The Blessed Virgin Mary’s Appearances to St Elizabeth of Hungary and Her Wonderful Counsels

(Taken From The life of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary By Montalembert, Charles Forbes, comte de, 1810-1870 Imprimatur of Archbishop Farley of New York)
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St. Elizabeth of Hungary was born at Presbourg, 
in the year 1207, and from her cradle gave pledges of 
the sublime destiny for which God reserved her. Three 
years old, she expressed her compassion for the poor, 
and sought to alleviate their misery. A monk, blind 
from the age of four years, was suddenly cured by her 
touch, and exclaimed, “All Hungary rejoices in this 
child, for she has brought peace with her Touch” She was 
a contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi, and having 
endured great persecutions, two years before her death 
assumed the Franciscan habit. The Pope sent her the 
old mantle of her holy father St. Francis, which dying 
she bequeathed to one of her companions, with these 
words : ” Heed not that it is patched, torn, and miser- 
able — for it was the most precious treasure I ever pos- 
sessed. I declare to thee, that whenever I asked any 
special favor from my beloved Jesus, and that I prayed covered with this cloak, He granted my wishes, always 
with infinite mercy”.
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The Blessed Virgin and St. John the Evangelist frequently appeared to her and favored her with celes- 
tial communications. One night while Elizabeth recited the Angelical Salutation,’ she to whom this beauteous prayer is addressed appeared, and among other things said : ‘ I will teach thee all the prayers that I used to say whilst I was in the temple. Beyond all else, I used to beg of God that I might love Him, and hate my enemy. There is no virtue without this absolute love of God, by which alone the plenitude of grace descends into the soul ; but, after entering there, it flows away again unless the soul hates its enemies that is to say, vice and sin. He then who would preserve this grace should endeavor to make this love and 
this hatred operate in his heart. I wish that thou wouldst learn to do as I did. I arose every night, and prostrated before the altar and I begged of God to teach me to observe all His commandments, and to grant me those graces most pleasing to Him. I supplicated Him to permit me to see the time wherein should live the Holy Virgin who was to bring forth His Son, that I might consecrate my whole being to serve and venerate her.” 
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Elizabeth interrupted her to say, ” most sweet Lady, were you not already full of grace and virtue’ 
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But the Holy Virgin replied, ‘Be assured that I thought 
myself as guilty and as miserable as thou thinkest thy- 
self ; that was why I prayed to God to grant me this 
grace. The Lord added that the Blessed Queen, ” did with 
me what the skillful musician does with his harp disposing all its chords so as to produce the most harmonious sound. It was thus the Lord was pleased to adapt to His good pleasure my soul, my heart, my mind, and all my senses. Thus governed by His wisdom, I was often borne by the angels to God’s presence, and their I experienced so much joy, and sweetness, and consolation, that this world was entirely banished from my memory. So familiar was I with God and His angels, that it seemed as if I lived always with this holy court. Then when it pleased the Almighty Father, I was again brought before the angels to the place where I had been praying. When I found myself again upon earth, and remembered where I had been, this thought so inflamed my soul with such a love of God, that I embraced the earth, the stones, the trees, and all created things, through affection for their Creator. I wished to be the servant of all the holy women who dwelt in the temple ; I wished to be subject to all creatures through love for the Supreme Father. Thou shouldst do this also ; but thou askest thyself always, Why are such favors granted to me, who am so unworthy to receive them and then thou fallest into a kind of despair and distrust of the goodness of God. Be careful not to speak thus any more, for it displeases God, 
who, like a good master, can confer His benefits on whom He pleases, and who, like a wise Father, knows what is best suited to each child. In finishing said Her Heavenly instructress in conclusion, ”I have come to thee by a special favor ; this night I am thine ; ask what thou pleasest, I will answer all.” 
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During the vigil of Christmas, Elizabeth begged of the Lord to grant her grace to love Him with her whole heart ; the most Blessed among women appeared to her 
again, and asked, ” Who is it that loves God dost 
thou?” The humble Elizabeth dared not affirm that 
she did, and yet was unwilling to deny it. While she 
hesitated to answer, Mary continued : ” Dost thou wish 
that I should tell thee who loved Him? The blessed 
Bartholomew did, as likewise did St. John and Saint 
Laurence. Wouldst thou, like them, endure being 
flayed alive, or burned, for His sake?” Elizabeth remaining still silent, Mary resumed : ” Indeed, I say unto thee, if thou will consent to be deprived of all that is dear, precious, and loveable to thee, and even of thine own will, I will obtain for thee the same reward that Bartholomew received, when his skin was flayed off. If thou endurest insults patiently, thou wilt be like unto Laurence, when he suffered martyrdom ; if thou keepest silence when reproached and offended, thou wilt merit grace, as John did, when the wicked sought to poison him ; and in all this, I will be near to instruct and fortify thee’.
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One day, when at meditation, as Elizabeth thought 
upon the prayers the Holy Virgin had told her She 
made in the temple, she asked herself, ”Why did 
Mary seek for graces that never failed her?” The 
Queen of Heaven appeared, and answered her with 
gentle sweetness and familiarity : ‘I did,” said She, 
“as a man who would wish to construct a fair fountain. 
He goes to the foot of a mountain, examines carefully 
whence springs the water ; he digs until he finds the 
-source, and then directs the stream to the spot wherein 
he would have his fountain ; this place lies constructs, 
so that the water must remain pure and fresh ; he surrounds his fountain with a wall, erects a pillar, and all 
around he makes canals, wherein the water may flow 
plentifully, for the comfort of all. Thus did I act, I 
went to the mountain, when I began to study the Holy 
Law. I found the source, when I learned that to love 
God with the whole heart was the origin of all good. 
I prepared the place when I conceived the desire of 
loving all that He loved. I willed that the water 
should be pure and clear when I resolved to fly and 
hate sin. I surrounded it with walls when I joined hu- 
mility, patience and meekness to the fire of charity. 
I erected the pillar and formed the canals when I became, as it were, an universal Refuge for I am always 
ready to bring torrents of grace and consolation from on 
High to those who invoke Me for themselves, or others. 
I have revealed to thee,” said She in conclusion, ” my 
beloved daughter, all the prayers that I used, in order 
that, by my example, thou shouldst supplicate God, in 
all confidence and humility, for all thou requirest. Knowest thou why virtues are not equally given to all men? Because some know not how to ask them with such humility, nor preserve them with so much care as others ; that is why God wishes that he who has less, should be aided by those who possess more. And I wish that thou shouldst pray fervently for thine own salvation and that of others.
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These wonderful interviews over, Elizabeth saw, one day, a tomb covered with flowers, out of which her sweet Blessed Mother arose, and was borne to Heaven by myriads of celestial spirits, who conducted Her to the arms of Her divine Son. An angel came to explain to her this vision of the Assumption, which was granted as a favor, intended to enable her to endure her present sufferings, and also to foreshadow the glory which God had in store for her, should she persevere to the end, faithful and docile to His divine will.”

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