Having Trouble Managing or dreading dealing with the "In-Laws" during the upcoming Holidays? Saint Elizabeth of Hungary feels your pain and can help you grin and bear it!
Way before Zsa Zsa Gabor was disqualified in the Miss Hungary Beauty Contest in 1936, the people of Hungary had Elizabeth of Hungary as their role model.
Elizabeth was born in the 13th Century, and, according to the http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ story about her, (featured in its entirety, at left) her parents went about arranging her future marriage when she was a mere 4 years old!
Although that plan did not work out, Elizabeth still married early, became Queen, had 3 kids and lived a happy life. That is, until her husband died while he was on a crusade. It was then that things got difficult with the in-laws.
Elizabeth's brother-in-law, Henry, kicked Elizabeth out of her castle, along with her 3 kids, one of whom was the rightful heir to the throne!
She persevered, however, and soon becme part of a Franciscan Order where she worked hard to help the poor, teaching them how to fend for themselves in difficult times. She did, after all, have first-hand knowledge of that, "thanks" to her mean old brother-in-law, Henry.
Sadly, she wound up with another loser, Conrad of Marzburg, who was violent and cruel, and beat her mercilessly..
But Elizabeth of Hungary still managed to practice what is sometimes called "mindfulness" these days, (loosely defined here as a principle, Buddhist in origin, that is sort of like repeating a mantra that says "mind over matter") and again persevered through her hardships.
Elizabeth died at the young age of 24. She went on the fast track and became a saint only four years later.
Today, November 17th, is Saint Elizabeth of Hungary's "Feast Day," a day to celebrate her life, her virtue, and her example.
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary asks all of us, who may be grousing about the Holidays and the in-laws, to just "suck it up and deal," adding, "If your in-laws may be annoying to you, you're probably annoying to them too. Call it a wash!" Saint Elizabeth reminds us to "rise above other peoples' differences that seem irksome, and celebrate differences instead!"
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