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, June 10th.
In the summer weeks, we are going to do the ABCs of our Catholic faith and saints.
Today is the letter C for crucifix.
The scripture to reflect on is 1 Corinthians 1, 23-24.
But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and to folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
A cross is a simple shape.
It has two pieces, a top piece and a bottom piece, just like a capital letter T.
A crucifix is a cross with Jesus on it.
Sometimes he’s hanging down from the cross and other times he’s standing there.
A crucifix is a cross with Jesus.
Let’s talk about why Catholics have a crucifix instead of just a cross.
Catholics use a crucifix, a cross with Jesus' body on it, to emphasize Christ’s sacrificial love, his suffering, and the victory over death that was won through that sacrifice.
While an empty cross symbolizes the empty tomb in Christ’s resurrection, the crucifix is central to Catholic worship, reminding the faithful of the cost of their salvation.
The crucifix in a Catholic church is about Jesus' sacrifice.
The crucifix is a vivid reminder of the suffering and death Jesus endured.
The crucifix highlights that Christ’s victory over death was achieved through his sacrifice on the cross.
The crucifix can remind us that Jesus is present at the Mass.
In Catholic liturgy and worship, the crucifix is central to keeping the faithful rooted in the reality of Christ’s saving passion and sacrifice.
So why is the crucifix so important in Catholic worship?
It’s because it has a deeper sacramental present in Catholic worship and devotion compared to a bare cross.
It can help us focus on the here and now.
It brings the mystery of Christ’s suffering and love into the present moment.
Catholics display it, which includes the body of Jesus, because it reminds us of the greatest gifts of love ever giving.
An empty cross is a simplified Christian symbol, but doesn’t communicate the full story.
Today’s Saint of the Day is Carlo Curtes.
He was born in 1991 and died 2006.
He’s a patron saint of the internet.
Today’s Saint of the Day is Saint Carlo Curtes.
He was born in 1991 and died 2006.
He’s a patron saint of the internet.
Carlo Curtes was an Italian teenager who loved computers and his Catholic faith.
He is famous for using his tech skills to share his beliefs online.
He lived a short but very full life.
Carlo was very devoted to the Eucharist, a central part of the Catholic faith.
He created a website to share information about Eucharistic miracles from all over the world.
He died from leukemia when he was only 15 years old.
Jesus died for our sins, an act to which we return each day and every time we witness the holy sacrifice of the Mass.
At the moment of consecration, we are transported back in time to the foot of the cross on Calvary.
We provoke of the body and blood of Christ as he instructed us to do.
The crucifix also serves as a reminder to love as he loves and to take up our own cross and follow him.
Saint Carlo Curtes became a saint in the Catholic Church on September 7, 2025 because of his love for technology and faith.
He is often called the patron saint of the internet and God’s influencer.
Carlo’s famous saying was, the Eucharist is a highway to heaven.
He always loved the Eucharist.
So should we.
When we recently went to Italy, we saw his incorrect body.
That is pretty cool.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you that you sent your Son to die for our sins.
And thank you that we are allowed to take the Eucharist.
Saint Carlo Curtes, 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!