Here I am!

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

Today was the first holy communion and confirmation mass at St Thomas More. 42 little people (and two or three not so little people) lined up in pretty white dresses and collared shirts and received Jesus for the first time. It was beautiful. 

Although they're long, a tad tedious and inevitably noisy, I do love first communion/ confirmation masses. They're the first sacrament you're truly aware of, and when treated with due respect and reverence, they're really lovely celebrations.

This morning the communicants and confirmers (?), when their name was called, stood up and proudly exclaimed "Here I am!", some with rather startling exuberance. It was a really beautiful touch, and though most of them probably had no idea the deeper meaning of what they were saying and saw the ejaculation merely as a role call, it was wonderful to see these little people, on the day of the affirmation of their faith and reception of our Lord, stand up and say to Him "Here I am Lord." This sentiment, so pure and submissive, is one of the things I strive for in daily life. To be able to say to the Lord, as the children did this morning, "Here I am!! I want to follow your will! With excitement and joy and love I will go out and be a beacon of light to the world! Whatever your call for me is, whatever your will holds for me, I will carry it out wholeheartedly! And use many exclamation marks all the days of my life!!!!!!!!!!"

Bishop Denis, in his sermon this morning, talked about the special connection each of us has with our confirmation saint. How, in choosing their name, we gain the prayers, guidance and guardianship of that saint. For whatever reason we chose them as our "special" saint, we have a bond with them.

Which reminded me of my confirmation saint.

Elizabeth Ann Seton was born on August 28th 1774, and at the age of 19 was married. Despite having five children to care for, Elizabeth continued to show concern for the poor and, inspired by the work of St Vincent de Paul, visited the ill and the impoverished. After her husband's death, Elizabeth was confirmed in the Catholic faith. In July of that 1809, Elizabeth established a religious community in Emmitsburg, Maryland, dedicated to the care of the children of the poor. It was the first congregation of Religious Sisters to be founded in the United States, and its school was the first free Catholic school in America. Dedicated to following the will of God, Elizabeth Ann Seton had a deep devotion to the Eucharist, Sacred Scripture and the Virgin Mary. She was canonised by Pope Paul VI on September 14th 1975, and is the patron saint of Catholic schools.

Now, at age 15, I have a great love and respect for Saint Elizabeth Ann, and strive to imitate her pure heart and true devotion in all that I do. How, though, at age 10 I decided upon Saint Elizabeth Ann, I regret to say might have been because of the pretty pictures in a book about her I had.

"We must pray literally without ceasing—without ceasing—in every occurrence and employment of our lives . . . that prayer of the heart which is independent of place or situation, or which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him." -Elizabeth Ann Seton.