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 Tuesday, June 10th, and the Gospel reading is Matthew 5, 13-16, and the scripture to reflect on is Matthew 5, 16.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
One time my brother was in charge of making the popcorn for our movie night.
I still remember it very well to this day.
We were watching around the Christmas holidays, and my mom was trying to let him do it on his own.
She giggled and said it was a good life skill teachable moment.
He was so proud of himself, but when we tasted it, it was horrible.
And I’m not exaggerating.
It was horrible.
It was so salty, it burned our mouths and tongues.
Today’s Gospel reading makes me think of this time, because salt can change the flavor of something for better or for worse.
This is what Jesus is talking about as Christians.
We can influence and have an impact or flavoring people by changing their hearts and telling them more about God’s love.
Today’s Saint of the Day is Saint Catherine of Bologna.
She was born September 8, 1413, and died March 9, 1463.
Her feast day is March 9.
She’s the patron saint of artists.
Saint Catherine was born into a wealthy family around the age of 10.
She was sent away to be a lady-in-waiting to a girl named Margaret.
While she was there serving the girl, she received a good education, learned Latin, and studied music, poetry, painting, and writing.
Later, some women formed a monasticistic community to follow the rule of Saint Claire of Assisi, and she became the abyss of the sisters and opened a foundation of Bologna.
Saint Catherine would sometimes experience dark periods when she thought God had abandoned her at one point.
She made a confession and had a profound experience of God’s divine mercy.
She wrote a book called The Seven Spiritual Weapons in which she offered practical advice to her sisters and shared what she learned through her own struggles when she was dying.
She promised her sisters she would help them from heaven.
Can you imagine eating food that is bland with no seasoning?
I think that would be very boring after a while.
We are lucky to have delicious spices like pepper, salt, garlic, and other things we can use to cook.
We can also think of this when we live out our Christian lives.
Jesus gives us seasoning and spice to make things happy and whole.
After Catherine received divine mercy, it made her know the direction of which way to live her life.
We can experience mercy when we let God into our hearts.
No matter what, when you repent Jesus will dissolve your sins.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, help us to season other people’s lives by being salt and telling them about your love.
And help us to pray to the saints for daily help and thanks that they have been through that we might receive strength and direction from them.
St.
Catherine of Bologna, pray for us.
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 tomorrow scattering more flowers.
See ya!