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 Thursday, October 9th, and the Gospel reading is Luke 11, 5 through 13.
And the scripture to reflect on is Luke 11, 10.
To the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
I really like this story in the Bible.
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night.
I am a person that thinks a lot at night and it can heat me up, sometimes or make me wake up in the middle of the night.
So my mom shared this story with me.
Let me tell you what she taught me about it when it comes to waking up your neighbor for loaves of bread.
In the parable, the man represents us.
The neighbor represents God.
The parable of the friend at midnight shows us that we can come and talk to God at any time.
It doesn’t matter if it’s early in the morning or in the middle of the night.
We should pray to him with confidence that he will hear us.
When we pray to God, he will listen.
He wants to show us his perfect love.
Today’s Saint of the Day, Saint Denis.
It’s unknown when he was born and he died in the year 258.
He’s a patron saint of France.
Denis was one of the seven priests who was sent from Rome to Gaul to spread the good news about Jesus.
The priests founded churches and so many French people became Christians.
But even though they were away from Rome, they couldn’t hide from the persecution of the Roman empires.
Denis refused to give his faith in Jesus and he was beheaded.
The highest hill of the city was chosen for Saint Denis' beheading.
But after the execution sword fell, Denis stood up, picked up his head, and began to walk away, preaching a sermon as he went.
Legends says that he walked several miles and that the Basilica of Saint Denis near Paris marks the spot where he miraculously sermon ended when he passed away.
Almost immediately after his death, Saint Denis is claimed as a martyr and a saint.
Saint Denis is shown in paintings and statues as a headless figure carrying his own head.
Nobody likes to be shut out of a room.
Nobody likes to be ignored.
And nobody likes to hear comments like, I’m busy or don’t bother us.
That hurts.
Jesus is a friend who will never ever make you wait before you can talk to him.
There are no closed doors with Jesus.
All you need to do is call on him and he will listen.
Nothing will ever stop Jesus from loving you.
Talk to him now because he really wants to know how you are doing.
You can always count on Jesus.
Even long after his death, people remembered his love for Jesus.
Like Saint Denis, people can look to God knowing that even though we die, real life is in Christ.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you for being with us always and for knowing that we need even before we ask.
Thank you for answering all of our prayers the way you know is best.
And help me to live out my life out like Saint Denis showing Jesus' love.
Saint Denis, 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! Bye!