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 Wednesday, July 22nd, and for the summer weeks we have been doing the ABCs of our Catholic faith and saints.
But since we finished that up, now we’re doing the Catholic 1-2-3s.
Today is the number 7 for the 7 sacraments, and the scripture to reflect on is Acts 19, 6.
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
What are the 7 sacraments of the Catholic Church?
They are Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Holy Matrimony.
The 7 sacraments are Jesus' special gifts that shows us his love and help us stay close to him in real life.
All the sacraments were created by God and were given to us by his strength.
Baptism begins our life with God and begins our life in Christ.
Holy Communion brings us close to Jesus in a unique way because the Eucharist is the source and summant of the Christian life.
Confirmation strengthens us to live our faith with courage by the power of the Holy Spirit and helps us belong more fully to the Church.
Reconciliation restores us when we mess up.
It brings God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church.
Anointing of the Sick brings God’s help and healing when we’re suffering.
Matrimony is a man and woman giving their whole lives in love.
And Holy Orders is a man or woman becoming ordained to serve the Church.
Holy Orders is when a man is ordained to serve the Church as a deacon, priest, or bishop so God can care for his people through them.
The sacraments show that Jesus doesn’t love us from far away.
We are covering the Apostles called by Jesus.
Today’s Saint of the Day is Saint Thomas the Apostle.
He is the patron saint of architects.
Thomas was called a didymous, which means the twin.
He was a man of great courage and self-sacrifice.
When Jesus told his disciples that he would return to Judea to visit his friend Lazarus, the Apostles knew that the people would try to stone him.
But Thomas said to his companions, Let us also go that we may die with him.
After the resurrection, the Apostles said to Thomas, We have seen the Lord.
But he said, Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and I put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.
After eight days, Thomas was with the Apostles.
Jesus came, but the door being closed, and stood there before Thomas, saying, Bring here your finger, and see my hands, and bring also here your hand, and put it into my side, and be not unbelieving, but believing.
Thomas answered, My Lord and my God.
And Jesus said to him, Because you have seen me, Thomas, you have believed.
Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.
After the ascension, Thomas preached the gospel in Parthia.
He is also called the Apostle of the Indies, where he was martyred.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you for the sacraments that show us that you don’t love us from far away.
And help us to always believe in you, even though sometimes we can’t see you.
Saint Thomas the Apostle, 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!