|
Wisdom of the Saints View this
email online if it
doesn't display correctly
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retreat Day 9: Wisdom of the
Saints
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sometimes we may question, “Where is
God?” “What is God doing?”
Jesus gives us hints on how God acts
within our world: “The kingdom of
heaven is like a mustard seed that a
person took and sowed in a field. It is
the smallest of all the seeds, yet when
it is full-grown it is the largest of
plants. It becomes a large bush, and
the birds of the sky come and dwell in
its branches” (Mt. 13:31-32).
He adds, “The kingdom of heaven is
like yeast that a woman took and
mixed with three measures of wheat
flour until the whole batch was
leavened” (Mt. 13:33).
One thing these parables point out
for us is that God’s actions are not
always the most obvious. Seeds are
buried in the soil and a good part of
their growth takes place hidden below
the ground’s surface. Yeast is such
an amazing organic component. In its
own hidden way, it works with other
organic substances and even becomes
transformed, causing dough to rise.
Often the lives of saints indicate
for us that almost imperceptible work
of God happening within the “soil” or
the “dough” of our lives.
|
|
|
|
“God
is living within those who sincerely
seek him. Divine grace is at work
within me to build that everlasting
kingdom of God’s
reign.”
|
|
|
|
We can see God building up his kingdom in
and through the life of St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton, born in New York City to a
prominent and devout Episcopal family.
Later in life she wrote of those days of
her youth when she would spend time at
her uncle’s home on the shores of Long
Island Sound, taking in the beauty of
creation and sensing God’s nearness: “The
beauty of nature took hold of her senses,
and her soul soared with wonder. She
realized and rejoiced that God was her
Father and wrote that she “then layed
still to enjoy the Heavenly Peace that
came over my Soul; and I am sure in the
two hours so enjoyed grew ten years in my
spiritual life.” (Elizabeth Ann
Seton, pg. 5)
After the death of her husband,
Elizabeth felt drawn to the Catholic
Church. While sitting in the Episcopal
church that she attended, it was the
presence of the Eucharist that she
missed from the days she’d spent in
Italy: “I got in a side pew which
turned my face towards the Catholic
Church in the next street, and found
myself twenty times speaking to the
Blessed Sacrament there… tears plenty,
and sighs as silent and deep as when I
first entered your blessed Church of
Annunciation in Florence, all turning
to the one only desire to see the way
most pleasing to my God, which ever
that way is.” (Ibid., pg. 38)
After being received into the Catholic
Church, Elizabeth Ann Seton went on to
establish what would eventually become
a network of Catholic schools, and
founded a religious order, the Sisters
of Charity of St. Joseph, dedicated to
education. However, following God’s
invitation did not come without a
price. Those in her social circle prior
to her conversion pretty much shunned
her once she became Catholic, leaving
Elizabeth and her five young children
without the support of family and
friends.
The “mustard seed” of God’s grace was
already very much at work within the
young Elizabeth. God’s plan was
germinating into the “large tree” where
birds would “nest in its branches”
through the works of her Sisters of
Charity. When St. Elizabeth was a young
socialite in New York City, she could
not have foreseen the path that God
chose for her. Could we have ever
thought that a petite, young girl from
a comfortable life in New York City
would give us a legacy of Catholic
education in the United States?
If it was possible for God to work
within Elizabeth Seton, could he not
build his “kingdom” within and through
me as well? Why not?
I can spend some time before the Lord
and invite him to come stay within me.
I pray the Our Father, asking God for
the grace to live and work within me so
that his will be done and that his
kingdom will grow in and through
me.
“Where is God?” “What is God
doing?”
God is living within those who
sincerely seek him. Divine grace is at
work within me to build that
everlasting kingdom of God’s
reign.
|
|
|
Before You, Lord, in Prayer
|
|
Lord, help
me to trust that you are always
here with me and always at work
within me.
At times, it’s so hard to
understand why you allow some
circumstances to happen in my life.
Yet I know that it is only my good
that you desire. I ask to be open
to your grace so that your reign
will be established here on earth
and forever in eternity.
Amen.
|
|
|
|
|
All of the saints have something to
teach us about living our lives
according to God’s will. In the
Saints By Our Side series, author
Anne Merwin brings model of holiness
and inspiration alive.
“The Eucharist sustained and
fortified Elizabeth after her
conversion and increased her ability
to cope with the many trials she
faces in Emmitsburg. It was her
spiritual anchor and sextant both in
the calm and in the deep, stormy seas
of life. ‘I sit or stand opposite his
tabernacle all day, and keep the
heart to it as the needle to the
pole.’ The physical presence of the
Eucharist within her added another
dimension to Elizabeth’s personal
relationship with Christ.”
Excerpted from the book Elizabeth Ann
Seton, by Anne Merwin,
published by the Daughters of St.
Paul.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sr. Maria Grace needs your advice
(please!)
|
|
|
For four delightful years, I worked
in our Pauline Books & Media
bookcenter in Alexandria, Virginia.
My favorite part of being in the
bookcenter was helping people on the
floor. I realized that by listening
to people and asking them questions,
I could find just the right book,
resource, or gift item that they
needed for themselves or for a family
member, student, or friend. The
longer I worked in the bookcenter,
the more familiar I became with all
the great Catholic material that’s
available, and the better I was at
fulfilling the requests of those who
came in. It was very satisfying to
see people happy with the books or
DVDs or gift items that they obtained
from our bookcenter.
The only frustrating thing
was—sometimes I could not find
anything to fill a particular need.
Either there was no book on a certain
topic, or the person had read the
little that was available and was
looking for more. Or perhaps the
resources available were addressed to
a different audience or age level
than what was required.
Now that I’m back working in our
publishing house, I think back to the
needs that were not satisfied, and I
want to see about filling in some of
these gaps. Could you please help me
by answering just a few questions
about your areas of interest? It
would really help me
alot.
|
|
|
|
|
We'd love
for you to share this
news!
|
|
|
|
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment