Hello everyone, hey yo, welcome back to Scattering Flowers with Elise and Miles, a podcast where you read the daily gospels and the saint of the day.
Let’s get started! Today is Thursday, April 17th, and we’ll be reading John 13, 1-15.
Follow along in your Bible if you have one.
Now let’s read John 13, 1-15.
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
And during supper, when the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and tied a towel around himself.
Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.
He came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet?
Jesus answered him, What I am doing, you do not know, but afterward you will understand.
Peter said to him, You shall never wash my feet.
Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.
Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
Jesus said to him, He who has bathed does not need to wash except for his feet, but he is clean all over, and you are clean, but not all of you.
For he knew who was to betray him.
That is why he said, You are not all clean.
When he had washed their feet and taken his garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you?
You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, also ought to wash one another’s feet, for I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t really think I want to wash the disciples' feet.
P.U.
Do you want to know why they had to wash each other’s feet back then?
Well, because there were no cars or bikes or any transportation, and there weren’t any Nike tennis shoes, so they had to walk everywhere in sandals.
Can you imagine all that dirt?
So when they entered a house, a servant would wash their feet.
Jesus is the greatest servant of all.
Heyo! Today’s saint is Saint Kateri Tekawitha.
Now, let’s read her story.
Kateri was born in upstate New York, the daughter of a Christian Algaquin.
Mother and a Mohawk chief.
When she was four, relatives, parents, and little brother died, and Kateri was practically blinded and scared.
Several years later, Jesuit missionaries came to Kateri’s village, and she was overjoyed to learn more about the loving God her mother had told her about as a child.
Though her relatives did not approve of her new faith, Kateri chose to be baptized in 1676.
The villagers began to persecute Kateri ruthlessly.
Her relatives were particularly angry that she refused to marry.
After some time, Kateri fled to a Christian native village around Montreal, where she could practice her faith in peace.
Upon her arrival in Montreal, Kateri met some religious sisters and felt called by God to meet her own religious order.
Her confessor discouraged her, but eventually allowed her to make a vow.
Kateri soon became a spiritual leader in her new village through her simple life, devoted prayer, kindness, and generosity.
The intensity of her penances, a common practice among converts, weakened her health.
Kateri died at the age of 23 or 24.
Upon her death, a priest reported that the small box scares disappeared from her face and she was radiant.
Saint Kateri chose to live her life for God and in serving others.
She often took care of sick people and always looked for ways to serve others without complaining.
Jesus showed his love to his disciples by washing their feet.
That is a pretty lowly job, but he wanted to serve them in love.
Like Saint Kateri, God wants us to show others love by serving them.
Can you think of a way you can serve someone someday?
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Dear God, help us to have hearts that want to serve others so that we can show your love.
Help us to live with love for others and find ways to share about you.
Saint Kateri Tekawitha, pray for us.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Thank you so much for listening.
We’ll be back tomorrow scattering more flowers.
See ya!