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 Friday, September 18th, and the scripture to reflect on is Luke 8:8.
And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.
And he said this, he called out, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
My dad has a print of the Vincent van Gogh painting of the sower.
The Gospel reading of today made me think back to when I was little.
I used to be kind of scared of the painting.
There are these dark images, almost like shadows.
One of them kind of looks like a black panther, and the other one looks like a contorted giraffe.
My dad said the painting was special to him, and it was about the parable of the sower.
So why were there such scary images on it?
The parable of the sower is about how if we want to have a heart that pleases Jesus, we really need to listen to what God’s word is saying to us, and we need to obey Him.
Jesus knew the importance of the condition of our hearts.
So now that I’m older and have the memory of the shadows on that painting, I think of that panther and giraffe as making sure that I have a pure and happy heart that loves and serves Jesus.
Today’s saint of the day is Saint Joseph of Cupertino.
He was born 1603 and died 1663.
He is the patron saint of pilots.
Joseph was born in Cupertino, in which is now modern-day Italy.
Because of his father’s debts, his mother had to give birth in a stable.
Joseph was an awkward boy who was absent-minded and clumsy.
Joseph’s pursuits often ended in failure.
He tried to become a shoemaker, but it did not work out.
Then he tried to enter religious life, but he was refused.
Then the Capuchins accepted him in 1620, but sent him home after just eight months.
Finally, the Franciscans agreed to accept him as a Territory and assigned him to the stables in this humble place so similar to where he was born, Joseph began to thrive.
Finally, he admitted to the Norvit, and to everyone’s surprise, including his own, he managed to pass his examinations.
Joseph was ordained a priest in 1628.
Joseph was hardworking, prayerful, and full of joy in all circumstances, despite the suffering that his special gifts caused.
Joseph continued to serve God in humble faithfulness and trust.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, help me to have an open heart to your word, and help me not to despair in my failures, but to rejoice and praise you.
Saint Joseph of Cupertino, 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.