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 Thursday, August 20th, and the Gospel reading is Matthew 22:1-14, and the scripture to reflect on is Matthew 22:3.
And sent to his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.
Have you ever gotten invited to a party and on the invitation it says RSVP?
RSVP stands for the French phrase répondez s’il vous plaît, which means please respond.
When you see it on an invitation, the host wants you to tell them if you plan to come to the event.
If you go to a birthday party that passes out goodie bags or party favors, all you have to do to get one is to be willing to accept the party invitation and attend.
If you don’t go, you won’t be able to get one, right?
In this parable, the invitation was to a large party, and the king wanted to have to honor his son.
He invited several people, but they turned him down.
Jesus is describing another way of thinking about God’s heavenly kingdom and how we can be a part of it.
Here he compares it to being invited to a special party or banquet.
After Jesus came to die on the cross, the invitation extended to anyone and everyone.
God wants everyone to be in his kingdom.
We have to enter through Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life.
Today’s saint of the day is Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.
He was born 1090 and died 1153.
He is the patron saint of Cistercian monks.
Saint Bernard was born in 1090 into a wealthy noble family in Burgundy, France.
He had everything the world could offer: status, education, opportunity.
But his heart was set on something greater.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was known with many adjectives: advisor of popes, preacher of the Second Crusade, defender of the faith, healer of a schism, reformer of a monastic order, scripture scholar, theologian, and eloquent preacher.
In the year 1111, at age 20, Bernard left his home to join the monastery community.
His five brothers, two uncles, and 30 young friends followed him into the monastery.
His preaching was known for a powerful, poetic, and completely centered on Jesus.
He had a great love for Scripture.
Saint Bernard is also one of the Church’s earliest and most passionate promoters of Marian devotion.
He often called her Our Lady and encouraged the faithful to run to Mary in times of trouble.
Let’s pray as devoted to Mary too.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
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.