Hello everyone! 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 Wednesday, November 12th, and the Gospel reading is Luke 17, 11 through 19.
And the scripture to reflect on is Luke 17, 16. And he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. I hate being sick.
When I’m sick, I like my mom to take care of me and snuggle up on the couch with a cozy blanket and watch a lot of movies. I don’t like taking medicine, but it can make me feel better, so I get through it. Back in Bible times when people got leprosy, people didn’t even want to touch you or be near you. Imagine being so sick and you’re totally ignored, even cast out of places because you’re considered unclean.
No one takes care of you to help you feel better. Jesus healed one of these leopards, and only one said thank you. Today, Saint of the Day, Saint Josephat Kuntsevich.
He was born 1580 and died November 12th, 1623.
He’s the patron saint of Christian unity.
Josephat was born John Kuntsevich.
John had a great desire for unity in the church from a very young age.
When he was in his 20s, he joined the monastery of the Holy Trinity, took the name Josephat.
He was known for preaching on unity with Rome. He was divided between the Orthodox and those who are faithful to Rome.
He tried to encourage peace among the people, but then was attacked by an angry crowd, struck in the head, and thrown into the river.
He was canonized in 1867 by Pope Pius IX. Only one man, a man from out of town, turned around and remembered to thank Jesus for healing him.
We need to remember to have gratitude and to not forget to give God thanks for all of his blessings. More than 500 years before Josephat was born, the church was split into two different groups.
The two groups, the East and the West, disagreed on the best ways to worship and on who should be pope, among many other things, but Josephat knew that the love of Jesus was greater than any other divisions. After St.
Josephat of Konsovic died, many churches from the East and the West began to reconcile and agree. Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, dear God, thank you for all of our blessings, and help us to never stop thanking you.
And thank you that you want us to be united and help churches around the world to reconcile with you.
St.
Josephat of Konsovic, 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!