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, April 14th, and the gospel reading is John 3, 7 through 15.
And the scripture to reflect on is John 3, 8.
The wind blows where it wills, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
When you wake up each morning, do you know what will happen the next day?
You’ll probably get up, go to school, go to your practice, and then hang out with friends.
But what if God has other things in store for you?
Maybe a neighbor will need help, or a friend will need cheering up.
We can’t see the future.
Sometimes we may even feel like leaves carried by the wind.
We don’t know where we will end up next.
Today’s saint of the day is Saint Damien of Molokai.
He was born 1840 and died 1889.
He is the patron saint of Belgium and Hawaii.
Everywhere Damien looked, he saw suffering.
He had to come to the Hawaiian Islands to be a missionary.
Hawaiian people who had Hansen’s disease or leprosy were being isolated.
They were left totally alone with no help because no one else wanted to get the disease.
But Damien knew that Jesus went to where no one else was willing to go, and Damien wanted to be like Jesus.
So Damien moved to Hawaii and showed the people God’s mercy.
He became friends with them so much that they didn’t want to leave, even when another missionary volunteered to take his place.
Damien eventually did contract the disease.
Even so, Damien loved where Jesus had placed him because he gave him an opportunity to serve.
If we let God carry us like the wind and send us where he wills us to be, we will find the great adventure he has in mind for us, like helping those in need and caring for the sick.
St.
Damien of Molokai’s day of death, April 15th, is celebrated as a minor holiday in Hawaii.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, move me where you want me to be, and help me to always help those in need.
And help me to show everybody mercy, just like St.
Damien of Molokai did.
St.
Damien of Molokai, 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!