November 5

Relative of Mary and Mother of St. John the Baptist.
Born: 1st Century BC.
Died: 1st Century AD.

Descendant of the Old Testament patriarch, Aaron. Wife of Zachary, temple priest. Relative of Mary. Mother of Saint John the Baptist, becoming pregnant very late in life. She was the Elizabeth that Mary visited soon after the Annunciation. Described in the Gospel of Luke as "righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly."

Prayer...

Dear Saint Elizabeth,

Your cousin, Mary, came first to you
with the earth-shaking news
that she was to be the Mother of God.

You must have met her announcement
with profound amazement but with total trust
in Mary's unimpeachable truthfulness.

You knew Mary to be modest, kind, prayerful, and in every way a remarkable woman.

Yet how astounding was her revelation to you!

What an honor to be the very first human
to hear these epochal tidings of happy joy,
this world-changing, humanity-saving, news.

Please accept my veneration to you, who were
honored to hear first of the coming salvation of mankind. Prompt me always, dear Elizabeth, to live my life as worthy of the glorious inheritance which God has promised to all those who are faithful to His Word.

Please intercede for me with your cousin, Mary, our mother, and her Son,
our Lord and King.

All this I pray of you, Elizabeth,

Amen.