Hello everyone! Heyo! Welcome back to Scattering Flowers with Elise and Miles, a podcast where we read the daily gospels and the saint of the day.
Let’s get started! Today is Tuesday, June 24th, and the gospel reading is Luke 1, 57-66, and verse 80.
And the scripture to reflect on is Luke 1, 80.
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
Just the other day, my mom and I were talking about how crazy it is to wrap your head around the fact that God created us just the way we are, and that he even knows the number of hairs we have on our head and the days that we will die.
He is already preparing for us to be in heaven.
That’s such a crazy thought to me.
God has a plan for our lives.
He created each one of us, and he knew about us before we were born.
God’s plan for our lives is that we glorify him and enjoy him forever.
We cannot glorify him if we have not yet put our faith in Jesus.
Today’s saints of the day are St.
Zachariah and Elizabeth.
They lived during the first century.
Their feast day is usually September 23rd.
We celebrate them today because it is the nativity of their son, John the Baptist.
They are the patron saints of infertility.
Zachariah and Elizabeth were the parents of St.
John the Baptist.
Zachariah was a priest, and Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.
They were unable to have children, but they continued to pray.
One day, Zachariah entered the temple to offer sacrifice to the angel.
Gabriel appeared to them and told them that Elizabeth would soon have a son.
Zachariah then doubted St.
Gabriel Archangel, and so he was struck mute.
He was unable to speak, but later guess what?
Elizabeth did have a son named John.
When John was born, Zachariah could speak again.
He broke out into song of praise.
This is a church prayer that is done every morning in the Liturgy of the Hours called the Benedictus.
Zachariah and Elizabeth’s son, most people probably know this, but John grew up to be the runner of Jesus.
Jesus came into the world as a baby.
He grew up and lived a sinless life on the earth.
John prepared God’s people for the coming Messiah, but they didn’t believe that Jesus was the one God had promised.
They put Jesus to death by crucifying him on the cross.
He was buried and three days later God raised him from the dead.
Jesus came to this world for us to save us from sin and death.
We glorify God when we put our faith in Jesus.
After we put our faith in Jesus, we become his followers who glorify God by sharing the message of good news with others.
Once John the Baptist was born and given his name, Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message to the people.
He spoke of the promised Messiah who would come and rescue God’s people from their enemies.
He then spoke of God’s plan to his baby son, John.
God’s plan for John’s life was to be his prophet who will prepare his people for the coming Messiah, Jesus.
John the Baptist described himself as the voice of one crying out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, help us to live lives that please you and help us to fulfill your plan for our life.
And help us to be more like St.
Elizabeth and Zachariah to pray and speak the words of praise to God.
Amen.
St.
Zachariah and Elizabeth 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 with Scattering More Flowers.
See ya!