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 Monday, November 10th, and the gospel reading is Luke 17, 1-6.
And the scripture to reflect on is Luke 17, 6.
And the Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, Be rooted up and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you. Have you ever planted a seed and actually watched it grow into a bigger plant?
We have an herb plant, it’s basil, and we have seen it become so tall that it reaches for the sunshine in our window.
We like to use the basil plant in our pasta sauce and on top of our pizzas.
Me or my brother or my mom have to take time to water it and make sure that we snip the leaves to trim it and to prune it.
I thought of the basil plant when I read today’s reading and what Jesus is teaching us.
It doesn’t take great faith for great things to happen.
It happens because it doesn’t depend on us, but instead our faith depends on God.
God has the power to do anything, and so we can trust whatever he does. Today’s saint of the day is Saint Leo the Great.
He was born 400 and died in 461.
He’s a patron saint of confessors and popes.
Not much is known of Leo’s early years.
It is believed that he was born at the end of the fourth century in Rome to parents from Tuscany.
He was ordained to the dag on it and advised popes.
He was quickly recognized for his energy and many talents, and in 440 he was elected bishop of Rome, and Pope Leo made many efforts to unify the church.
He defended the teachings of Peter and taught that the bishop of Rome’s authority is universal, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Leo embraced and promoted the bishop of Rome’s authoritative role in the church.
His love for the church’s teaching helped him to instruct with clarity.
He was known for his clear and profound letters with homilies, many which have been preserved and handed down to the centuries.
When Leo died, he had served his pope for over two decades.
He was buried in St.
Peter’s Basilica in Rome. God knows everything about you.
He knows your deepest wishes and dreams.
He understands you.
He knows what you think and say even before you say it.
And there isn’t anything about you that God doesn’t already know, and nothing will ever stop him from loving you.
That is why we should have much faith in him.
He will help us grow like the little basil plant. Even though some called the city of Rome eternal, Leo knew that cities didn’t last forever.
The only kingdom that would always last forever is the kingdom of God, which was unlike any kingdom on earth.
During Leo’s time as pope, the great city of Rome was crumbling, invading armies came from everywhere, famine spread throughout the land, and politicians squabbled and forgot about taking care of the people.
Leo built up the church so it could survive the city’s fall.
He took on heresies and false teachings that said Jesus was not both God and man.
And when the great empire of Rome fell apart, the church kept on growing. Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, we ask for a tiny seed-sized faith.
Help us to believe and never doubt you.
Help me to seek the real kingdom of heaven and help me to keep my eyes on you.
Saint Leo the Great, 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!