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 Tuesday, March 10th, and the Gospel reading is Matthew 18, 21-35, and the scripture to reflect on is Matthew 18, 29.
Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.
When you run outside and run around and yell and play, do you think you breathe faster or do you breathe slower than you are breathing right now?
We definitely breathe faster.
What do you think would happen if you tried to do all that running around and held your breath?
We would probably faint.
The more we move around, the more air we need.
Remembering to breathe in and out so that we can do more of another thing, like run around, is something we hear about in today’s scripture story too.
Peter asked if he should forgive someone seven times.
Jesus said to forgive seventy times seven, which means keep forgiving always.
Today’s Saint of the Day is Saint John Ogilvie.
He was born 1579 and died 1615.
He is the patron saint of Scotland.
John Ogilvie was born into a noble family in Scotland.
At a time when many people zealously supported the Reformation, John’s mother was Catholic and two of his uncles were Jesuits.
But John’s mother died when he was young and he was raised as a Calvinist.
When John was a teenager, his father sent him to study in Europe.
There, he witnessed public debates between Calvinists and Catholics.
John reflected, asked questions, and at 17 dedicated to enter the Catholic Church.
John soon answered God’s call to become a Jesuit.
After his ordination, he prevailed upon his superior general to send him to Scotland, despite the intense persecution of Catholics there.
In today’s story, Jesus is telling his disciples and us to keep remembering the forgiveness that God is giving to us, so that we remember that we have forgiveness to share with others.
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful, important, and healing gifts we can ever give.
And forgiveness is a gift that God keeps giving to us, so that we can keep sharing it with others.
Then it’s easier for us to share that forgiveness with those around us.
Forgiveness isn’t just saying words, it’s letting go of what upsets us.
So if you remember anything from today, never stop forgiving! John wanted the Church to be united.
During John’s life, the Church was split into many different groups, even though each group claimed to love Jesus.
John knew that division among these groups was not what Jesus would have wanted.
So John went to Scotland.
Even though he disagreed with the King of Scotland about the Church, John knew his choice could cost him his life.
After a few years of trying to do something about his divisions, John was locked in prison.
His was tortured and executed because he could not name anyone else he knew that disagreed with the King.
Even though pain and death, John didn’t regret his mission to bring unity and understanding to the Church groups.
Before St.
John died, someone asked him if he feared death.
He said, I fear death as much as you do your dinner.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you for always forgiving us, and help us to forgive others, always.
And help me to be united in your love for you.
St.
John Ogilvy, 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!