Through her words, we invite you to discover Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton — the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized and a foundational figure in American Catholicism and the Vincentian Family.

Elizabeth Ann Seton’s writings — marked by deep faith, maternal tenderness, and a tireless trust in Divine Providence — offer us a window into her spiritual journey and the challenges she faced as a woman, mother, educator, and founder. Though written over two centuries ago, her reflections continue to resonate today, especially as we seek to respond with compassion and courage to the trials of our time.

Text of Elizabeth Ann Seton:

“Try to serve Jesus and make resolutions to do your best. Try, when you think anything will make you angry, to reflect: Is this preparing me to receive my Jesus?”

– St. Elizabeth Seton, Collected Writings, Vol. 2 p. 741.

Commentary:

In this simple yet piercing counsel, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton reminds us that the spiritual life is lived not only in great missions, but in small moments of interior choice. She invites us to strive to serve Jesus and to aim for our best—not through perfectionism, but through love in effort. And she gently points to one of the most subtle but common spiritual battles: anger.

Rather than condemn it, she invites us to pause and ask: “Is this preparing me to receive my Jesus?” This single question reframes our daily frustrations, irritations, and emotional reactions in the light of the Eucharist, of prayer, of encounter. It is a call to cultivate a heart that is always preparing room for Christ.

In Vincentian spirituality, where charity and humility walk hand in hand, this interior work is essential. We are not just called to serve outwardly—we are called to become a place of welcome for Christ, especially in the poor. If our hearts are stirred by resentment, impatience, or bitterness, how will we carry Jesus with peace and joy to others?

“Try to serve Jesus…” — The Effort That Matters

The word “try” appears twice in this short quote. Mother Seton is not demanding flawless sanctity—she is encouraging sincere effort. Holiness is not about never falling; it is about never giving up on trying, and this “trying” is directed not at a vague moral ideal, but at Jesus Himself.

St. Paul expresses the same spirit:

“Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8),

and again:

“Whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Elizabeth Ann’s call is deeply incarnational: in our fatigue, our temperaments, our small acts of kindness … in all those situations in which we are trying to serve Jesus. This daily striving—especially when done for love—transforms ordinary life into a holy offering.

“Make resolutions to do your best…” — The Discipline of Intentionality

Resolutions are not just for New Year’s. Mother Seton invites us to live with purpose, to form intentions that shape our behavior. This is not rigidity—it is spiritual attentiveness. It means examining ourselves and saying: I want to respond differently today. I want to love better.

This echoes the wisdom of the saints and the tradition of the particular examen practiced by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Ignatius. Each day, we reflect on where we failed and where we grew—so that tomorrow we may try again with grace.

To serve with intentionality is to live awake, not distracted. It’s to say: My soul is on a journey, and I want to move toward Jesus, not away.

“Try… to reflect: Is this preparing me to receive my Jesus?” — Anger as a Moment of Grace

This is the heart of Seton’s quote. She does not pretend that anger won’t arise—she assumes it will. But she proposes a response rooted in love: reflection. Pause. Ask. Think spiritually in the heat of emotion: Is this making my heart more open or more closed? More prepared to meet Jesus or more hardened against Him?

Jesus said:

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).

St. James wrote:

“The wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).

This does not mean we suppress all feelings. It means we examine them through the lens of holiness. Seton’s question shifts anger from being a stumbling block into a doorway for grace. In that pause, we can choose peace. We can choose to prepare room for Christ.

In the Vincentian context, where we work closely with broken systems and broken hearts, anger often arises. It can be righteous. But we must still ask: Is this anger drawing me closer to Christ? Or am I letting it close the door of my heart?

“To receive my Jesus” — Eucharistic Readiness and Interior Hospitality

The phrase “my Jesus” is tender and deeply Eucharistic. Seton knew that to receive Jesus in Communion meant to prepare one’s soul. But she also knew that Christ comes in many ways: in the poor, in the unexpected, in the silence of prayer.

To be prepared to receive Him means cultivating a heart that is free of resentment, uncluttered by ego, and softened by grace. The poor need not only our help—they need our peaceful, loving presence. And Jesus, too, desires to be received in hearts that are open, not occupied with anger or agitation.

Each emotional response can either prepare or prevent our communion with Christ. Seton invites us to live in readiness—to examine not only our actions, but our interior state.