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 Wednesday, February 25th, and the gospel reading is Luke 11, 29-32, and the scripture to reflect on is Luke 11, 30.
For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
Can you believe it’s already been a whole week since we received ashes?
And it’s been a whole week since the Lenten season started, and we made our list of things we are going to try to give up for the next 40 days?
We have to keep trusting in God that we can continue to keep trying our best at our promises.
The twelve disciples did not become perfect disciples in two seconds or even two days.
They continue to strive to be good followers, and we can too.
As Lent goes on, we can continue to improve.
The Lord will never take away the Holy Spirit, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that the Holy Spirit lives in our souls and has since the day we were baptized.
He lives in us and gives us freedom, but sometimes we take advantage of our freedom and give in to temptation and sin.
Luckily, God is very giving and very patient, and He never leaves us.
We should be thankful for His presence.
He will continue to show Himself to us if we ask.
Today’s saint of the day is Blessed Maria Ludovica de Angelis.
She was born 1880 and died 1962.
She is the patron saint of children.
Antonia de Angelis was born in a small village in Abruzzo, Italy.
She was the oldest of eight children.
She was a sensitive child who loved nature and people, especially children.
Antonia was drawn to a life totally dedicated to God and was deeply inspired by the life of St.
Mary Joseph Rosalo, foundress of the Institute of the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy.
She entered this order on 1904 and took the name Sister Maria Ludovica.
Three years later, Sister Ludovica was sent on a mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She spent 54 years at the children’s hospital, spreading the message of God’s love to everyone, sick children, hospital staff, and the sisters with whom she had worked with.
Her loving presence created a strong family atmosphere.
The phrase she most often repeated was, Do good to all, no matter who it may be.
Her burning love for God and her ardent faith moved her to seek donors who could aid in the expansion of the hospital to include operating rooms, medical equipment, and a home for wheelchair-bound children.
When Sister Ludovica died, the hospital was renamed after her in gratitude for all she had done.
Faith, which is trust in God, is an excellent thing to think on.
With faith, we believe that God loves us more than we can imagine, even after we’ve sinned.
Sometimes, I think it’s hard to think that God could possibly still love me after I’ve sinned.
But that’s why I have faith.
It tells me something different.
I know there is nothing God will not forgive.
If I am truly sorry and I am trying to do better with my faith, I am never stuck in sinful ways, and our hearts can stay pure and clean as we draw closer to God.
Blessed Maria Ludovica allowed herself to become a true instrument of God’s mercy to all, especially the young and the sick.
She recognized the incredible gift of God’s love for her as well, as the fact that so many were hungry for His love.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you for faith, so that when I’ve sinned, I know that you will forgive me and always love me.
And help me to be on the lookout for many signs of your love for me.
Blessed Maria Ludovica de Angelis, 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!