Hello everyone, my name is Elise Brooklyn and this is Scattering Flowers, a podcast where we scatter flowers of faith.
I’m so happy to be with you reading the daily Gospels together.
Let’s get started! Today is Friday, February 21st, and we will be reading Mark 8, 34 through Mark 9, 1.
Follow along in your Bible if you have one.
Now let’s read Mark 8, 34 through Mark 9, 1.
And he called to him the multitude with his disciples and said to them, If any man would come after me and say, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospels will save it.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
For what can a man give in return for his life?
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words and in the adulterations and sinful generations of him, will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
And he said to them, Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before you see the kingdom of God come with power.
Today’s reading makes me think about saints that we learn about that have been martyred for Christ.
They have so much faith and belief in Jesus and all his miracles and love for us that they are brave enough to be killed for him.
Sometimes I wonder if I would be that brave.
Joan of Arc is one of my favorite saints.
And I can’t imagine being put on a stake and burned.
That scares me.
Oh I feel like I can do in my little life right now is get more brave is wearing my crucifix so that people know that I have faith doing this podcast to spread God’s love and continue to pray and read my Bible every day.
In this reading, when Jesus says to take up your cross, we should think about him, Jesus, who was willing to give up everything so we can have everlasting life.
It also means that those of us who want to be his followers must also be willing to take up their own crosses, give up everything and follow him.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, dear God, help me to be brave like the martyrs to take up my cross and follow you.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Thank you so much for listening.
I’ll be back next week scattering more flowers.
See ya!