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
PsalmPS 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.
AlleluiaHEB 1:1-2
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets:
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets:
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 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.
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, please go here.
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.
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, please go here.
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.
"What
do you seek?"
John in his characteristic humility was eager to point beyond himself to the Christ (means Anointed One and Messiah). 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.
John in his characteristic humility was eager to point beyond himself to the Christ (means Anointed One and Messiah). 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"
"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.
"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."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The first disciples longing for the
Messiah, by John Chrysostom (349-407 AD)
"Andrew,
after having stayed with Jesus and after having learned what he did, did not
keep the treasure to himself but hurries and races to his brother in order to
let him know the good things Jesus has shared with him. But why hasn’t John
mentioned what they talked about? How do we know this is why they 'stayed with
him'?... Observe what Andrew says to his brother, 'We have found the Messiah,
which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' You see how, in a short time, he
demonstrates not only the persuasiveness of the wise teacher but also his own
longing that he had from the beginning. For this word, 'we have found,' is the
expression of a soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from
above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that he hurries
to tell others the good news. This is what brotherly affection, natural
friendship, is all about when someone is eager to extend a hand to another when
it comes to spiritual matters. Also see how he adds the article, for he does
not say 'Messiah' but 'the Messiah.' They were expecting the Christ who would
have nothing in common with the others." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE
GOSPEL OF JOHN 19.1)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, JOHN 1:35-42
(I John 3:7-10; Psalm 98)
(I John 3:7-10; Psalm 98)
KEY VERSE: "He said to them, `Come, and you will see'" (v.39).
TO KNOW: The day after Jesus' baptism, John pointed out that Jesus was the "Lamb of God" who came to take away the world's sins (Jn 1:29, 36). Two of the Baptist's disciples followed Jesus out of curiosity. Upon seeing them, Jesus invited the pair to follow him as his disciples. The new disciples addressed Jesus as their "Rabbi" (teacher), but they soon discovered that Jesus was not only a great teacher, he was the "Messiah," God's anointed one (v.41). Andrew, one of the disciples, brought his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus changed Simon's name to Kephas, an Aramaic word for "rock" (Greek, Petros). Changing a person's name signified a new relationship and function. Peter would be the foundation upon which Jesus would build his Church.
TO LOVE: Let us "who hold and teach the Catholic faith that comes to us from the apostles" continue in our own time to hand on the faith that we have received, just as the apostles did in their time. [Eucharistic Prayer I]
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to learn who you are as I walk with you daily.
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious
Born into a wealthy Episcopalian family, at age 19 Elizabeth married a well-to-do businessman, William Magee Seton. About ten years into the marriage, her husband's business failed, and soon afterward 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. At the invitation of the archbishop, she established a Catholic girl's school in Baltimore, Maryland which initiated the parochial school system in America. In 809 she took her first vows as a religious. She established a congregation of nuns who took the name of the Sisters of St. Joseph. From then on Elizabeth was known as Mother Seton. Later they took the rule of the Daughters of Charity. She is the first American-born person to be declared a saint.
Saturday 4 January 2020
1 John 3:7-10. Psalm 97(98):1, 7-9. John 1: 35-42.
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God – Psalm 97(98):1, 7-9
‘We have found the Messiah.’
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God – Psalm 97(98):1, 7-9
‘We have found the Messiah.’
What a great way to begin the new year with the mysterious
reading of St John. So unexpected and yet so portentous. Seemingly, Jesus
wanders along through the village with no plan in mind and yet in a few short
encounters, lives are changed forever. The genuine friendship of John the
Baptist and Andrew lead others to a new awareness of being. They are introduced
to Jesus and their lives are profoundly changed. What did they recognise as
they stayed with Jesus? How different was his way?
Visualise a couple of friends at a sports match. One says: ‘Look
pal, I’m onto a good thing and I want share it with you.’ The friend answers:
‘Thanks. I’m ready to see.’ Sharing your faith in Jesus can be life-giving to
your family and friends. A new song can be heard every day and there are many
hungry hearts.
Saint of the Day for January 4
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
(August 28, 1774 – January 4, 1821)
 |
| Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in St. Paul Catholic Church, Westerville, Ohio | photo by Nheyob |
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Story
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, 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.
Reflection
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.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is the Patron Saint of:
Catholic School
Loss of Parents
Loss of Parents
Lectio Divina: John 1:35-42
Lectio Divina
Saturday, January 4, 2020
The call of the first disciples
1) PRAYER
Dear Father, You who are God Almighty and a merciful God,
receive the prayer of your children, as the Savior that You have sent as a new
light on the horizon of the world, rises again and shine on our entire lives.
2) READING
From the Gospel of John (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.
3) MEDITATION
In the first chapter of his Gospel John takes us through a sort
time of travel. A week punctuated by the repetition (three times) of the
expression "the day after" (vv. 29, 35 and 43). Our track puts us at
the second of these moments, the central one and the most important one,
characterized by physical and spiritual transition of the first disciples of
John to Jesus.
Our scene is 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 Jesus speaks as he is looking,
to the person of Peter (v. 42).
The evangelist uses different verbs, but all are full of
nuances. Not casual looks, but life changing looks instead. 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" which
means in this manner, "to look inside".
Jesus is walking along the sea, along the shores of our lives,
and John acts as a photographer. He records it. He uses verbs which tell us
that today, Jesus still is passing by us, and our lives can be visited and intersected
by Him. Our world can welcome the imprints of His footsteps.
The center of the passage is centered on the movement of Jesus.
He walks first, then turns and stops. His eyes and His heart change the life of
the two disciples. Here Jesus is revealed as God incarnate, God came among us.
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 meeting the Lord and His presence puts
us in motion. It makes us get up from our old positions and makes us run.
Collecting all the verbs referring to the disciples in this passage, we have:
"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 come
into His house and stay with Him. This is the path of salvation, of true
happiness, which is offered to us 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. Because, when there is Jesus, the Lord, and you are
invited by Him, nothing is missing.
4) QUESTIONS
The time passage of this part of the Gospel, with its "day
after" shows us that the Lord is not distant, but He enters our days and
years in our concrete existence. Am I willing to open myself to Him, to share
my life with Him? I am ready to deliver into His hands my present and my future
so that He can drive my "day after"?
The disciples make a wonderful spiritual journey, highlighted by the verbs "heard, followed, went, saw, and stayed." Do I want to start this beautiful adventure with Jesus too? Do I open my ears to hear, to listen deeply, so I can give my positive response to the love of the Father who wants to join me? Do I feel born in me the joy of starting a new journey and walking behind Jesus? Are my heart and eyes wide open 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 that today, giving to the Father my name, my life and my whole person, so that He might give me a new birth as His son or daughter, calling me by name in His infinite love?
The disciples make a wonderful spiritual journey, highlighted by the verbs "heard, followed, went, saw, and stayed." Do I want to start this beautiful adventure with Jesus too? Do I open my ears to hear, to listen deeply, so I can give my positive response to the love of the Father who wants to join me? Do I feel born in me the joy of starting a new journey and walking behind Jesus? Are my heart and eyes wide open 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 that today, giving to the Father my name, my life and my whole person, so that He might give me a new birth as His son or daughter, calling me by name in His infinite love?
5) 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.
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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