DAILY MEDITATION (MONDAY, JANUARY 4)
MEDITATION OF THE DAY
Living for the Kingdom of Heaven
Father of all mercies, blessed be your goodness which has preserved me this day and brought me to the hour of rest. To your merciful protection I humbly commit my soul and body, for you only can give me peace and safety—I supplicate your blessing on me, my friends and relations through Jesus Christ my Savior.
O my Soul, there is a heaven, there is a Savior, there is a pure and perfect felicity under the shadow of his wings. There is rest from our labors, peace from our enemies, freedom from our sins. There we shall be always joyful—always beholding the presence of him, who has purchased and prepared for us this unutterable glory. Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
Where he is there shall we be also, and the happy hours we have passed together thinking of him and singing his praise, will then be remembered with the fondest delight. We will never more separate, never be weary, but day without night rejoice before his throne; and now we must keep our hearts fixed on him and try with all our souls to please our dear and blessed Lord. Then when he calls us Come up hither, we will fly with joy to our heavenly home.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Saint Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton († 1821) founded the American Sisters of Charity and was the first American-born canonized saint. / From Elizabeth Bayley Seton, Collected Writings: Volume I, Correspondence and Journals 1793-1808. © 2000, Elizabeth Seton Federation, Inc. Published by New City Press, Hyde Park, NY. Used with permission. www.newcitypress.com.
