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 Monday, May 11th, and the gospel reading is John 15, 26 through 16, 4.
And the scripture to reflect on is John 15, 26.
But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me.
I learned a big word today.
Do you want to learn it too?
It’s Paraclete.
No, no, it’s not a parrot.
It’s a word that means helper.
That is what the Holy Spirit is.
Jesus had to leave earth, but before he did, he left the disciples and us, the Holy Spirit, as a helper to give us wisdom and strength to share with others about Jesus' love.
The Holy Spirit is a helper who guides us.
When we have questions and problems, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us.
We ask the Spirit to lead us into truth, just like Jesus.
When we study the Bible, we can ask the Holy Spirit to lead us.
We need the Holy Spirit to help us hear what God is really trying to say to us.
Today, Saint of the Day, Saint Ignatius of Laconia.
He was born 1701 and died 1781.
He’s the patron saint of beggars and the poor.
Saint Ignatius was the son of a poor farmer with seven children.
He grew up in hard rural poverty, working in the fields.
At age 17, he became very ill and promised to become a Franciscan if he was spared.
When he was cured, his father convinced him to wait.
At age 20, Ignatius was almost killed when he lost control of his horse.
Suddenly, the horse stopped and trotted on quietly.
Ignatius was convinced God had saved his life again, and he decided to follow the religious Vatican once.
He joined the Monastery of H.
Benedict as a lay brother, taking his vows in 1722.
Pentecost Sunday is coming up in the next couple of weeks.
This is a Sunday that we are remembering that God sent us our own personal coach to guide us through life.
The Holy Spirit, the paraclete, came to the disciples after Jesus went back up to heaven, and the Holy Spirit comes to you too.
He will always be there whenever you need him.
Here’s an interesting thing to think about today.
Do you think the Holy Spirit came to lead you to the truth, even if you don’t recognize it at the time?
Ignatius spent his time making materials for the community and walking from house to house in the surrounding countryside, asking for donations that would help the friars continue their life in prayer.
Sometimes the townspeople would ask Ignatius to come into their houses.
Ignatius always listened to them with kindness and patience.
He would cheer everybody up when the house was sick or lonely.
When he left, he looked ahead with kindness to the next house.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you for sending me a helper, the paraclete.
And sometimes you ask me to do stuff as simple as listen to others.
Help me listen well.
Saint Ignatius of Lacani, 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! Thank you!