We could easily wax poetic about the exemplary life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, whose feast we celebrate today, Jan. 4, but Pope Paul VI summed up her life and legacy best when he canonized her in 1975:
“Elizabeth Ann Seton is a saint. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is an American. All of us say this with special joy, and with the intention of honoring the land and the nation from which she sprang forth as the first flower in the calendar of the saints. Elizabeth Ann Seton was wholly American! Rejoice for your glorious daughter. Be proud of her. And know how to preserve her fruitful heritage.”
In honor of her feast day, here are seven quotes from the beloved saint which showcase her simple but profound wisdom.
“God is like a looking glass in which souls see each other. The more we are united to Him by love, the nearer we are to those who belong to Him.”
“How sweet the presence of Jesus to the longing, harassed soul! It is instant peace, and balm to every wound.”
“Faith lifts the soul. Hope supports it. Experience says it must. And Love says let it be!”
“The gate of Heaven is very low. Only the humble can enter it.”
“We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives — that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.”
“Cheerfulness prepares a glorious mind for the noblest of acts.”
“We must often draw the comparison between time and eternity. This is the remedy of all our troubles. How small will the present moment appear when we enter that great ocean.”