[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: January 04, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who crowned with the gift of true faith Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton's burning zeal to find you, grant by her intercession and example that we may always seek you with diligent love and find you in daily service with sincere faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

• Colonial Wassail

ACTIVITIES

• Christmas and the Eucharist
• Christmas Play
• Day Eleven ~ Activities for the Eleventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
• Origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas
• Religion in the Home for Elementary School: January
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: January

PRAYERS

• Christmas Morning Prayers
• Christmas Evening Prayers

Christmas: January 4th

  St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious

Born in New York, Elizabeth Seton married and became a mother of five children. After her husband's death, she converted to Catholicism and founded the American Sisters of Charity, a community of teaching sisters which began Catholic schools throughout the United States, especially helping with the education of underprivileged children. Mother Seton laid the foundation of the American parochial school system and was the first native-born American to be canonized.

The Eleventh Day of Christmas

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
This wife, mother and foundress of a religious congregation was born Elizabeth Ann Bayley on August 28, 1774 in New York City, the daughter of an eminent physician and professor at what is now Columbia University. Brought up as an Episcopalian, she received an excellent education, and from her early years she manifested an unusual concern for the poor.

In 1794 Elizabeth married William Seton, with whom she had five children. The loss of their fortune so affected William's health that in 1803 Elizabeth and William went to stay with Catholic friends at Livorno, Italy. William died six weeks after their arrival, and when Elizabeth returned to New York City some six months later, she was already a convinced Catholic. She met with stern opposition from her Episcopalian friends but was received into full communion with the Catholic Church on March 4, 1805.

Abandoned by her friends and relatives, Elizabeth was invited by the superior of the Sulpicians in Baltimore to found a school for girls in that city. The school prospered, and eventually the Sulpician superior, with the approval of Bishop Carroll, gave Elizabeth and her assistants a rule of life. They were also permitted to make religious profession and to wear a religious habit.

In 1809 Elizabeth moved her young community to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she adopted as a rule of life an adaptation of the rule observed by the Sisters of Charity, founded by St. Vincent de Paul. Although she did not neglect the ministry to the poor, and especially to Negroes, she actually laid the foundation for what became the American parochial school system. She trained teachers and prepared textbooks for use in the schools; she also opened orphanages in Philadelphia and New York City.

She died at Emmitsburg on January 4, 1821, was beatified by Pope John XXIII in 1963, and was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975.

Excerpted from Saints of the Roman Calendar by Enzo Lodi

Patron: Death of children; in-law problems; loss of parents; opposition of Church authorities; people ridiculed for their piety; Diocese of Shreveport, Louisiana; widows.

Things to Do:

• Meditate on these words of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, "What was the first rule of our dear Savior's life? You know it was to do His Father's will. Well, then, 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; and thirdly, to do it because it is His willl. I know what is His will by those who direct me; whatever they bid me do, if it is ever so small in itself, is the will of God for me. Then, do it in the manner He wills it."

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: John 1:35-42

 “Come, and you will see.” (John 1:39)

A card arrives in the mail. You open it to find it is an invitation to a dear friend’s wedding. You are honored to be invited, and you quickly mark your calendar. Every time you pass the calendar, you find yourself anticipating the day until it finally arrives.

This is how God wants us to read today’s Gospel passage. He wants us to know that today, and every day, Jesus is offering us an invitation. He is inviting us to come and see.

When Jesus offered this invi­tation to Andrew and his friend, the two quickly stopped what they were doing and followed him. They must have felt honored that Jesus wanted to spend time with them— time away from the crowds, time just with them. At that moment, the only thing that mattered was that they had the privilege of being with the One whom John had just identified as the Lamb of God. And their lives were completely changed.

Every day, Jesus is knocking on your heart, inviting you to come and see the love and wisdom he has for you. It’s amazing, but it’s true: Jesus really enjoys spending one-on-one time with you, just as he does with each and every one of us. Jesus has so many things he wants to show you. He has so many ways he wants to reveal himself to you. Imagine yourself as a child, stand­ing in wide-eyed wonder at the sight of something new and mar­velous. That’s how Jesus wants us to approach our prayer time. What will I see today? What will the Lord say to me? How will he change my heart?

What a privilege it is to follow the Lamb of God! Jesus Christ, the Lord of all creation, comes to you every day, puts his arm around you, and talks with you. He wants to fill you with grace and strength. He wants the words “Come, and you will see” to be your refrain today and every day. He is waiting for you.

“Jesus, thank you so much for your invitation! Yes, I want to come and see all that you have for me this day. Open my eyes to the wonder of your love so that I can know you more.”

1 John 3:7-10; Psalm 98:1,7-9