Two little stories of Elizabeth of Hungary illustrate this point and show the reward which such service brings. Her kindness to the sick and the poor was unbounded. Once she brought a leprous child to her palace and laid it in her own bed, because there was no other place to lay it. Her husband heard of it and came in some displeasure and drew down the cover of the bed to see if the object concealed there was really as loathsome as he had heard. And lo! Instead of the festering and leprous body he saw the Saviour, radiant with glory, and turned away awe stricken and yet glad. That was what Jesus said: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me.” The ministries rendered to the poor, the suffering, the tempted, the sorrowing, are wrought as to Christ himself.
Another of these legends of Elizabeth tells that once she was bearing her cloak full of loaves to the poor whom she daily fed. Her husband met her, and being amazed at the size of the load she bore looked to see what it was, and found only flowers. The loaves were as light as they were fragrant to the noble woman who carried them for the love she bore her Lord. So always the duties we perform out of love for him and his suffering ones become easy and pleasant as we take them up. Heaven’s benediction rests ever on the home of her who lives to do good.
From chapter 3, “The Wife’s Part”.
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