January 4, 2013

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

Reading 1 1 Jn 3:7-10

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.

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.

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.

One Bread, One Body

<< Friday, January 4, 2013 >>

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

1 John 3:7-10
View Readings

Psalm 98:1, 7-9

John 1:35-42

DESTROYER

"It was to destroy the devil's works that the Son of God revealed Himself." —1 John 3:8

Jesus came to this earth "to destroy the devil's works" (1 Jn 3:8). Satan's works cannot stand next to those of God. Anything built on a foundation based on evil must first be overturned and destroyed. Therefore, Jesus' initial work must be that of a demolition crew. First, He needs to clear the building site of the existing structure if it is not founded on Him (see 1 Cor 3:10-11). Only then will He lay a new foundation and build His kingdom.

Jesus is zealous for His house (Jn 2:17). He is determined to build things the right way, and so He'll have to rip out and cut down an unstable foundation (see Lk 13:9). He clears the ground (Mt 3:10) completely and thoroughly. Jesus intends to build His kingdom, and nothing will stand that opposes His work.

If anything in your life is opposed to God's kingdom, you don't have to wait. You can do some of the clearing yourself to prepare the way of the Lord. Ask Jesus to show you what needs to "go" in your life. Then "clear Him a straight path" (Lk 3:4) so that Jesus can spend His time doing the building.

Prayer: Father, do in me whatever You must in order to do through me whatever You will.

Promise: "No one begotten of God acts sinfully because he remains of God's stock; he cannot sin because he is begotten of God." —1 Jn 3:9

Praise: St. Elizabeth was a mother of five, was only a Catholic for sixteen years, and died at the young age of forty-six. However, she found time to lay the foundation for the American parochial school system.

“First and foremost, the right to life of every human person – from conception to natural death – is the primary and thus most essential of all human rights,” the letter stated. “Faith teaches and human reason confirms that human life is not a privilege bestowed on us by others, but rather a right that society must recognize and protect.

"As Christians, we are called to witness to an authentic ‘human ecology’ which safeguards all human life – no matter how frail or impaired – from being manipulated or destroyed.”

Bishops of Wisconsin

VOTE FOR LIFE!

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