Wednesday, November 17, 2021

- November 16, 2021

SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY

Proverbs, Chapter 1, Verse 28-29

²⁸ Then they will call me, but I will not answer; they will seek me, but will not find me, ²⁹ because they hated knowledge, and the FEAR of the Lord they did not choose.

Wisdom is personified in this proverb; and she proclaims the moral order, threatening to leave to their own devices those who disregard her invitation. Wisdom comes to those who make their hearts ready.

The Beginning of Knowledge[1]

The Book of Proverbs begins with a short mission statement. It says that it's here to instruct people in—wisdom. But it'll also take time to drop some knowledge about justice, equity, shrewdness, and stuff like that. It's targeting this wisdom at an audience including the young and the simple—people who really need it—as well as the wise, so they can kick their wisdom up to Dragon Ball Z levels of firepower. It states that wisdom begins by fearing (and revering) God.

Shun Evil Counsel (Media?!)

· As the actual dispensing of wisdom begins, the author speaks like a parent urging a son to obey his mother and father, since they've got good advice to give.

· If sinners try to get you to go and ambush innocent people and kill them and steal all their stuff, the author says you should walk away and avoid them.

· These evil robber-murderers are actually going to kill themselves (because their sins will come back to get them). They are like hunters setting a net while the bird they're trying to catch is watching them (kind of like Wile E. Coyote stalking the Roadrunner).

· This is what happens to people who are greedy—they lose their lives.

The Call of Wisdom

· The author imagines Wisdom as being a person—specifically, a woman—who walks through the streets calling out to the ignorant and simple people, asking them how long they'll remain without wisdom.

· She says that she'll pour out her insights to anyone who pays attention to her. But she'll mock the people who refuse to listen, and who bring disasters and panic on themselves by their willful stupidity.

· They'll try to find her once they've fallen into calamity, but they won't be able to, because they failed to fear God and heed wisdom's advice earlier. It'll be too late.

· So, Wisdom says, if you pay heed now, you'll be fine.

Decision Making[2]

Wisdom is the true goal of good leadership, rather self or leading a group. Without leadership and wisdom everything stops; (kind of like congress). Wisdom eludes the selfish and Godless. True wisdom is an act of faith. John Maxwell gives us the following guidelines as outlined in this proverb.

1. The foundation of every decision is to honor and revere God (v.7).

2. We must build of our heritage and conscience: what values are we to embrace? (v. 8-9) (Life, Liberty, Legacy)

3. We must avoid the counsel of the ungodly (v. 10-19) (cnn?)

4. We must pursue wisdom. What are the facts? What are the options? (v.20-13)

5. We must move toward inward peace (v. 32-33).

St. Elizabeth of Hungary[3] Scrutiny of the Powerful

St. Elizabeth, Duchess of Thuringia, it is said that the servant of God lost her mother, Gertrude, Queen of Hungary, about the year 1220. In the spirit of a holy Christian daughter, she gave abundant alms, redoubled her prayers and mortifications, exhausted the resources of her charity for the relief of that dear soul. God revealed to her that she had not done too much. One night the deceased appeared to her with a sad and emaciated countenance; she placed herself on her knees next to the bed, and said to her, weeping, “My daughter, you see at your feet your mother overwhelmed with suffering. I come to implore you to multiply your suffrages, that Divine Mercy may deliver me from the frightful torments I endure.

Oh! how much are those to be pitied who exercise authority over others? I expiate now the faults that I committed upon the throne. Oh! my daughter, I pray you by the pangs I endured when bringing you into the world, by the cares and anxieties which your education cost me, I conjure you to deliver me from my torments.” Elizabeth, deeply touched, arose immediately, took the discipline to blood, and implored God, with tears, to have mercy on her mother, Gertrude, declaring that she would not cease to pray until she had obtained her deliverance. Her prayers were heard.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary[4]

Elizabeth was the daughter of the Hungarian King Andrew II. At the age of four (b. 1207), she was brought to the court of her future husband, Ludwig, landgrave of Thuringia. After her marriage in 1221, she very conscientiously fulfilled her duties both toward her husband and as a servant of God.

During the night she would rise from bed and spend long periods in prayer. Zealously she performed all types of charitable acts; she put herself at the service of widows, orphans, the sick, the needy.

During a famine she generously distributed all the grain from her stocks, cared for lepers in one of the hospitals she established, kissed their hands and feet. For the benefit of the indigent, she provided suitable lodging. After the early death of her husband (in 1227 while on a crusade led by Emperor Frederick II), Elizabeth laid aside all royal dignities in order to serve God more freely. She put on simple clothing, became a tertiary of St. Francis, and showed great patience and humility.

Nor was she spared intense suffering - the goods belonging to her as a widow were withheld, she was forced to leave Wartburg. In Eisenach no one dared receive her out of fear of her enemies. Upon much pleading a shepherd of the landgrave permitted her to use an abandoned pig sty. No one was allowed to visit or aid her; with her three children, of whom the youngest was not more than a few months old, she was forced to wander about in the winter's cold.

In 1228 she took the veil of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis at Marburg and there built a hospital with some property still belonging to her. She retained for herself only a small mud house. All her strength and care were now devoted to the poor and the sick, while she obtained the few things she needed by spinning. Young in years but rich in good works, she slept in the Lord in 1231, only twenty-four years old.

Things to Do

· Love for the poor is characteristic of every genuine follower of Christ, those lacking the truth are the poorest of the poor, spend some time on a regular basis studying your faith (by reading or taking a home study course) so that you will be prepared to feed those who are hungry for the truth.

· Teach your children the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and give them practical examples.

· Have your children help you bake bread like St. Elizabeth and distribute some to your neighbors.

· St. Elizabeth is the patroness of the Franciscan Third Order (tertiary) and of all Catholic Charities. Find out more about what a third order is, particularly the Franciscan Third Order.

· See Nameday Ideas for St. Elizabeth, including dessert and symbols and prayers.

· Follow these links for some wonderful works of art of St. Elizabeth:

o Anonymous Sienese medallion (XIV Century): St. Elizabeth of Hungary

o Collinson, James: St. Elizabeth of Hungary

o Martini, Simone: St. Clare and St. Elizabeth of Hungary.

o Martini, Simone: St. Elizabeth, St. Margaret and Henry of Hungary

National UnFriend a frenemy[5]

National UnFriend Day (NUD) is an unofficial holiday designed to promote unfriending other Facebook users that are not true friends. Social media now provides access to just about anyone, anywhere on the globe.

However, this easy global access exposes personal information to theft or misuse and unnecessary cluttering by other's junk posts. In this digital age, it is imperative that identities remain protected, and that time spent on social media be reduced and replaced by face-to-face human interaction. National UnFriend Day was originally conceived and proposed by TV personality Jimmy Kimmel on November 17, 2010 in an effort to remind society of the true meaning of friendship. Kimmel believes that there are many Facebook offenses that can lead to unfriending someone, some of which include, posting too much, spell-checking too little, repetitively posting the same kind of material, not googling before asking questions, being on Facebook all the time and sending in-app Facebook requests for games. In addition to unfriending irritating offenders, it is advisable to unfriend those whom you no longer have steady contact with and any unknown users that may have access to your information and posts.

National UnFriend Day Facts & Quotes

· According to a report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping navigate the world of media and technology, teenagers spend about 9 hours a day consuming media, 1.5 hours of which is spent on social media.

· As of January 2016, compared to other social networks, Facebook is the leading social network with approximately 1.6 billion active monthly users. This is in comparison to WhatsApp (900 million active monthly users), Instagram (400 million active monthly users) and Twitter (320 million active monthly users).

· The average Facebook user has 338 friends. 27% of young Facebook users have more than 500 friends, compared an average of 100 friends for 72% of Facebook users who are older than 65 years of age.

· 36% of Facebook users strongly dislike it when someone shares too much information or photos about themselves, as well as when they post photos of others without asking for permission.

· I encourage you to cut out some of the friend fat in your life. A friend is someone you have a special relationship with. It's not someone who asks which Harry Potter character you are.- Jimmy Kimmel, November 2010

National UnFriend Day Top Events and Things to Do

· Go through your privacy settings on Facebook. Keep in mind that some of the people that you have previously friended may not be friends at all. Your privacy settings can control who is able to see your content and whose content will show up on your news feed.

· Decide who you are going to unfriend on Facebook. Facebook also offers the possibility of making friends into acquaintances. Your acquaintance list can then be separated from your friend list, allowing you to publish and read 'friend-only' content.

· Review your posting habits. Have you been posting too much content, or have you been posting photos of your friends, without receiving permission? Check to see whether you have also violated any Facebook UnFriend Day Offenses as defined by Jimmy Kimmel.

· Watch movies about friendship. Here are some to consider:
1) Stand by Me (1986)
2) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
3) Good Will Hunting (1997)
4) The Intouchables (2011)
5) The Social Network (2010)
6) The Bucket List (2007)
7) As Good as it Gets (1997)

Every Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph

The Italian culture has always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass. You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.

· Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

· Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.

· The Year of St. Joseph

Daily Devotions

· Today's Fast: Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Individuals with Mental Illness

· Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

· Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 3