WEDNESday 04 January
SAINT Elizabeth Ann Seton
She was born in New York into an Episcopalian family, who ostracized her and left her penniless when she became a Catholic in 1805. Seton was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
Entrance Antiphon : Is 9:1
A people who walked in darkness has seen a great light; for those dwelling in a land of deep gloom, a light has shone.
Collect
Grant us, almighty God, that the bringer of your salvation, who for the world’s redemption came forth with newness of heavenly light, may dawn afresh in our hearts and bring us constant renewal. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever..
First reading: 1 John 3:7-10
My children, do not let anyone lead you astray: to live a holy life is to be holy just as he is holy; to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil, since the devil was a sinner from the beginning. It was to undo all that the devil has done that the Son of God appeared. No one who has been begotten by God sins; because God’s seed remains inside him, he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God. In this way we distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil: anybody not living a holy life and not loving his brother is no child of God’s.
Psalm 97(98):1,7-9
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.
Let the sea and all within it, thunder; the world, and all its peoples. Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy
At the presence of the Lord: for he comes, he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.
Gospel Acclamation : Jn 1: 14, 12
Alléluia, alléluia! The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. To all who received him he gave power to become children of God Alléluia.
Gospel: John 1: 35-42
As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, “Look, there is the lamb of God.” Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, “What do you want?” They answered, “Rabbi,” – which means Teacher – “where do you live?” “Come and see”, he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour. One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John; you are to be called Cephas” – meaning Rock.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: 1 Jn 1: 2
That life which was with the Father became visible, and has appeared to us.
Prayer after Communion
May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks a question that is apparently ordinary but of profound significance: “What do you want?” This question is put to us for our meditation and requires an answer from within us. The two disciples of John the Baptist, who had just heard of Christ as the Lamb of God, answered this question by asking another: “Where do you live, Lord?” Thus, they expressed their desire to dwell with him. In answering this same question that Jesus asks us today, may we also courageously express our desire to stay with him, for the person who dwells with the Lord lacks nothing and brings others to him.