Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
November 17, 2024
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
As a young adult, the books, movies, and TV shows that I consume have led me to assume that my life will follow a clear, linear plot. Looking back on my life thus far, there certainly has been a rising story arc from birth into childhood, and there certainly will be a conclusion to my time on earth with my death, but few things in the middle are clear or linear.
Up until this time, I have also subconsciously imagined the end of my life in a heart-warming, cinematic way—the time will be right, all loose ends will be tied, and I will be at peace with the life I have lived. As people with far greater wisdom know, this conclusion is not how reality plays out in the lives of many people.
We may have a multitude of “fig trees” in our lives, such as health, well-being, and other environmental factors, but there are many unpredictable events that can unfold and make our conclusion more abrupt than we had initially anticipated. Just as it is with the end times of the world, only the Father truly knows when our time here on earth is complete.
Recognizing our mortality, this reading can be a reminder that we must continuously prepare ourselves to meet the Creator, as we may have little agency over when that day arrives. Reflecting upon this gospel reading, Jesus’ words challenge me to think of my life less as a plot to a story and more as an opportunity to bring light to the world, one day at a time.
Prayer
Almighty God, you do mighty deeds and work amazing wonders. Many things are hidden from us, yet your presence is written in the heavens, from the ends of the earth, and on our hearts. Grant us the vision to see you and follow where you are leading us. Grant us peace even when your long-term vision for us is unclear, grant us courage when you illuminate our next step, especially when it is surprising to us. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Although she was a princess, St. Elizabeth of Hungary used her status to go to extraordinary lengths to relieve the suffering of the poor and sick. Her example inspired many other noblewomen and rulers to do the same
Elizabeth was born in 1207 to the royal family of Hungary, so, from her birth, was destined for a marriage that would seal a political alliance for Andrew, her father. Elizabeth was married to Louis of Thuringia at the age of 14. Although they were both quite young, Louis was a loving husband and the couple was very happy.
From very early on, Elizabeth demonstrated a firm commitment to a life of prayer and simplicity. Elizabeth rose in the middle of the night to pray, and was very generous with her resources even precious resources like her robes and royal ornamentation.
These activities caused some of Elizabeth's courtiers to criticize her piety, but Louis only supported her works of mercy. The most famous story about Elizabeth demonstrates Elizabeth's secret works of charity and Louis' whole-hearted support of her. One day, Elizabeth was carrying bread from the palace out to the poor of the town, when she happened to encounter Louis returning from the hunt with a large band of men. Louis' courtiers sneered at Elizabeth for stealing from the royal treasury, so Louis asked her to reveal what she was carrying in her cloak. When Elizabeth opened it, instead of bread, roses fell out, a clear sign in Louis' eyes that Elizabeth was doing the work of God.
In 1225, Louis and Elizabeth's kingdom was struck by famine, and Elizabeth responded by exhausting her own funds and her family’s store of corn in support of the hungry. For many years later, Elizabeth's subjects reported that during the famine Elizabeth fed more than 1,000 people every day. Elizabeth took special care of orphans, and was prudent with her support of the poor, employing anyone who could work.
The castle that Elizabeth lived in was built high on a steep outcropping, and the road to it was steep and rocky—the people there called the path the “knee-smasher.” The sick and elderly were not able to approach it and receive her help, so she built a hospital at the foot of the path, and she even worked there herself, feeding people, making beds, and attending to their needs with her own hands.
After six years of marriage, Louis left on a crusade to Jerusalem but died from the plague while on the journey. Elizabeth was inconsolable when she heard the news, repeating over and over: “He is dead. He is dead. It is to me as if the whole world died today.”
Louis’ death put Elizabeth's position in the court in a precarious position, but Elizabeth refused to remarry, and thus she fell from power. Her family made arrangements to support her and her children, and Elizabeth withdrew from the life of the nobility to pursue holiness as a chaste widow.
For some time, Elizabeth had a stern priest as a spiritual mentor, Conrad of Marburg. After Louis’ death, the priest was given much more power to direct Elizabeth’s life. He may have had good intentions, but he was very strict and deprived Elizabeth of anything that might bring her joy, even beating her for infringements.
She remained humble, and clung to her prayer and support of the poor. When she had the opportunity to return to the royal court of her parents, she refused, wanting to stay near her children, the grave of her husband, and the poor whom she loved. Though she had very little, she continued to give what she had to those who suffered—even fishing in streams to be able to sell her catch to support families who had nothing.
Elizabeth fell ill and died on November 17, 1231, at the age of 24. Her holiness was apparent to everyone, and she was proclaimed a saint just four years later. Her life had a great influence on other noble women who sought to imitate her holiness—St. Hedwig, St. Agnes of Bohemia and St. Judith, among others. Some relics of St. Elizabeth rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus. She is depicted in the Basilica in both images featured in this biography.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary, friend of the poor and peaceful ruler—pray for us!
To learn even more about Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, watch this video lecture from the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame.
