Hello everyone! Heyo! 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 Friday, May 30th, and the gospel reading is John 16, 20-23, and the scripture to reflect on is John 16, 22.
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Do you know that kid’s song?
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.
Where?
Down in my heart to stay.
Joy is a gift from God, and joy is different than just happiness.
Joy comes from God.
We have joy even when things aren’t going well, because God is always with us, working in us.
Our joy that bubbles inside is because of the Holy Spirit.
Our joy cannot be taken away from us, though at times we can forget.
It is always there for us, just as God is always there for us.
Today’s saint of the day, St.
Joan of Arc.
She was born January 6, 1412, and died May 30, 1431.
She’s the patron saint of France, soldiers, prisoners, those in encourage, those ridiculed for their faith and youth.
She grew up in a small town of France.
Her father, Jacquez, was a farmer who also worked as an official for the town.
Joan worked on the farm and learned how to sow from her mother, Isabel.
Joan was also very religious.
When Joan was around 12 years old, she has a vision.
She saw Michael, the archangel.
He told her that she was going to lead the French in a battle against the English.
Joan continued to have visions and hear voices against this every year.
She said that they were beautiful and wonderful visions from God.
When Joan turned 16, she decided it was time to listen to her visions and take actions.
Joan led an attack, and during one of those battles, she was wounded by an arrow, but that didn’t stop Joan from fighting.
She stayed with the troops, inspiring them to fight even harder.
Eventually, Joan and the French army repelled the English troops and caused them to retreat.
She helped save them from France.
Happiness is a happy response to a good feeling, while joy is a feeling we have from God.
And just like the song I started with, it’s down in our hearts to stay.
Joan of Arc said, One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it.
But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.
Let’s live our lives out with joy.
St.
Joan of Arc, pray for us.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you that because you live in me, I have joy way down in my heart.
Thank you that it is unending.
Help us to live out my life in happiness and sadness, knowing that your joy makes my heart full no matter what.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Thank you so much for listening.
We’ll be back next week, scattering more flowers.
See ya!