Hello everyone! Hey yo! 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, September 23rd, and the scripture to reflect on is Luke 9:6.
And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
My brother does karate.
He’s in a class that meets two times a week, and he has a big competition coming up next week.
He has a routine that he will go through and was feeling a little uneasy about it.
So earlier this week, he had an extra training lesson with his sensei.
He met with his sensei so that he could feel more confident and have more understanding and power behind his moves.
Today’s Gospel reading made me think of my brother’s extra lesson.
Jesus sent out his disciples with authority to preach the kingdom and heal the sick.
He gave the disciples real authority to represent him by preaching, healing, and casting out demons.
Their dependence on God rather than their own resources was an important part.
They have to trust Jesus to care for their needs and share his good news with others.
Jesus provides for both his disciples and the needs of his people, showing that he is the Son of God who gives life and care to everything.
Today’s Saint of the Day is Saint Lorenzo Ruiz.
He was born 1600 and died 1637.
He is the patron saint of the Philippines.
Lorenzo has always loved Jesus.
He grew up in an island nation of the Philippines in a town called Bionado.
He served in his church, helping the priest prepare the church for services.
When he was an adult, he married and had three children.
He worked as a calligrapher and faithfully provided for his family.
Then Lorenzo was accused of a murderer.
He never committed the crime, but the authorities were convinced of Lorenzo’s guilt, so he left, escaping the Philippines on a boat to Japan.
Lorenzo did not know that the Japanese emperor was killing all Catholic Christians he could find.
Upon his arrival, Lorenzo was discovered by the emperor’s guards and thrown into jail.
They told Lorenzo to renounce his faith in Jesus, but Lorenzo would not give up his faith, even when they couldn’t find a way to escape.
In his faith, Lorenzo became a martyr, and more than 80% of people living in the Philippines are Catholic now.
And it’s all because of Lorenzo.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you for teaching your disciples how to be like you so we can take after them.
And help me to be faithful to you like Lorenzo when your life was at its worst.
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.
Amen.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Thank you so much for listening.
We’ll be back tomorrow scattering more flowers.
See ya.