5 January 2025 #alotalot

There is a lot going on right now. We have the liturgical cycle celebrations of the Epiphany of the Lord as a Solemnity and the feast day of our patroness, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. There’s also his little thing we’ve been doing called a “renovation” that continues to upend our sacred spaces (sanctuary and soul). And finally, it’s the calendar New Year, that time of year when we look to the past to set some goals for the future. That’s a-lot-a-lot all in one weekend. 

I watched an old TV-film titled, “The Fourth Wise Man” a few weeks back. It opens with a magi named Artaban selling his great wealth in order to follow a star to find the newborn King. But things transpire - some bad, some good – and the quest is abandoned, but a beautifully ordinary life unfolds. At his very end, Artaban despairs, wondering if he will ever get to meet the King he so ardently desired. [Spoiler alert: he does] Isn’t that the way life goes? We set out on this great faith journey at our baptism and then a beautifully ordinary life unfolds, resplendent with mountains and valleys and wildlife at the ready. When/if we reach the old-age-of-despair, we wonder: Are we on St. Peter’s guest list for eternity with the King?

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton had her own journey towards Jesus, and like all memorable adventures, she had more than her fair share of drama. Living and loving the Catholic faith wasn’t easy for her as a convert, a woman with children, and a hope-and-a-vision for the poor. Her conversion came at the hands of John 6:25 onward, the Bread of Life discourse; she felt the grace and peace that came with Adoration and came to believe in Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. Alongside the friendship and support from her new Catholic friends after the death of her husband, she set off on this new faith journey. In converting to Catholicism, she lost her status in New York society, her long-time friends, and her work as a teacher. Like Artaban, though, she gained more than she lost. If we’re truly following the light of Jesus and the Catholic faith, we’re going to encounter adversity. But like Elizabeth and Artaban, we know that the journey is worth it. 

Much like renovating our sacred spaces, right? It’s so worth it. Despite the setbacks, the uncertainty, and the drama, to have our soul - and worship space - shine in a more glorious way than when we entered Advent is a beautiful sight to behold. There is still work to be done on both fronts (at least on my soul), but in the end the journey was worth it. 

May your New Year’s journey bring you closer to the Lord, so when you meet St. Peter, you don’t have to wonder about that guest list.

#alotalot