Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious
Lectionary: 207
Lectionary: 207
Children,
let no one deceive you.
The person who acts in righteousness is righteous,
just as he is righteous.
Whoever sins belongs to the Devil,
because the Devil has sinned from the beginning.
Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil.
No one who is begotten by God commits sin,
because God’s seed remains in him;
he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.
In this way,
the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain;
no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God,
nor anyone who does not love his brother.
The person who acts in righteousness is righteous,
just as he is righteous.
Whoever sins belongs to the Devil,
because the Devil has sinned from the beginning.
Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil.
No one who is begotten by God commits sin,
because God’s seed remains in him;
he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.
In this way,
the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain;
no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God,
nor anyone who does not love his brother.
Responsorial
Psalm PS 98:1, 7-8, 9
R.
(3cd) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy before the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD comes;
he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy before the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD comes;
he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Gospel JN 1:35-42
John
was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
“What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
“You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
“What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
“You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.
Meditation: "We have found the Messiah!"
Who
is Jesus for you? John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus
signifies Jesus' mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of
the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites from
their oppression in Egypt and from the plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely
offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins
(1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on the cross
cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the "wages
of sin which is death" (Romans 6:23) and the "destruction of both body
and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28). It is significant that John was the son
of the priest, Zachariah, who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in
the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). In Jesus John saw the true
and only sacrifice which could deliver us from bondage to sin, death, and the
powers of hell. How did John know the true identity of Jesus, as the Son of God
and Savior of the world (John 1:29)? The Holy Spirit revealed to John Jesus'
true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can
we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The
Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith.
God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may comprehend – with enlightened
minds and eyes of faith – the great mystery and plan of God to unite all things
in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
John
in his characteristic humility was eager to point beyond himself to the Christ.
He did not hesitate to direct his own disciples to the Lord Jesus. When two of
John’s disciples began to seek Jesus out, Jesus took the initiative to invite
them into his company. He did not wait for them to get his attention. Instead
he met them halfway. He asked them one of the most fundamental questions of
life: “What are you looking for?” Jesus asks each one of us the same question:
“What are you searching for? Do you know the meaning and purpose for your
life?” Only God, the Father and Author of life, can answer that question and
make our purpose fully known to us. That is why the Lord Jesus invites each one
of us to draw near to himself. He wants us to know him personally – to know
what he came to do for us and what he wants to offer us. "Come and
see" is the Lord's invitation for each one of us to discover the joy of
friendship and communion with the One who made us in love for love. Saint
Augustine of Hippo reminds us that it is God our Creator and Redeemer who seeks
us out, even when we are not looking for him: “If you hadn’t been called by God,
what could you have done to turn back? Didn’t the very One who called you when
you were opposed to Him make it possible for you to turn back?” It is God who
initiates and who draws us to himself. Without his mercy and help we could not
find him on our own.
When
we find something of great value it's natural to want to share the good news of
our discovery with our family, friends, and neighbors. When Andrew met Jesus
and discovered that he was truly the Messiah, he immediately went to his
brother Simon and told him the good news. Andrew brought his brother to meet
Jesus so he could "come and see" for himself. When Jesus saw Simon
approaching he immediately reached out to Simon in the same way he had done for
Andrew earlier. Jesus looked at Simon and revealed that he knew who Simon was
and where he came from even before Simon had set his eyes on Jesus. Jesus gave
Simon a new name which signified that God had a personal call and mission for
him. Jesus gave Simon the name "Cephas" which is the Aramaic word for
"rock". Cephas is translated as Peter (Petros in Greek
and Petrus in Latin) which also literally means "rock".
To
call someone a "rock" was one of the greatest compliments in the
ancient world. The rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed:
"I have discovered a rock to found the world upon". Through Abraham
God established a nation for himself. Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus
truly was – the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only
begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual
house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter
2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. The Holy
Spirit gives us the gift of faith to know the Lord Jesus personally, power to
live the gospel faithfully, and courage to witness the truth and joy of the
gospel to others. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to draw us to himself. Do
you seek to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ?
"Lord
Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may grow in the
knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart
that I may joyfully seek to do your will in all things."
 The Right Word at the Right Time |
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Memorial of Saint
Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious
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ohn 1: 35-42
John was with two of his disciples, and as
he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two
disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them
following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him,
“Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to
them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and
followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have
found the Messiah” which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be
called Cephas” which is translated Peter.
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah,
the Lamb of God come into the world to save us. Thank you for revealing
yourself to us. I humbly offer you now my mind and heart to focus on your
Divine Word, so I may better know and understand your will for me.
Petition: Jesus, help me to put you first in my life
and strive to help others to know you.
1. Knowing When to Let Go: Here, we see St. John the Baptist in
action and the fruits of his fidelity to God’s plan. As he discreetly
redirects two of his best disciples to follow Christ, his humility is in full
play. Not only does he accept the fact that he must take second stage to
Jesus; he actively works for this to happen. It can be very difficult for us
to seek only God’s glory and the good of those around us. Our hearts easily
attach themselves to people, to areas of responsibility and to the attention
we may get because of what we do — whether it be in our profession, private
lives, parish or in a volunteer religious organization. However, if we really
want to do God’s will, we have to know when it’s time for us to let go. Like
John the Baptist, the only thing we should have our hearts totally set on is
establishing Christ’s kingdom.
2. Facing the Consequences:Thanks to St. John the Baptist’s
faithfulness to his mission, two men — Andrew and John — meet Jesus and
recognize that he is the Messiah. John the Baptist never knew the final
results of his actions, but he trusted in the Holy Spirit and did what he
felt God wanted. The one phrase he spoke in that moment — “Behold the Lamb of
God” — had repercussions for the history of the Church and the world. Without
those words spoken at that moment, we might never have had the Gospel of St.
John, his letters and the book of Revelation, or the evangelizing work of St.
Andrew. Jesus might have called Andrew and John some other way, but they
would have lost precious time. We ourselves do not know how much is hanging
on our fidelity to God’s plan in our life. Before saying “no” to God, we
should ask ourselves if we’re willing to risk the consequences for ourselves
and for others.
3. Sharing the Treasure: Andrew, in turn, went to share the
news of meeting Jesus and recognizing him as the Messiah with his brother
Simon. Simon might well have laughed at him or ignored him. Jesus was not
considered a likely figure for Messiahship — he was a carpenter’s son from a
little town that another future apostle, Nathaniel, referred to with scorn.
However, Andrew knew that he’d found a treasure and felt the need to share
his discovery with his family and friends. Thanks to his enthusiasm, Simon,
the future St. Peter, met Jesus. The rest is history. We should ask
ourselves: Have I really discovered Jesus in the light of faith? Have I
discovered the hope and joy that come from knowing him as my savior? If so,
have I overcome any fear, timidity or human respect that might keep me from
sharing this treasure with others?
Conversation with Christ: Thank you, my Lord, for helping me to see
the way to serve you better. Thank you for the saints, who show us of how to
be your apostles in the world. Give me the wisdom to know your will in my
life and the strength and trust to follow through with it!
Resolution: From now on, I will try to be more
courageous in sharing my faith with others and in getting them involved so
that they can have a life-changing personal encounter with Christ.
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, JOHN 1:35-42
(1 John 3:7-10; Psalm 98)
(1 John 3:7-10; Psalm 98)
KEY VERSE: "He said to them, `Come, and you will see." (v.39)
READING: The day after Jesus' baptism, John saw Jesus and called him the "Lamb of God" who had come to take away the world's sins (v.29,36). Two of the Baptist's disciples followed Jesus out of curiosity. Upon seeing them, Jesus invited the two to follow him as his disciples. They addressed Jesus as their "Rabbi" (teacher), but soon discovered that Jesus wais the "Messiah," God's anointed one (v.41). One of the pair, Andrew, brought his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus changed Simon's name to "Kephas," an Aramaic word for "rock" (Gk. "Petros"). Changing a person's name signified a new relationship and function. Peter would be the foundation upon which Jesus built his Church.
REFLECTING: Who can I bring to Jesus?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to learn who you are in my daily walk with you.
Memorial of Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious
Born into an Episcopalian family, Elizabeth married William Magee, a wealthy businessman. About ten years into the marriage, her husband's business failed, and soon after he died of tuberculosis. Elizabeth was left as an impoverished widow with five small children. For years Elizabeth had felt drawn to Catholicism and she entered the Church in March, 1805. To support her family, and insure the proper education of her children, she opened a school in Boston. Though a private and secular institution, she ran it along the lines of a religious community. At the invitation of the archbishop, she established a Catholic girl's school in Baltimore, Maryland which initiated the parochial school system in America. She founded the Sisters of Charity in 1809, the first American religious community for women
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God
‘You shall be called Cephas.’.jpg)
After a succession of messengers, Peter is finally presented to Jesus and this fisherman is named to lead the Christian community. This gospel has a powerful and wonderful meaning. The same Peter is said to call out, ‘Lord to whom would we go? You are the Saviour of the world!’ Such knowing! He must have been given a receptive heart as well as his fishing boat. And those impulsive leaps in to the sea, trying to get to his friend, Jesus! Finally, the words of love from Jesus, ‘Do you love me more than these?’ Can’t you hear his mystified answer in today’s lingo: ‘Hey man, what are you on about? Of course I love you!’ And the guiding principle from Jesus - ‘Look after my people.’ A tiny part of each of us can be like Peter, in our searching and in our care of others.
January 4
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
(1774-1821)
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
(1774-1821)
Mother Seton is one of the keystones of the American Catholic
Church. She founded the first American religious community for women, the
Sisters of Charity. She opened the first American parish school and established
the first American Catholic orphanage. All this she did in the span of 46 years
while raising her five children.
Elizabeth
Ann Bayley Seton is a true daughter of the American Revolution, born August 28,
1774, just two years before the Declaration of Independence. By birth and
marriage, she was linked to the first families of New York and enjoyed the
fruits of high society. Reared a staunch Episcopalian by her mother and
stepmother, she learned the value of prayer, Scripture and a nightly
examination of conscience. Her father, Dr. Richard Bayley, did not have much
use for churches but was a great humanitarian, teaching his daughter to love
and serve others.
The early
deaths of her mother in 1777 and her baby sister in 1778 gave Elizabeth a feel
for eternity and the temporariness of the pilgrim life on earth. Far from being
brooding and sullen, she faced each new “holocaust,” as she put it, with
hopeful cheerfulness.
At 19,
Elizabeth was the belle of New York and married a handsome, wealthy
businessman, William Magee Seton. They had five children before his business
failed and he died of tuberculosis. At 30, Elizabeth was widowed, penniless,
with five small children to support.
While in
Italy with her dying husband, Elizabeth witnessed Catholicity in action through
family friends. Three basic points led her to become a Catholic: belief in the
Real Presence, devotion to the Blessed Mother and conviction that the Catholic
Church led back to the apostles and to Christ. Many of her family and friends
rejected her when she became a Catholic in March 1805.
To
support her children, she opened a school in Baltimore. From the beginning, her
group followed the lines of a religious community, which was officially founded
in 1809.
The
thousand or more letters of Mother Seton reveal the development of her
spiritual life from ordinary goodness to heroic sanctity. She suffered great
trials of sickness, misunderstanding, the death of loved ones (her husband and
two young daughters) and the heartache of a wayward son. She died January 4,
1821, and became the first American-born citizen to be beatified (1963) and
then canonized (1975). She is buried in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Comment:
Elizabeth Seton had no extraordinary gifts. She was not a mystic or stigmatic. She did not prophesy or speak in tongues. She had two great devotions: abandonment to the will of God and an ardent love for the Blessed Sacrament. She wrote to a friend, Julia Scott, that she would prefer to exchange the world for a “cave or a desert.” “But God has given me a great deal to do, and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.” Her brand of sanctity is open to everyone if we love God and do his will.
Elizabeth Seton had no extraordinary gifts. She was not a mystic or stigmatic. She did not prophesy or speak in tongues. She had two great devotions: abandonment to the will of God and an ardent love for the Blessed Sacrament. She wrote to a friend, Julia Scott, that she would prefer to exchange the world for a “cave or a desert.” “But God has given me a great deal to do, and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.” Her brand of sanctity is open to everyone if we love God and do his will.
Quote:
Elizabeth Seton told her sisters, “The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will.”
Elizabeth Seton told her sisters, “The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will.”
Patron Saint of:
Loss of parents
Loss of parents
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 1, 35-42
Lectio:
Saturday, January 4, 2014
The call of the first disciples
.jpg)
PRAYER
Dear Father, You who are the God Almighty and
Merciful God, receive the prayer of your children, the Savior that you have
sent a new light on the horizon of the world, rises again and shine on our
entire lives. He is God ..
READING
From the Gospel of John (1, 35-42)
The next day John was there again with two of
his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb
of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus
turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking
for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means
Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come,
and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed
with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of
Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first
found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah"
(which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at
him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called
Cephas" (which is translated Peter).
MEDITATION
In the first chapter of his Gospel, John takes
us through a sort time of travel, a week long, punctuated by the repetition,
three times, the expression "the day after" (vv. 29, 35 and 43). Our
track puts us in the second of these moments, the central one and then the most
important one, characterized by physical and spiritual transition of the first
disciples of John to Jesus' "day after" the meeting, the choice of
the following.
Our scene is crossed and brought to life by a
very intense exchange of looks: from John to Jesus (v. 35), from Jesus to the
two disciples (v. 38) by the disciples of Jesus (vv. 38-39); and finally again
Jesus speaks to us in his gazing, in the person of Peter (v. 42).
The evangelist uses verbs different, but all
full of nuances, it does not deal with superficial looks, distracted, transient
but rather of deep contacts, intense, that depart from the heart from the soul.
Jesus, the Lord looks at his disciples and us, so that, in our turn, we should
learn to look at him. The verb that closes the passage is beautiful; "to
look" that means literally "to look inside".
Jesus is walking along the sea, along the
shores of our lives and John, acts as a photographer, records it. He uses the
verbs in the participle to tell us that today, Jesus still is passing by us,
and our lives can be visited and crossed by him and our world can welcome the
imprints of his footsteps.
The center of the passage is perhaps precisely
in the movement of Jesus, He walks first, then turns and stops, his eyes, his
heart, about the life of the two disciples. Jesus "turns", that
changes, adapts, leaves his position before and assumes another. Here Jesus is
revealed as God incarnate, God came among us, man. He turned from the bosom of
the Father and turned toward us.
It is beautiful to see how the Lord draws us
in his movements, in his own life; In fact, he invites the two disciples to
"come and see." You can not sit still, when he met the Lord, and his
presence puts us in motion, makes us get up from our old positions and makes us
run. We try to collect all the verbs referring to the disciples in this
passage: "followed him" (v. 37); "followed him" (v. 38);
"they went ... they saw ... they stayed with him" (v. 39).
The first part of the passage closes with the
beautiful experience of the first two disciples who remain with Jesus, they
later came into his house and they stayed with Him 'the path of salvation, of
true happiness, which is offered to us. only when we accept to remain, to stand
still, firm, determined, in love, without turning to and fro, toward one or the
other master of the moment, one or the other new love of life. Because when
there is Jesus, the Lord, when you were invited by him, nothing is missing.
QUESTIONS
The scan time of this part of the Gospel, with
its "day after" shows us that the Lord is not an abstract reality and
distant, but he enters our days, our years, in our concrete existence. I'm
willing to open to Him my time, to share with him my life? I am ready to
deliver into his hands my present, my future, so that He can drive any of my
"day after"?
The disciples make a wonderful spiritual
journey, highlighted by the verbs "heard, followed, went, saw, and
stayed." Do I want, too, starting this beautiful adventure with Jesus? Do
I open my ears to hear, to listen deeply and so I can give my positive response
to the love of the Father who wants to join me? Do I feel to be born in me the
joy of starting a new journey, walking behind Jesus? And then, do I want my
heart and eyes are wide open to begin to see what really happens in and around
me and to recognize in any event the presence of the Lord?
Peter receives a new name from Jesus and his
life is completely transformed. Do I feel like today to give to the Father my
name, my life and my whole person, so that He may again give me a new birth as
his son and daughter, calling me by a name that God in His infinite love he
thought for us?
FINAL PRAYER
The LORD is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures you let me graze;
to safe waters you lead me;
You restore my strength.
You guide me along the right path for the sake
of your name.
Even when I walk through a dark valley,
I fear no harm for you are at my side.
(Psalm 23)
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