hungary. She married Prince Louis at age 13. Elizabeth built a hospital at the foot of the mountain on which her castle stood, and tended to the sick herself. Her family and courtiers opposed this, but she insisted she was only following Christ’s teachings. Once, when she was taking food to the poor and sick, Prince Louis stopped her and looked under her mantle to see what she was carrying. The food had been miraculously changed to roses. Upon Louis’ death, Elizabeth sold all that she had, and worked to support her four children. Her gifts of bread to the poor, and of a large gift of grain to famine stricken Germany, led to her patronage of bakers and related fields.

First Reading: Rev 5:1-10; Psalm: 149. R. v. Rev 5:10; Gospel: Lk 19:41-44

JESUS WEEPS FOR OUR SAKE

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP

“As Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it” (Lk 19:41).

Apart from the death of Lazarus, this will be the only time that Jesus wept again as recorded in the scriptures. Whatever moved Jesus to tears must be something very severe. If the death of his beloved friend Lazarus moved him to tears, then whatever caused his weeping in the gospel of today must be something as serious as losing a beloved one also. Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem upon foreseeing its destruction. The inhabitants of this city had the chance of averting this disaster but did not cease the moment.

The people of Jerusalem failed to recognise their time of divine visitation. They turned deaf ear to the gospel message and rejected Jesus the Prince of Peace. Jesus wept because he knew their end would be disastrous. What could be worse than refusing divine visitation or turning deaf ear to the Words of salvation? It’s even worse than physical death because the soul is doomed too. We can now understand why Jesus wept.

Could Jesus be weeping for us too? Are we wasting our opportunities to be saved? Have we become too indifferent to the teachings of the gospel? Something as serious as causing Jesus to weep should be of utmost concern to us. In life, opportunities don’t stay; they happen. Jesus therefore calls us today to cease every opportunity we have right now to do what is right by listening and doing his will. Because a time will come when it will be just too late to avert obvious impending consequences of our choices.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY        

Lord Jesus, open our hearts to accept your word and be saved. Amen.