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St. Elizabeth Seton Virtual Parish

Sandstone Pattern

Daily Reflection

Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 78
Philippians 2:6-11
John 3:13-17

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Feast commemorates two important events. The first event was the discovery of what is believed to be the cross of Jesus. That occurred around 320 AD when St. Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine, tore down the Temple of Aphrodite in Jerusalem. During the excavation they found three crosses, one believed to be the cross of Jesus. The second event is the building of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher at that site in 1149 AD.

These two events underscore the significance of the Cross. The discovery of the Cross during excavations directly led to the adoration of the Cross that we still do on Good Friday. However, the presence of the Cross is not nearly as important as the reason for the Cross.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” That is John 3:16. We see signs frequently at sporting events with that verse referenced.

You are so very much loved. Y-O-U! Isn’t that incredible? God loves you, individually and uniquely, so very much that He sent His only Son to save you. And if you were the only one who needed saving, God loves you so much that He would have sent His Son just for you. Ponder it today. Do you see it? Do you believe that you are really loved? That God wants all good things for you? He wants you for eternity! Celebrate that!

Now go smile at God!

September 14

John 19: 25-27

Today’s gospel passage from the Passion account in John, although brief, is packed with deep theological significance. From the cross, in his great suffering, abandoned by all of his disciples except John, Jesus says to Mary “Woman behold your son”. Then to John, he says “Behold your mother”.

On one level Jesus is making provisions for the care of his mother, who as a widow with no caretaker would be particularly vulnerable in that society. As so often happens in his gospel, John invites us to take a closer look. This seemingly simple exchange reveals much about Mary’s role in our salvation and the role of the disciples in establishing the Church.

Recall that back at the beginning of his ministry, in the story of the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus refers to Mary as “woman” – a strange title to refer to his mother (John 2:4). Here at the climatic moment of his ministry as he hangs on the cross, Jesus uses the exact same title. This is no coincidence. Clearly this indicates that Mary’s significance extends beyond biological motherhood – she is present at the beginning and at the completion of his mission.

Likewise, as the “beloved disciple”, John’s role extends beyond mere friendship. When Jesus “gives” Mary to John, entrusting her to his care, the Church has always understood this as extending Mary’s motherhood to the Church and hence, to all believers. The catechism speaks to this (CCC 963-975). She in no way replaces Christ – rather, her entire vocation always points to him.

When John writes that “from that hour the disciple took her into his home”, he doesn’t simply mean that is where Mary will live. This means he is taking her into his life as entrusted by Jesus. True discipleship means accepting responsibilities entrusted to us by Jesus. That extends to believers today in accepting our vocations however we are called.

The alternate gospel reading for today is the encounter Mary has with Simeon at the presentation at the temple (Luke 2: 33-35). In today’s gospel from John, Mary fulfills Simeon’s prophecy that “a sword will pierce your heart” as she watches her son die on the cross. She also experiences the Passion. Her perseverance in suffering with Christ through his suffering embodies the Church’s call to persevere through suffering, even when we don’t fully understand God’s purpose in that suffering. She is indeed our lady of sorrows.
Question for reflection: When I encounter suffering in my life, do I look to Mary as “our lady of sorrows” as inspiration for perseverance?

September 15

I want focus on today’s first reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. This famous “Hymn of Love” is one of the most familiar scripture passages and frequently used at Catholic weddings.

Prior to this passage, Paul has been teaching about the various gifts of the Spirit with which different people are endowed so that they can better serve the needs of the community in different ways. However, today he goes further and says that, above and beyond any gifts or ‘charisms’, there is “a still more excellent way”. That way is the over-riding element of love. Love is not on the same level as the other gifts. Rather, it is one of the most evident signs of the presence of the Spirit of Christ in the community and its members.

The Greek word used for ‘Love’ here, as in many parts of the New Testament, is ‘Agape,’ a word with a very specific meaning. Agape is reaching out to another person with a deep desire for that person’s total well-being and wholeness, without expecting anything in return. It is a totally unconditional form of loving. It is the love that God extends to all creatures whether they return that love or not.

Paul gives four exaggerated examples of some of the gifts to be found in the community:

• eloquence, even to the point of being able to speak not only every earthly language, but the language of angels;
• prophecy (in the sense we described it yesterday), the ability to understand all mysteries and “knowing everything” that can be known;
• faith, strong enough to move mountains (as Jesus said true faith could do);
• generosity, which would give away everything one has, even to offering one’s body in martyrdom.

To have any of these gifts in the highest degree could make one a prominent and highly respected person in the community. But if, at bottom, these things are not motivated by genuine Agape, they are rated as nothing.

Speaking both positively and negatively, Paul now lists the qualities of this kind of agape love. These virtues reveal what Paul does not see in the Corinthian community.

Paul sums up by saying that in the end only three things will perdure: faith, hope and agape love. We will not need faith when we are face to face with our infinite Creator. We will not need hope because every possible desire of our being will be fulfilled forever. But agape will remain. Face to face with God, we will be eternally bathed in that agape which pours from him and fills us with the happiness for which we were created.

Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
In what area do you need to increase in Agape Love?

Source for today’s reflection: https://sacredspace.com/commentary/o2244r/

September 16

1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
Psalm 118
Luke 7: 36-50

Today’s gospel follows in the exact same track as our gospel from Monday involving the centurion who is seeking a cure for the centurion’s slave. Before we get into the gospel, can’t help but comment on our first reading.

Paul is writing to the people in Corinth, a place of pagans, debauchery, and physical harm around every corner…not a nice place. Paul proudly and with great humility reiterates what the people need to share – Jesus is the way to follow. It is interesting that Paul refers to “the Twelve”. Jesus obviously could not have appeared to twelve apostles as Judas had taken his own life. The use of the term “the Twelve” is a reference to there being a general understanding that “the Twelve” was that special group of men who were close to Jesus, and there is no mention of Mary Magdalene because she was a woman and could not have attested to anything.

Back to the gospel…it is a beautiful showing of the great love Jesus has for sinners. The faith that woman must have had in bringing an expensive oil in an alabaster jar to anoint Jesus should bring all of us to our humble knees. Alabaster jars were used to keep oils and perfumes their purest. In other words, she is emptying herself in the most pure and humble way she could.

Does Jesus forgive her sins because she did the act? No. He forgives because she has great faith. He looks at us the same way. With great faith we enter the confessional, knowing that Jesus can and will forgive our sins. When you leave the confessional, do you leave with that sense of great faith? Of course, that requires you get to Confession! Hop to it! Get to Confession this week!

It is a beautiful day! Go smile at God today!

September 17

In today’s Gospel, we are introduced by Luke to three women who also traveled with Jesus and the other disciples. This brief mention reinforces that Jesus went against the cultural traditions of his time.

What a beautiful stewardship model we see in the women who provided for Jesus and the Twelve. Stewardship is the grateful response of a Christian disciple who recognizes and receives God’s gifts and shares these gifts in love of God and neighbor. These women were not obligated to provide for the Twelve. They were not expecting anything in return for their stewardship. These women gave material support out of gratitude for the healing and grace they received. This serves as a model for Christian stewardship, reminding believers to offer their own time, talents, and resources to advance the Gospel.

St. Mary Magdalene was a grateful steward because Christ had healed her from seven demons and forgiven her for her sins. Her love was so great that she bravely accompanied St. John and the Blessed Virgin Mary (see John 19:25) to the foot of the cross. Her fidelity was rewarded. She was named “Apostle to the Apostles” as the first to witness the Resurrection.

Mary Magdalene’s story is a model for us as we grow in discipleship. Our conversion begins with spiritual healing that also frees us from physical or emotional illnesses. We accept the grace we receive from Jesus and decide to follow Him and the way of life He chooses for us. Our gratitude for what Jesus has done for us results in our supporting Him in material ways using our time, talents, and treasure. The more we serve Jesus and the mission of the Church, the closer we grow in our relationship with Him. Eventually, we can tell others “I have seen the Lord” to help them grow in their knowledge of the risen Christ.

Joanna and Susanna are included in Luke’s Gospel to demonstrate that the power of Jesus can touch all people despite their current circumstances. Joanna was the wife of King Herod’s steward Chuza, who may have assisted Herod in the beheading of John the Baptist. Joanna was also mentioned by Luke as one of the women who went to the tomb on the day of Christ’s resurrection. Little is known about Susanna. Some believe she was healed by Jesus. Her inclusion by Luke underscores that the women of Galilee were active in supporting and following Jesus during His earthly ministry.

Today, all men and women are called to journey with Jesus, participating in His ministry through active service and grateful stewardship.

Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
How can you show and/or tell others that you “have seen the Lord” today?

Source for today’s reflection: https://epriest.com/reflections/view/1755

September 18

In the first reading today from 1 Corinthians, Paul moves from defending the resurrection to explaining the constitution of resurrected bodies. For the Corinthians, who struggled to accept their frail, human bodies could “live again”, Paul will use natural analogies to explain supernatural truths, as Jesus will in our Gospel today. Catholic theology would develop to enumerate the qualities that will endow the risen bodies of the saints: impassibility; immunity to suffering, agility; freedom from weakness, subtility; complete subjection of the body to the soul, and brightness; outward radiance in proportion to the degree of inward holiness.
The Gospel reading today tells of the Sower and the seed, one of three parables repeated, with slight variations, in all three synoptic Gospels.

Parables either reveal or conceal divine mysteries, here concealed from all, but revealed to the disciples privately. The parable uses allegory to describe the dissemination of God’s Word to His people and the acceptance or rejection by various audiences across the ages. The seed spoken of applies both to the message of the prophets; ‘looking, not seeing’ an allusion to Isaiah 6:9-10, and to Jesus’ own message here.
In this telling, we hear the disciples are perplexed by Jesus’ preaching, so we can assume that the crowd is as well. Jesus will reserve His unpacking of the parable for His disciples alone, preparing them for their leadership roles in the coming Church.

It is also to be noted that Jesus recognizes that the chances for the seed to fail are greater than they are for it to succeed. The way of the disciple is truly a narrow gate.

Luke’s retelling of the parable differs in one key detail. While Matthew and Mark name ‘tribulation or persecution’ as preventing the seed from growing, Luke calls ‘temptation’ the obstacle.

A pleasure-focused life is the rocky soil and the thorns that inhibit the bearing of fruit for the true disciple. The fruit of the Word flourishes in the environment of a sober life, with one’s mind and heart on the Kingdom.

September 19

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