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 Wednesday, December 17th, and the Gospel reading is Matthew 1, 1-17, and the scripture to reflect on is Matthew 1, 1, the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, and the son of Abraham.We do the Jesse Tree tradition at night before bedtime during the Advent season.
The Jesse Tree contains the Old Testament and Jesus' birth.
It’s a fun way to see the way God uses all of the history to prepare for the coming of Jesus.
We all share a little part of it.
My brother puts on the ornament and my mom reads the scripture.
I read what it’s about, and my dad takes time to explain a lot of the details.
It helps us remember that the Advent season is a time to be quiet and to prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth at Christmas.
It makes us think on God’s promises and helps us become closer to him and others. Even as a little girl, Hildegard would sit and think about all the mysteries of God.
She would wonder how he created the universe, and she would ponder on many ways he loved all people.
She even believed that she received visions from God, which were life-like dreams, told her more about his wonderful works and ways.
The visions were powerful and gave her plenty to contemplate.
St.
Hildegard of Benjen loved reading, writing, and language.
She even came up with her own language as a kind of game. Today’s Gospel reading is a long genealogy of Jesus.
It connects all the Old Testament stories we have all probably read and connects it all the way to the birth of Jesus.
Isn’t it amazing that God has everything planned out and was thinking of us all the way even back then in history?
Why wouldn’t you want to give your time and love to him?
He cares so much for us that we can also be connected to the story of history. Hildegard, in humility, didn’t tell everyone what she had seen.
After talking with others who loved God, she wrote about the visions in her book, which she still read around the world.
Her books helped others think about the mysteries of God and the perfect redemption he offers to all. Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Thank you, God, that we are all connected to you, and help us to stay connected to you in our time in prayer.
And teach me to remember that your thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and you have wonderful words.
St.
Hildegard of Benjen, 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!