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 Monday, August 11, and the Gospel reading is Matthew 17, 22-27, and the scripture to reflect on is Matthew 17, 27. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel.
Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself. I like to babysit, and when I am hired to watch kids, the parents are trusting me to watch over the children and to care for their needs.
This means fun stuff like giving them snacks, playing with toys, and reading them books.
But it’s also the not fun stuff too, like changing diapers, cleaning up their messes, wiping their noses.
But I do this because I’m caring for them as a parent would while they’re away. Jesus shows Peter and the other disciples that whatever their needs are, he will supply for them and ours too.
We don’t have to be stressed because he sees the need before we do, and he knows how he will meet that need even through fishing for a coin. Today’s Saint of the Day is Saint Clair of Assisi.
She was born in the year 1194 and died in the year 1253. In the year 1212, Saint Clair ran away from home when she was just a teenager because she wanted to follow Jesus by living a radical life.
Her family objected, but she still left her life of comfort to join Saint Francis.
In his new movement, Saint Clair trusted in God and pledged to follow Jesus in life of total poverty.
Saint Clair was one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi and founded the Order of the Poor Ladies. The Order of the Poor Ladies was different from any other order or convent that has existed before then as it followed the rule of strict poverty.
Saint Clair wrote the Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by women.
Following her death, the order was founded and was renamed in her honor as the Order of Saint Clair, known today as the Poor Clairs. Jesus worked a miracle with a coin in a fish’s mouth that Peter was able to pay the taxes with.
It’s kind of cool to think Jesus is able to still do miracles.
We just need to continue to serve him and find him in the little things in life, like making snacks, changing diapers, and caring for others. There is a miracle known to Saint Clair of Assisi of a mother from the region near Assisi prayed to Saint Clair, begging for help.
Her young child has been dragged away by a savage wolf and everybody was scared.
Distraught, she turned to Saint Clair.
Saint Clair, filled with compassion, prayed fervently for the child’s safety.
Not long after the villagers were stunned to see the wolf return of its own accord, gently bringing the child back completely unharmed.
The animal released the child and disappeared back into the forest as if tamed by divine mercy. Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Dear God, thank you for caring for us and giving us what we need.
Help me to care for others with your love. And help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, not things in the world.
Help me to serve others.
Saint Clair of Assisi, 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!