Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

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Lectionary: 212

We receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.


In my own manner of preaching I have often used Saint John's idealistic we. Of course we keep his commandments and do what pleases God. How could we do otherwise? 

I have never liked the preaching which says how sinful we are. I object to that style, as I wonder, "Who is this 'we' you're talking about? Are you talking about me, or is it only your personal demons projected on this silent, passive congregation?" 

Saint John speaks of a Church that really does exist when he says, "... we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." 

This is the Church of the Holy Spirit that is the living heart of every congregation. 
That Church is realized in the Virgin Mother. Saint Francis called her the daughter of God the Father, Spouse of the Holy Spirit and Mother of Jesus Christ. She is not a literary fiction, an artificial symbol of everything that is ideal in Catholic mythology. As Saint Peter said, 

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.

We have seen that the Church, despite its sins, is driven by the Holy Spirit and is worthy of our trust. Even in a worldly sense she is generally more trustworthy than any other authority in government, business or entertainment. But in the spiritual sense she is the faithful spouse of Jesus; he has 

cleansed her by the bath of water with the word,that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish 

Saint John continues: 

And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit whom he gave us.

That Spirit remains in us. It draws us into Church and to God despite our suspicions and fears, despite our biases and prejudices, despite our ancient, bitter memories. The Spirit gently, persistently tells us, "You have nothing to fear in loving one another."