"…be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
(John 5:48)

From a very early age we are encouraged by our parents to establish goals that will enable us to acquire a certain level of success in this world. It is important that we do so by focusing our attention to strive for excellence in all our endeavors. We set goals to obtain a better education, a promotion at work, or perhaps to win a particular athletic event. All these goals may be important, but what about the goals we set concerning our spiritual lives?

The saint that we wish to highlight this month is St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker. In her life we see that she, from a very young age, was confident in the goals she sought to pursue. It is recorded that she pledged herself to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with these words: "be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

At a very young age, St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker joined the monastic community of Ss. Kosmas and Damian in Constantinople. Her love for Christ was expressed through the compassion she poured upon all people, especially the less fortunate. The empathy shown by this saint relieved the suffering of the many people to whom she ministered. People from all walks of life heard of her great faith and humility and flocked to her to receive her blessings. The miracles attributed to her through Jesus Christ our Lord are numerous, but can be summed up in her dedication to serve humankind.

It is worthy to note that this saint possessed only one garment her entire life as a monastic. The daily chores expected of her, the changes of weather that would normally bring wear and tear to clothing, never changed the newness of her garment. She would rise from sleep each morning and her clothing would seem as fresh and clean as the day it was made. Even as she aged, the garment remained like new as if the Lord Himself had tailor-made her clothing.

St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker provides an excellent example of sharing her Time, Talents, and Treasure with the Church. Having given her possessions, these worldly Treasures to the poor before she entered the monastery, using her Talents to minister to all people, young and old, the sick and the healthy, offering her Time to pray for others and to bless them, made the people acknowledge her as a true instrument of the Lord.

We must learn from the life of St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker and realize that there is no greater gift to be shared than our love for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. In the lives of the saints we see how He has rewarded them and that we, too, may participate in His glory. Faithful and committed stewardship must be a result of this love and faith in our Redeemer. It requires effort that is unconditional and total, literally our whole being…if we do not give ourselves to the Lord first, then the Time, Talents, and Treasure we do offer will never be enough!

 

To learn more about the stewardship of the saints, click here.