And then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. Matthew 27:29
“How could I bear a crown of gold when the Lord bears a crown of thorns? And bears it for me!”
Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) was born the daughter of Hungarian King Andrew II and Gertrude of Merania. Her mother was murdered in 1213 when she was just 6 years old. In 1221, at the age of 14, she was married to Ludwig. In 1223, she was inspired by the visit of Franciscan Friars, and resolved to follow Jesus like Francis of Assisi. Rather than live in splendor, she exchanged wealth and privilege for service the poor and the building of hospitals.
Another quote attributed to Elizabeth really moves Jenni and me as we travel to Budapest, Hungary, today (this post comes from London Heathrow en route): “We are made loveless by our possessions.” Think about it. When a person has abundance while many around them suffer, retaining what many need for survival is loveless. She learned to show God’s love through sharing and caring.
Elizabeth distributed the wealth of her family to care for the destitute when disease struck her region in 1226. Various sources note that she gave away the royal clothing and treasures to minister to many. Elizabeth set aside a crown of gold for Jesus, who wore a crown of thorns for her. One hospital she started cared for a thousand sick people. Sadly, her husband, Ludwig, died in 1227 of disease. She continued to minister to the sick and poor herself until 1231, when she died at the young age of 24. Her generous reputation is legendary because she imitated Jesus in her sacrificial living and giving.
What will people say about you and me? Will they report that we were made loveless or that we were generous with possessions?
Each of us is writing our own story through how we handle possessions.