Today is the feast of St. Jutta (died 1220), laywoman. Even in the olden days we had examples of great lay saints, often following the leads of other lay saints struggling their way to sanctity while balancing their many obligations in "the world" with their call to follow Jesus faithfully. In this case, her role model was St. Elizabeth of Hungary, so Jutta, after admirably raising her children, serving her husband til his death, and living very simply, she was able to follow her model much more closely. All her children having grown up and settled down, she divested herself of her property and devoted herself to helping the poor, dressing their wounds and feeding them.
She went on pilgrimage and though she was homeless (by choice), she received a building from her relative in Prussia when she went there. I would have thought perhaps she'd fix up the ruined house on the seashore and take in beggars, but no. She left it more or less in its "natural state" and lived alone, praying. Her special intentions were for conversions and for the perseverance of the baptized. She said three things could bring one very near to God: "painful illness, exile from home, and voluntary poverty." So true.
She was often seen levitated in prayer. She died of a fever in 1220 and many miracles were reported at her grave (near Kulmsee). St. Jutta, pray for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment