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 Friday, May 8th, and the Gospel reading is John 15, 12-17, and the scripture to reflect on is John 15, 12.
This is my commandment, love one another as I love you.
Jesus' instructions come down to one word, love.
But how exactly do we do that?
Well, we pray, think, and with the help of God’s grace, we act.
Try it! Ways to try it is think, who needs my help?
To pray, Lord, how can I help?
And to think, who is lonely or sad?
Today’s Saint of the Day is Blessed Catherine of St.
Augustine.
She was born in 1632 and died 1668.
She is a patron saint of Canada.
Catherine was born in Normandy, France.
From a young age, she had mystical experiences and was intensely attracted to a life of prayer and devotion to God.
As a young teenager, she entered the Augustan Hospitaller Sisters of the Mercy of Jesus, and when she was just 16, Catherine volunteered to go to Quebec to help the colonies of New France and the native people.
Her families opposed the idea, but Catherine was resolute and set sail in 1648.
On the ship, she contracted the plague and was close to death, but she experienced a miraculous recovery and attributed to Mary’s intercession.
God commands us to love each other, and by loving each other, he means everyone.
God commands us to love exactly like he loved.
It’s pretty big, don’t you think?
I mean, that’s even impossible.
Truthfully, the answer is no.
We are all sinners who mess up, but God is pure and never makes any mistakes, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be trying.
Catherine combined a deep life of prayer with service of others.
Her contemplative life was not self-focused, but spilled onto the life of apostolic service.
Her life is an example of someone who gave herself completely to God and others.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear Jesus, help me to love everyone just like you love.
And help me that I might grow in both the spirit of prayer and service.
Blessed Catherine of St.
Augustine, 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 next week, scattering more flowers.
See ya!