Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 4, 2025
John was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
“What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
“You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.
Whenever I enter a church like the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, I try to take the time to look at all the images of the saints that adorn the windows and walls of the sacred space. Reflecting on the lives of the saints helps remind me that holiness is a real possibility and deepens my desire to follow in their example of growing in relationship with Christ.
But my favorite images are those like the one on the ceiling of the Lady Chapel, which depicts a multitude of saints glorified in heaven. These images illustrate the communion of saints by depicting saints alongside their associates and contemporaries, as well as others whom they are separated by centuries. Yet all are united in the love of Christ. This image is a reminder that sanctity is not a solitary endeavor.
Today’s gospel passage, which tells us of John’s account of the arrival of Jesus’ first disciples, conveys this truth. We are told that Andrew and the beloved disciple were, at first, followers of John the Baptist. The Baptist had been preaching a call to repentance in anticipation of the coming Messiah. It was John who pointed Andrew and the beloved toward Jesus. And after spending the day with him, Andrew eagerly sought out his brother, Simon, to bring him to the Messiah. Thus, we see how the community led the first three disciples into a relationship with Jesus.
This passage, like the Communion of Saints, reminds us that our faith is indebted to all those who have helped foster it in us: family, friends, godparents, teachers, and ministers. Likewise, our own faith has and will impact others in ways known and unknown. The journey of sanctity is an arduous one, but as Pope Francis reminds us, “No one is saved alone; we can only be saved together.”
Prayer
Loving God, the followers of Jesus were filled with zeal to lead others to Christ. Help us to grow in faith and love, so that all Christians might zealously proclaim the Gospel. Inspire our words and our actions so that others may see our love for you and long to know you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized.
Born Elizabeth Bayley, today's saint was born in 1774 and came of age with our young nation during the tumultuous years of the American Revolution. The Bayley's were part of New York City high society, and Elizabeth was raised with all the comforts of a young heiress. In 1794, Elizabeth married a wealthy man named William Seton and their first years were full of happiness. The memory of that happiness would remain with Elizabeth in the hard years ahead.
William’s father suddenly died, and the young couple took on the care of William’s seven brothers and sisters. Soon after, William’s business failed and he contracted tuberculosis. In a desperate move to save William, they sailed to Italy for a warmer climate, where William had business partners, but he died there.
Elizabeth had a life-long love of Scripture, and the Word of God sustained her in these difficult years of her early widowhood. It was during her time in Italy that she awakened to Catholicism—especially the Eucharist—and she began taking instruction in the faith there. In 1805 she joined the Church, alienating many of her Episcopalian family members.
To support her family as a widow, and to provide for the education of her five small children, Elizabeth opened a school. At the invitation of Archbishop John Carroll and with the help of two other women, she opened a school in Maryland, one of the first free Catholic schools in America.
The small community was known as the Sisters of Charity and they adopted a common rule of life, which made an allowance for Elizabeth to continue to raise her children. Over time, the community would grow to six groups of nuns and grew rapidly, establishing many other orphanages and schools throughout the United States.
Elizabeth herself contracted tuberculosis but continued to guide her five children through her illness. She died at the age of 46 in 1821, after only sixteen years as a Catholic. Elizabeth was canonized in 1975 by Pope Paul VI, the first native-born United States citizen to be canonized.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the patron saint of widows, the state of Maryland, and of Catholic Schools. A statue of St. Elizabeth sits in the Knott Hall Chapel on Notre Dame's campus. The Notre Dame Archives in the Hesburgh Library collects and maintains records that document the life of the Catholic Church and her people as lived in the American context—which includes material from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, patron saint of Catholic schools in the United States—pray for us!