MEMORIAL OF ELIZABETH ANN SETON, JANUARY 4, 2023

We struggle with discouragement and doubt. Some of us have dreams that are also God's dreams and we accomplish a lot. Some of us can't seem to find our path. We are to encourage one another daily, kindred spirits reminding each other of who God wants us to be, and lifting up each other in love with words and actions.

St Elizabeth Ann Seton was such a person. She was the cream of New York society. She was raised an Episcopalian, married at the age of 19 and had 5 children. Her husband died when she was thirty --no money, and living in Italy with no supportive family. Her friends were catholic and through them she learned of the Holy Presence, Our Blessed Mother Mary, and that the Catholic Church was the one and true Church. She converted and when she returned to America, there would be less family support for her because of her conversion.

Not one to give in, and facing the reality of her situation, she could see God's own goodness in her life. Her ordinary goodness over the years became God oriented. She founded the first catholic school in Baltimore and a religious order, the Sisters of Charity. She continued to suffer personally, losing two of her daughters and dealing with a wayward son and the heartache it brought. She is the first American born citizen to be canonized in 1975. She is buried in Maryland. She is the patron saint of widows, seafarers and Catholic schools.

January 4, 2022

MASS READINGS:

A reading of the Holy Gospel according to Jn 1:35-42

REFLECTION

“We have found the Messiah”

We are so fortunate to have the saints as examples on how to lead our lives and how to love our God. In the Gospel, Andrew invited his brother Peter to come and meet He whom they were looking for, "We have found the Messiah."

Psalm 98 has us singing that the Lord has done wondrous deeds. We lead, come, meet, look, sing, and find the Lord.

The Lord delights to be with the children of men. (Proverbs 8:31). He invites us to come and stay with Him. So how can we be deceptive, duplicitous, gossipy, whiny, and overall unpleasant to one another when we carry the Lord in our hearts?

Should we not, too, take delight in Him? After all, He is God. Our King. Our Savior. Our source of all that is good. Our healer of all illnesses. Our lover.

We have found Him and He has found us. Today take time to thank Him, praise Him, ask for forgiveness, and love Him right back. Today - just today -think of Him and others, put away our wish list and get to know He who is our all. Let Him show us how to lead our lives and how to love Him.

God bless you