Saints: How Would They Live In Today's World?

[JReducation]

Good post. I’ve always believed that we have found both true humility & the self-image that God wants us to have, when we can shout with the psalmist:

“I praise YOU because I am fearfully & wonderfully made.”

Cradle

I’m honoured that you stopped by a thread that I started. I hope this is not our last visit.

I also love the citation that you have from the psalms, most appropriate for Vocation Sunday.

Thank you for coming by and for sharing such a profound quote from scripture. We need more people on CAF to shift focus from debating about this form of the mass or that and to focus on the central figure of the mass, Christ himself and how we can achieve eternal union with him.

JR

 

[JReducation]

Tonight there was a short message on EWTN from the writings of Catherine of Siena, which I thought I would share with you. I’m not going to quote it, as it’s very long. I’ll do my best to paraphrase it and interpret it within the context of her mystical theology.

Catherine discovered that when the soul recognizes her lust and despises it, then God’s love is able to enter the soul and make her his own. When the soul experiences God’s love she can do nothing else but love her neighbour, for love of God and love of neighbour are the same.

We have to understand Catherine’s statement in the context of her spiritual theology. She is in no way suggesting that human sexuality or the libido is something to be hated. Catherine compared the union of the soul and God to the experience in the union between a loving husband and wife. Obviously, she was not against human sexuality.

Lust, in Catherine’s theology is the desire for all physical things that stand in the way of a pure heart. This can be sex (not sexuality); the obsession with the body as we see in today’s world; the preoccupation with our personal satisfaction; the attachment to physical beauty instead of virtue; and the excessive worry about health.

Now, Catherine would never tell a married couple that they should not feel any attraction toward each other. She understood that such an attraction between husband and wife is a sign of the attraction between Christ and the Church and the soul and Christ. On the other hand, we have developed a multi-billion dollar physical fitness industry, fashion industry, cosmetic industry, including cosmetic surgery, in a world where millions go to bed hungry. We obsess over health to the point that we no longer want to stay healthy in order to serve, but simply because we want to live longer. Our love of health is all about our love for ourselves, not those whom we serve

We enter a store and we purchase something because it looks good on us or because we like it, not because we need it. This is preoccupation with our personal satisfaction. While there is nothing wrong with liking nice things or even owning nice things, there is something terribly wrong when the person never remembers that organizations such as Salvation Army, Goodwill, Catholic Charities and others are in need of food, clothing and funds to serve the poor. There is a conflict here between what we profess to believe as Catholics and how we live.

Catherine spent her life taking care of lepers, feeding the poor with her own money, taking in the homeless into her home, mediating conflicts instead of causing them, bringing people to reconciliation. She did not do these things because she was a humanitarian, but because her soul was filled by the love of Christ. Once the soul is filled by God’s love, it can do nothing else but love its neighbour.

The love in our soul is like a babe in a mother’s womb. It must come forth and enter the world. Just like the pregnant mother must give birth, Catherine also taught that the soul pregnant with God’s love must also give birth to love.

But there was a condition. This love had no feelings, no emotions, and no sense of satisfaction. It was all in the intellect. True love exists in the mind. One knows that one is loved and one knows that one is loving. One feels nothing. Emotions may be present, but they are neither necessary nor desirable, because we become too attached to feeling a sense of satisfaction. This is love with hooks. It is loving so that we can feel good.

True love does not seek satisfaction, it only seeks to give. If the satisfaction comes, true love thanks God for the gift. True love understands that the sense of satisfaction that we receive from loving is simply God’s way of saying, “Thank you.” But since God does not owe us anything, he does not owe us thanks. A “Thank you” from God is another gift from the Divine to the soul, another grace.

To reach this level where the soul is filled so much of God’s love so that it gives birth to love for neighbour, the individual must first sacrifice any physical desires that do not lead to God or to the good of the Mystical Body.

JR

 

[Jeanette_L]

Thanks for explaining that JR. I saw this also tonight and have to admit that although I was captivated by her insights, her thoughts or ways of expressing her ideas seemed a bit severe at times, it helps to have it explored like this.

 

[CradleCath]

Cradle

I’m honoured that you stopped by a thread that I started. I hope this is not our last visit.

I also love the citation that you have from the psalms, most appropriate for Vocation Sunday.

Thank you for coming by and for sharing such a profound quote from scripture. We need more people on CAF to shift focus from debating about this form of the mass or that and to focus on the central figure of the mass, Christ himself and how we can achieve eternal union with him.

JR

This is such a lovely thread…so different from most that I’ve been reading…I stop by every day. Sometimes I post, sometimes I just read, but I sure enjoy it.

We had a small library in the Catholic elementary school I attended. I still remember reading the “Song of Bernadette” that I found in that library. How inspiring it was & what a difference it made in my life. I figure that, though I could never attain the goodness that she & other saints did, it never hurts to try. And, if one’s mind is open to their stories…one’s own life can be so different.

One last thought…it’s never too late to become a better person. Just last week, after being married 48 yrs. this month, I realized that my attitude toward a small thing, my perfectionist method of house cleaning, was hurting my husband & I had never truly known that before. With the help of God & St. Anne, Mary’s Mother…the patron saint of homemakers…I intend to lighten up about smears on the hardwood floors & coffee stains in the kitchen sink.

 

[catharina]

Tonight there was a short message on EWTN from the writings of Catherine of Siena, which I thought I would share with you. I’m not going to quote it, as it’s very long. I’ll do my best to paraphrase it and interpret it within the context of her mystical theology.

Catherine discovered that when the soul recognizes her lust and despises it, then God’s love is able to enter the soul and make her his own. When the soul experiences God’s love she can do nothing else but love her neighbour, for love of God and love of neighbour are the same.

We have to understand Catherine’s statement in the context of her spiritual theology. She is in no way suggesting that human sexuality or the libido is something to be hated. Catherine compared the union of the soul and God to the experience in the union between a loving husband and wife. Obviously, she was not against human sexuality.

Lust, in Catherine’s theology is the desire for all physical things that stand in the way of a pure heart. This can be sex (not sexuality); the obsession with the body as we see in today’s world; the preoccupation with our personal satisfaction; the attachment to physical beauty instead of virtue; and the excessive worry about health.

Now, Catherine would never tell a married couple that they should not feel any attraction toward each other. She understood that such an attraction between husband and wife is a sign of the attraction between Christ and the Church and the soul and Christ. On the other hand, we have developed a multi-billion dollar physical fitness industry, fashion industry, cosmetic industry, including cosmetic surgery, in a world where millions go to bed hungry. We obsess over health to the point that we no longer want to stay healthy in order to serve, but simply because we want to live longer. Our love of health is all about our love for ourselves, not those whom we serve

We enter a store and we purchase something because it looks good on us or because we like it, not because we need it. This is preoccupation with our personal satisfaction. While there is nothing wrong with liking nice things or even owning nice things, there is something terribly wrong when the person never remembers that organizations such as Salvation Army, Goodwill, Catholic Charities and others are in need of food, clothing and funds to serve the poor. There is a conflict here between what we profess to believe as Catholics and how we live.

Catherine spent her life taking care of lepers, feeding the poor with her own money, taking in the homeless into her home, mediating conflicts instead of causing them, bringing people to reconciliation. She did not do these things because she was a humanitarian, but because her soul was filled by the love of Christ. Once the soul is filled by God’s love, it can do nothing else but love its neighbour.

The love in our soul is like a babe in a mother’s womb. It must come forth and enter the world. Just like the pregnant mother must give birth, Catherine also taught that the soul pregnant with God’s love must also give birth to love.

But there was a condition. This love had no feelings, no emotions, and no sense of satisfaction. It was all in the intellect. True love exists in the mind. One knows that one is loved and one knows that one is loving. One feels nothing. Emotions may be present, but they are neither necessary nor desirable, because we become too attached to feeling a sense of satisfaction. This is love with hooks. It is loving so that we can feel good.

True love does not seek satisfaction, it only seeks to give. If the satisfaction comes, true love thanks God for the gift. True love understands that the sense of satisfaction that we receive from loving is simply God’s way of saying, “Thank you.” But since God does not owe us anything, he does not owe us thanks. A “Thank you” from God is another gift from the Divine to the soul, another grace.

To reach this level where the soul is filled so much of God’s love so that it gives birth to love for neighbour, the individual must first sacrifice any physical desires that do not lead to God or to the good of the Mystical Body.

JR

Beautiful, JR. I’ve been on and off the computer (and internet) for two days since my sytems kept crashing. LOVELY to check back in to this post of yours. Truly, I’ve always loved Catherine of Siena so much. She was almost a mystic in her own childhood. Probably I first read about her (an adult book) when I was about 10. I recall even now with amazement that Catherine was the youngest of either 23 or 27 siblings. AMAZING!

Surely she had a rather unusual childhood, I’d guess. When she was about marriageable age, (12 or 13 yrs old in those days) she kept cutting off her beautiful long blond hair 'til her parents agreed to her preference for life as a virgin. Remarkable family too.

 

[catharina]

Catherine spent her life taking care of lepers, feeding the poor with her own money, taking in the homeless into her home, mediating conflicts instead of causing them, bringing people to reconciliation. She did not do these things because she was a humanitarian, but because her soul was filled by the love of Christ. Once the soul is filled by God’s love, it can do nothing else but love its neighbour.

The love in our soul is like a babe in a mother’s womb. It must come forth and enter the world. Just like the pregnant mother must give birth, Catherine also taught that the soul pregnant with God’s love must also give birth to love.

But there was a condition. This love had no feelings, no emotions, and no sense of satisfaction. It was all in the intellect. True love exists in the mind. One knows that one is loved and one knows that one is loving. One feels nothing. Emotions may be present, but they are neither necessary nor desirable, because we become too attached to feeling a sense of satisfaction. This is love with hooks. It is loving so that we can feel good.
JR

Again, re above: beautiful.

 

[Jeanette_L]

This is such a lovely thread…so different from most that I’ve been reading…I stop by every day. Sometimes I post, sometimes I just read, but I sure enjoy it.

We had a small library in the Catholic elementary school I attended. I still remember reading the “Song of Bernadette” that I found in that library. How inspiring it was & what a difference it made in my life. I figure that, though I could never attain the goodness that she & other saints did, it never hurts to try. And, if one’s mind is open to their stories…one’s own life can be so different.

One last thought…it’s never too late to become a better person. Just last week, after being married 48 yrs. this month, I realized that my attitude toward a small thing, my perfectionist method of house cleaning, was hurting my husband & I had never truly known that before. With the help of God & St. Anne, Mary’s Mother…the patron saint of homemakers…I intend to lighten up about smears on the hardwood floors & coffee stains in the kitchen sink.

It is truly in the smallest things we can show the most love. How wonderful to have discovered a small way in which to prove more love toward your dear husband. A great grace!

 

[catharina]

One last thought…it’s never too late to become a better person. Just last week, after being married 48 yrs. this month, I realized that my attitude toward a small thing, my perfectionist method of house cleaning, was hurting my husband & I had never truly known that before. With the help of God & St. Anne, Mary’s Mother…the patron saint of homemakers…I intend to lighten up about smears on the hardwood floors & coffee stains in the kitchen sink.

So sweet! Hurray, hurray and good for you.

 

[catharina]

It is truly in the smallest things we can show the most love. How wonderful to have discovered a small way in which to prove more love toward your dear husband. A great grace!

Jeannette, good morning to you!

 

[Jeanette_L]

Jeannette, good morning to you!

Good morning Catharina! Good to see you back again.

 

[JReducation]

As most of you are already aware, I have a strong Franciscan background in my spirituality; therefore I know it the best. I would like to speak about fidelity and love for the Holy Father using our Holy Father St. Francis as the guide, but which applies to anyone of any spirituality. I’m doing so in honour of the visit of our Holy Father Benedict XVI.

There are many on these forums who take it upon themselves to openly judge papal statements and papal opinions on such subjects as the liturgy, ecumenism, evolution, the war in Iraq, changes in religious life, and other issues. They also tend to divide the Church by building two camps, the Pre-Vatican II and Post-Vatican II camp. What the miss is that the Church cannot be divided, even for the noblest causes.

Our Holy Father Francis gave us a beautiful example of this. In his lifetime the papacy was very entwined with the monarchy. The clergy was seriously neglected. The only people who had any serious theological formation were monks. Secular clergy were left to their own devices. They had to learn to celebrate mass and the other sacraments. That was the extent of their theological and pastoral formation. There was little or no concern for the poor. The Church was involved in the Crusades, for the right and wrong reasons. Many religious leaders had a very dark vision of mankind and the papacy did little to correct any of these issues.

If anyone had a right to complain about the papacy, St. Francis certainly did. He was a genuine follower of the gospel and of Christ crucified. He was moved by the sufferings of Christ and Christ’s call to conversion.

Even though Francis heard his call directly through a mystical experience where he heard the voice of Christ telling him to repair the Church, which was falling into ruin, Francis still travelled to Rome to get the Holy Father’s blessing and confirmation. Francis did not criticize the Pope or the hierarchy of the Church. He never mentioned the abuses of the Church of his time, not because he was ignorant, but because he had faith in the Apostolic succession.

This was the Vicar of Jesus Christ and the bishops were the successor of the Apostles. Whether they were right or wrong, whether they were saints or sinners, Francis believed that they deserved his respect and reverence because of the office they held in the Church and the world.

When he approached Pope Innocent III and asked for approval of the rule for his new order, it was declined. Francis did not argue. He left the papal palace and waited outside its doors and prayed that the Holy Spirit would show the Pope and him the way. He prayed for three days. On the third day, Cardinal Jean of St. Paul came looking for him. The Holy Father wanted to see him.

It seemed that Pope Innocent had a dream where he saw the Church collapsing and Francis leaning against it and holding it up until he finally had placed it back on sure footing. The Holy Father gave temporary approval for his rule and told him to come back when he had more followers.

Innocent III eventually died and Honorius became Pope. Honorius was a powerful figure in the world. He came from a political family and had strong political connections. Honorius was very involved in the politics of his day and like his predecessors was paid little or no attention to the abuses in the Church.

In the meantime, Francis and his brothers spent their time living the Gospel in obedience, without property and in chastity. Their life was to be lived in community where the brothers loved each other, served each other and those who came to them in need. Above all they prayed for the Church.

Eventually Honorius called Francis back and asked him to mitigate is rule, because it was too strict. Francis was devastated, because he had written the rule exactly as Christ had dictated it to him through an apparition. But he told his Brothers that even if Christ had dictated the rule, Christ also expected obedience and reverence for Peter. Basically, he understood that any private inspiration or revelation that appeared to come from Christ had validity only if it was confirmed by Christ’s vicar, regardless of whether he agreed with the Pope.

In other words, any thought or idea that we may believe that comes to us through tradition or from Christ himself must always be confirmed by the Vicar of Christ. Francis recognized the awesome power and the direct connection between the Holy Father and Jesus Christ. Why would Francis accept popes whom many of us would say were pastorally or morally weak? Because Francis trusted that Christ had promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against Peter and his Church. In addition, Francis truly believed that the Holy Father occupies the highest place of authority within the Catholic Church. He was convinced that the Holy Father, like Peter, could deny Christ. Despite that fact, Christ had given Peter the keys of the kingdom, the power to bind and unbind, the power to forgive sin, and the mission to feed the sheep.

In Franciscan spirituality, there is no other legitimate connection to Christ than his Vicar on Earth. This faith has not changed, despite the number of people who would like to be pope and teach infallibly. Francis gave us one of the holiest examples regarding our relationship with the Vicar of Jesus Christ. It was an example of obedience, humility, love and conversion of the Church through a conversion of one’s own life, not trying to convert the Pope or his bishops.

JR

 

[Jeanette_L]

In Franciscan spirituality, there is no other legitimate connection to Christ than his Vicar on Earth. This faith has not changed, despite the number of people who would like to be pope and teach infallibly. Francis gave us one of the holiest examples regarding our relationship with the Vicar of Jesus Christ. It was an example of obedience, humility, love and conversion of the Church through a conversion of one’s own life, not trying to convert the Pope or his bishops.

JR

Thank you, most appropriate considering our Holy Father’s visit.

Interesting being a newish Catholic, this is the first papal visit to our country for me as a Catholic, and I have been so excited about it. And I feel very protective of him for some reason.

I heard a few anti-pope remarks at work today and it hurt me as if he were my very own dad. It should have that effect on all Catholics, we are family and he is our earthly father. He deserves our love, honor and respect.

It’s so exciting having him near us. Makes me proud to finally be Catholic.

 

[catharina]

Jay and Jeanette! Thank you for lifting our minds and hearts.
Beautiful tributes to the gift of Apostolic Succession.
May our Holy Father Benedict XVI have a holy and peaceful visit here.

 

[CradleCath]

So sweet! Hurray, hurray and good for you.

Hold the hurrays for later!!! At this point, I’m just biting my tongue & smiling…whether he’s left his jeans on the bathroom floor or not.

Actually, he is trying & I must get to the point where I realize that a spotless house does not tell me I’m GREAT, nor does a messy one tell me I’m lazy & terrible. I’ve got a long way to go, but I know that God & St. Anne will see me through this.

If a messy house is my worse trial in this life, I’m pretty blessed…aren’t I? Why has it taken me 48 yrs. to know that I’ve been hurting him with this? Since, I’m still working outside the home & he’s retired…he has really tried to keep things up for me & I complained that it wasn’t good enough. STUPID!!!

 

[catharina]

But there was a condition. This love had no feelings, no emotions, and no sense of satisfaction. It was all in the intellect. True love exists in the mind. One knows that one is loved and one knows that one is loving. One feels nothing. Emotions may be present, but they are neither necessary nor desirable, because we become too attached to feeling a sense of satisfaction. This is love with hooks. It is loving so that we can feel good.

True love does not seek satisfaction, it only seeks to give. If the satisfaction comes, true love thanks God for the gift. True love understands that the sense of satisfaction that we receive from loving is simply God’s way of saying, “Thank you.” But since God does not owe us anything, he does not owe us thanks. A “Thank you” from God is another gift from the Divine to the soul, another grace.

To reach this level where the soul is filled so much of God’s love so that it gives birth to love for neighbour, the individual must first sacrifice any physical desires that do not lead to God or to the good of the Mystical Body.

JR

Hi JR. I had to return to this post today. Maybe because my earliest education came form Dominicans, I’ve always understood this as a given. “This love had no feelings, no emotions, and no sense of satisfaction. It was all in the intellect. True love exists in the mind. One knows that one is loved and one knows that one is loving. One feels nothing.” I learned this as the concept: “Love is an act of the will.” Therefore we choose to act in loving ways, ‘to be patient, to be kind … .’ It’s only as an adult that I’ve heard the notion that love must ‘feel good’ in the sense that it should feel pleasantly rewarding or affirming. (In contrast, my background tells me it’s not necessarily so!) I think I need to become more grateful that this idea of ‘love as a choice’ has always been presented to me and accepted by me.

Later through the years, never has a Vincentian or a Jesuit or anyone of my various educators suggested that feelings ‘get a vote’ as to whether we are loving in our lives.

Thanks for triggering this memory for me and for adding the profound:

**
“True love does not seek satisfaction, it only seeks to give. If the satisfaction comes, true love thanks God for the gift. True love understands that the sense of satisfaction that we receive from loving is simply God’s way of saying, “Thank you.” But since God does not owe us anything, he does not owe us thanks. A “Thank you” from God is another gift from the Divine to the soul, another grace.”**

 

[CradleCath]

Hi JR. I had to return to this post today. Maybe because my earliest education came form Dominicans, I’ve always understood this as a given. “This love had no feelings, no emotions, and no sense of satisfaction. It was all in the intellect. True love exists in the mind. One knows that one is loved and one knows that one is loving. One feels nothing.” I learned this as the concept: “Love is an act of the will.” Therefore we choose to act in loving ways, ‘to be patient, to be kind … .’ It’s only as an adult that I’ve heard the notion that love must ‘feel good’ in the sense that it should feel pleasantly rewarding or affirming. (In contrast, my background tells me it’s not necessarily so!) I think I need to become more grateful that this idea of ‘love as a choice’ has always been presented to me and accepted by me.

Later through the years, never has a Vincentian or a Jesuit or anyone of my various educators suggested that feelings ‘get a vote’ as to whether we are loving in our lives.

Thanks for triggering this memory for me and for adding the profound:

**
“True love does not seek satisfaction, it only seeks to give. If the satisfaction comes, true love thanks God for the gift. True love understands that the sense of satisfaction that we receive from loving is simply God’s way of saying, “Thank you.” But since God does not owe us anything, he does not owe us thanks. A “Thank you” from God is another gift from the Divine to the soul, another grace.”**

Two things that I heard long ago, concerning love within a marriage, have been interiorized within me, since then are:

Love is not a feeling, love is a commitment.
and…Love is a verb.

I believe those things with all of my heart. Loving God is not dependent upon feelings. Those can change for little to no reason…an overcast day, overwhelming responsibility, etc.
Loving God is going to Mass whether you “feel” like it or not…
saying the rosary & meditating on His sufferings when you’re so tired you can hardly stay awake. It’s the DOING that matters.

Loving one’s “neighbor” is giving help even when, according to the world, one can’t afford to. It’s taking or serving food to those you don’t even know. It’s risking a rift between yourself and your child, by telling him that he’s on an evil path, that you love him & will always do so…but you don’t love the things he’s doing.

One who loves deeply will find oneself in precarious positions sometimes & ALWAYS vulnerable…but, just think of the world without love. Horrible.

 

[catharina]

Hold the hurrays for later!!! At this point, I’m just biting my tongue & smiling…whether he’s left his jeans on the bathroom floor or not.

Actually, he is trying & I must get to the point where I realize that a spotless house does not tell me I’m GREAT, nor does a messy one tell me I’m lazy & terrible. I’ve got a long way to go, but I know that God & St. Anne will see me through this.

If a messy house is my worse trial in this life, I’m pretty blessed…aren’t I? Why has it taken me 48 yrs. to know that I’ve been hurting him with this? Since, I’m still working outside the home & he’s retired…he has really tried to keep things up for me & I complained that it wasn’t good enough. STUPID!!!

Was thinking of this post overnight. Choosing to make this type of change (after 48 years) is so very beautiful. It’s a good and graceful reminder for me that we can make significant changes regardless of our point in life. So you’ll be having lots of moments to practice self-control (by buttoning your lip); your husband can truly feel “at home;” and you’ll find that you benefit too, and not just spititually. More relaxed standards for keeping house are a reward for the long-time married - unless you can mange to hire a staff who could duplicate the loving upkeep provided by you and hubby when you were in your twenties. Your husband will be so thrilled and relieved. I’m so pleased for you and for him. What a gift and a blessing for all!

 

[Jeanette_L]

Because JR’s basic premise for this thread is to reflect on how the Saints we study would live and act (and react) in today’s world, I would like to offer a reflection from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who was mentioned by our Holy Father yesterday in his talk to the American Catholic universities and educational institutions. (yes, I am still making my way through St. Elizabeth Ann’s biography and writings )

Because I have been really puzzled at the obsessions of many to criticize and disparage those who participated in the Mass yesterday with Pope Benedict XVI, choosing to be negative instead of choosing to rejoice in our Holy Father’s presence, I decided to submit the following in St. Elizabeth’s own words as to how I suspect she would respond:

“Cheerfulness prepares a generous mind for all the noblest acts of Religion: love, adoration, praise and every union with our God, as also for duties: charity, happy zeal, useful concern for our neighbor, and all those acts of piety which should improve cheerfulness and dispose the poor soul to joyful serenity - resting all upon infinite goodness! thrice infinite goodness of our adored and beloved God.”

I’m fairly certain this is how St. Elizabeth Ann Seton would live out her faith no matter what the atmosphere surrounding her, choosing a cheerful disposition and always looking to the goodness of God in every situation.

 

[JReducation]

Because JR’s basic premise for this thread is to reflect on how the Saints we study would live and act (and react) in today’s world, I would like to offer a reflection from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who was mentioned by our Holy Father yesterday in his talk to the American Catholic universities and educational institutions. (yes, I am still making my way through St. Elizabeth Ann’s biography and writings )

Because I have been really puzzled at the obsessions of many to criticize and disparage those who participated in the Mass yesterday with Pope Benedict XVI, choosing to be negative instead of choosing to rejoice in our Holy Father’s presence, I decided to submit the following in St. Elizabeth’s own words as to how I suspect she would respond:

“Cheerfulness prepares a generous mind for all the noblest acts of Religion: love, adoration, praise and every union with our God, as also for duties: charity, happy zeal, useful concern for our neighbor, and all those acts of piety which should improve cheerfulness and dispose the poor soul to joyful serenity - resting all upon infinite goodness! thrice infinite goodness of our adored and beloved God.”

I’m fairly certain this is how St. Elizabeth Ann Seton would live out her faith no matter what the atmosphere surrounding her, choosing a cheerful disposition and always looking to the goodness of God in every situation.

I believe that Elizabeth Ann and the other saints would have their hearts, minds and souls so wrapped up with all of the elements that were present at the papal mass in Washington, that they music would have played a small part in their mind.

For example, St. Francis replaced complicated Gregorian chant among his friars and Latin sermons with plain chant, Italian music and the sermon in Italian. Yet, he was rapt in ecstacy in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, as was St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Both were Eucharistic mystics, which we should all be.

They would have been in awe at the fact that they had the successor of Peter in their presence. Their thoughts would have been on the mystery and excitement of Apostolic Succession.

The gathering of so many deacons, priests and bishops would have triggered all kinds of meditation on the Sacrament of Holy Orders which the three share.

The love of the laity and religious would have inspired them to think of the theology of the Mystical Body.

When your mind is filled with such fundamental truths, who has time to worry about music?

JR

 

[Jeanette_L]

Ok, you guys are going to get tired of me and St. Elizabeth Ann, , but today’s Mass at Yankee Stadium reminded me of a reading from St. Elizabeth’s personal writings.

I was so transported by the beauty of this Mass in particular; the massive choir, so many people focused on the Holy Sacrifice, it reminded me of what heaven must look like, more souls than can be counted, all joining the Angelic host in praise of the Lamb who took away man’s sins.

“The Angels of God accompanied the Faithful when the light of His truth only dawned in the world. And now that the day sprung from on high has visited and exalted our nature to a union with the Divinity, will these Beneficent Beings be less associated or delighted to dwell with the Soul that is panting for heavenly joys and longing to join in their eternal alleluyas. Oh, no, I will imagine them surrounding me and in every moment will sing with them ‘Holy Holy Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are filled with your Glory’.”

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Reflections on Rebecca, Her Soul’s Sister, at the Point of Death