Tuesday, January 4, 2022

 

Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious

(I John 4:7-10; Mark 6:34-44)

Early on, Catholics in the United States recognized the need for parochial schools.  The Church was established here at roughly the same time as universal education and the “Great Awakening.”  The latter was a period of evangelical revival in the nineteenth century.  Being a minority, many Catholic children would have been enfolded into Protestantism had they attended public schools.  Educated in Catholic schools, however, they maintained their faith.  As a result, the Church in America prospered. 

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton began the first free Catholic school in the United States.  She also founded a congregation that staffed many others as well as orphanages.  St. Elizabeth died at a young forty-six years of age.  However, her legacy of inexpensive, quality Catholic education still lives.  It may be said that the American Catholic Church was built on the backs of women like Elizabeth Ann Seton.

In today’s gospel Jesus feeds five thousand with a few loaves of bread and some fish.  This miracle primarily foreshadows the Eucharist.  It can also be seen as representative of Catholic education.  With meager resources but the virtues of many women like Elizabeth Ann Seton, Catholic schools have fed millions of children.  Because of their efforts, generations of children learned about salvation through reception of Jesus Christ in the sacraments.

Monday, January 4, 2021

 Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious

(I John 3:22-4:6; Matthew 4:12-17.23-25)

As a new year takes hold, the gospel today pictures Jesus’ new, vigorous ministry.  People come to him from all over for healing.  His popularity will last only a short time.  Soon the Pharisees will begin to oppose him, and the people will lose faith.

Opposition sets the tone of the first reading.  The author takes to task former members of his community who follow another “spirit” or belief.  Evidently, the opposition believes that Jesus did not come “in the flesh” but was a purely spiritual being. Such a belief has enticing corollaries. One is that the body is unimportant and may be treated in any way one likes.  Sexual promiscuity would even be possible with such an ideology.

Today the Church remembers Elizabeth Ann Seton, a person for whom the body was very important.  This American Catholic convert saint suffered much grief with the loss of loved ones.  She also worked tirelessly to build up a religious congregation to educate Catholic children.  In following Jesus, she serves as a model of courageous witness and good deeds.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious

(I John 3:7-10; John 1:35-42)

There is an old saying as remarkable for its simplicity as for its truth: “The one who loves much, does much.”  Certainly today’s patron, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, demonstrates this proverb as well as anyone.  She raised a family as a widow before she became a religious.  Then her works multiply like visible stars as evening turns into night.  Elizabeth Ann Seton founded a religious congregation and a school, wrote textbooks and spiritual reflections, trained teachers, and established orphanages.  She demonstrates what the two Scriptural readings of today’s mass teach.

The First Letter of John reads like a child’s textbook, but its meaning is still profound.  Christians show themselves to be true children of God by living righteously.  As children of God, we have to love others, especially the poor, as sisters and brothers.  In the gospel John testifies that Jesus is the Lamb of God.  He means this in two senses.  Like a lamb is thought to be innocent because of its white wool, Jesus never sinned.  Also, as a lamb was slaughtered in old Jewish rites to atone for sins, Jesus will be crucified to redeem sinners.

Heeding John’s testimony, two of his disciples begin to follow Jesus.  So did Elizabeth Ann Seton, and so should we.  It entails more than going to mass on Sunday even though this practice is indispensable.  It includes being ready to sacrifice ourselves for God to help the needy.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious

(I John 3:7-10; John 1:35-42)

“The one who loves much, does much,” the mother told her son. Reinforced by the mother’s example of unselfishness, the proverb echoed in the child’s mind throughout his life. Perhaps St. Elizabeth Ann Seton gave a similar lesson to her five children. She certainly practiced its wisdom. Her accomplishments are almost exhausting to name, much less to carry out. St. Elizabeth founded a religious congregation, set Catholic education on firm footing, visited the sick, established orphanages, and wrote spiritual reflections.

The First Letter of John reminds us that such love in action is not found naturally in humans but comes from God. The love of the Trinity overflows into creation and reaches its pinnacle in the Incarnation. There God the Father’s only-begotten Son comes to shows humans how to love one another. In the gospel Jesus invites two of John’s disciples to “come and…see.” Taking up the offer, they no doubt saw how Jesus enables us to love everyone, including themselves.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious

(I John 4:7-10; Mark 6:34-44)

“The one who loves much, does much,” the mother told her son. Reinforced by the mother’s example of unselfishness, the proverb echoed in the child’s mind throughout his life. Perhaps St. Elizabeth Ann Seton gave a similar lesson to her five children. She certainly practiced its wisdom. Her accomplishments are almost exhausting to name, much less to realize. St. Elizabeth founded a religious congregation, set Catholic education on firm footing by training teachers and writing textbooks, visited the sick, established orphanages, and wrote spiritual reflections.

The First Letter of John reminds us that love in action is not found naturally in humans but comes from God. The love of the Trinity overflows into creation and has reached its pinnacle in the Incarnation when God the Father’s only-begotten Son came to earth. The Son not only shows us how to help our neighbor but frees us from the glamor of evil. Now we can turn to God with gratitude and to our neighbor with love.