MEMORIAL
OF SAINT ELIZABETH ANN SETON, RELIGIOUS
 |
| “Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.“ artist and date were not cited |
No proper
readings have been assigned by USCCB or ICEL. These readings are posted at the
Universalis site. Alternate Readings for
this memorial may be taken from the Common of Holy Men and Women.
Readings:
Reading
I:
Genesis 12:1-4a
The Lord
said to Abram:
“Go forth
from the land of your kinsfolk
and from
your father’s house to a land that I will show you.
“I will
make of you a great nation,
and I
will bless you;
I will
make your name great,
so that
you will be a blessing.
I will
bless those who bless you
and curse
those who curse you.
All the
communities of the earth
shall
find blessing in you.”
Abram
went as the Lord directed him.
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Commentary on Gn 12:1-4a
The
genealogy of the Hebrew generations that ended with Abram and his wife
migrating from the land of Ur (Genesis 11:27ff) sets this reading as
a formal introduction. Abram (later Abraham) is chosen by God to become a great
leader of people in holiness. "The universalism that marked Genesis
chapters 1-11 having now failed, the Lord begins anew, singling out one
Mesopotamian - in no way distinguished from his peers as yet - and promising to
make of him a great nation, not numbered in the seventy nations of
chapter 10. What the Lord promises Abram (his name is changed to
"Abraham" only in Chapter 17) - land, numerous offspring, and
blessing - constitutes to a large extent a reversal of some of the curses on
Adam and Eve - exile, pain in childbirth, and uncooperative soil (Genesis 3:16-24)." [3]
The
blessing provided here is discussed at some length in the notes on this
section: “Shall find blessing in you: the sense of the Hebrew expression is
probably reflexive, "shall bless themselves through you" (i.e., in
giving a blessing they shall say, "May you be as blessed as
Abraham"), rather than passive, "shall be blessed in you." Since
the term is understood in a passive sense in the New Testament (Acts
3:25; Galatians 3:8), it is rendered here by
a neutral expression that admits to both meanings; so also in the blessings
given by God to Isaac (Genesis
26:4) and Jacob (Genesis 28:14).” [4]
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Responsorial
Psalm:
Psalm
1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Blessed
the man who follows not
the
counsel of the wicked
Nor walks
in the way of sinners,
nor sits
in the company of the insolent,
But
delights in the law of the LORD
and
meditates on his law day and night.
R. (40:5a) Blessed are
they who hope in the Lord.
or: R.
(2a) Blessed are they who delight in the law of the Lord.
or: R.
(92:13-14) The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the
Lord.
He is
like a tree
planted
near running water,
That
yields its fruit in due season,
and whose
leaves never fade.
Whatever
he does, prospers.
R. Blessed
are they who hope in the Lord.
or: Blessed
are they who delight in the law of the Lord.
or: R.
The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the Lord.
Not so
the wicked, not so;
they are
like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the
LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the
way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed
are they who hope in the Lord.
or: Blessed
are they who delight in the law of the Lord.
or: R.
The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Psalm
1 serves as a preface to the whole book of psalms. The psalmist here exalts
those who follow the Lord’s commands, and reflects upon the blessings they will
receive. As in Romans 6:19ff, this selection
emphasizes the contrast between the salvation of the just and the punishment of
the wicked.
This
wisdom psalm begins by extolling the virtue of those who follow the law. The
focus is to look to God for guidance, and not to trust only in the counsel of
men. Those who reject the law will be blown away like “chaff,” an image used in
the Gospel as well (Matthew 3:12).
This
portion of the psalm is later echoed in Isaiah 48:17-19, like an overlapped
formula of covenant. Blessed is the man who “delights in the law day and
night,” but “the way of the wicked vanishes.” It also takes up the theme of
following right paths and staying true to the teachings of God: “Blessed the
man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the Lord
and meditates on his law day and night.”
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Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12a
When
Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after
he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began
to teach them, saying:
“Blessed
are the poor in spirit,
for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed
are they who mourn,
for they
will be comforted.
Blessed
are the meek,
for they
will inherit the land.
Blessed
are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they
will be satisfied.
Blessed
are the merciful,
for they
will be shown mercy.
Blessed
are the clean of heart,
for they
will see God.
Blessed
are the peacemakers,
for they
will be called children of God.
Blessed
are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed
are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter
every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice
and be glad,
for your
reward will be great in heaven.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:1-12a
This
section of the Sermon on the Mount begins the first of five great discourses in
St. Matthew’s Gospel. He begins using a formula common in the Wisdom literature
of the Old Testament with “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”(Job
5:17; Proverbs 3:13; Sirach 25:8-9) This designation
identifies those without material resources, completely dependent upon God.
(This distinction is for the devout poor.) The discourse continues, blessing
those who mourn, who are meek, who “hunger” for righteousness (to adopt the
Lord’s law of love in their hearts), the merciful, the clean of heart (those
who are reconciled to God), the peacemakers, the persecuted, and finally those
who will be reviled because they profess faith in Christ.
The
litany of praises for those to be blessed by the Lord has an overarching theme.
It holds up the spiritual strength of complete dependence on God for life,
health, and prosperity. St. Matthew captures the strength in that dependence,
and God’s promise of salvation through the words of the Savior.
It
is noteworthy that the word “blessed” [μακάριοι (makάrios) in Greek
and beati in Latin] is translated “happy” in many Old
Testament texts. The idea of happiness or peace as a blessing from God is
an important understanding about the intent of this discourse.
CCC: Mt 5:1 581; Mt 5:3-12 1716; Mt 5:3 544, 2546; Mt 5-7 2763; Mt 5-6 764; Mt 5:8 1720, 2518; Mt 5:9 2305, 2330; Mt 5:11-12 520
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Reflection:
St.
Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) is a remarkable example of a journey of faith
coupled with a dedication to her family and to God. She is a convert from the Anglican faith
tradition who discovered the Catholic Church while on a voyage to Rome because
of her husband’s illness. She lodged
with a Catholic family while there and her natural interest in things spiritual
were fulfilled in Catholic worship and traditions.
Through
many trials she persevered, becoming the foundress of the first Catholic school
in the United States, and later the foundress of the Sisters of Charity, the
first religious order founded in this country.
She did all of this while raising her five children.
Her heroic
virtue in the face of tremendous obstacles is an example of the lived
Gospel. Her love of God moved her to
reach out to the poor, the orphan, and the children of her time. She was the embodiment of our Holy Mother’s
love for us.
What
lesson do we take away from her story?
We find ourselves still in the octave of Christmas, at time of peace and
joy throughout the whole Church. Within
this holy season, we are confronted by the example of one who, like the incarnate
Christ, showed the love of God to the world through her example of selfless
dedication to the least of God’s children while taking care of those of her
flesh and blood.
Are we
not called to do the same? Can we claim
our roles as bread-winner or stay at home parent detract us from our duty to service
to others? These are of course rhetorical
questions. We are called to be saints as
well. St. Elizabeth showed us how that
might be accomplished. Today we ask for
her prayers; may we find the strength to live the Gospel as she did and, in
doing so, forge our bond with the Heavenly Kingdom.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Saint Elizabeth Ann
Seton.“ artist and date were not cited.
[2] The readings are taken from the New
American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were
developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[3] The Jewish
Study Bible, Oxford University Press, New York, NY, © 2004 p. 30
[4] See NAB footnote on Genesis 12:1-4
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