Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
Lectionary: 185
Lectionary: 185
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel:
I, the LORD, your God,
teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go.
If you would hearken to my commandments,
your prosperity would be like a river,
and your vindication like the waves of the sea;
Your descendants would be like the sand,
and those born of your stock like its grains,
Their name never cut off
or blotted out from my presence.
the Holy One of Israel:
I, the LORD, your God,
teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go.
If you would hearken to my commandments,
your prosperity would be like a river,
and your vindication like the waves of the sea;
Your descendants would be like the sand,
and those born of your stock like its grains,
Their name never cut off
or blotted out from my presence.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R.(see John 8:12) Those
who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The Lord will come; go out to meet him!
He is the prince of peace.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord will come; go out to meet him!
He is the prince of peace.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 11:16-19
Jesus said to the crowds:
"To what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,
'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,
we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.'
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,
'He is possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,
'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
But wisdom is vindicated by her works."
"To what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,
'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,
we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.'
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,
'He is possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,
'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
But wisdom is vindicated by her works."
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Lucy, please go here.
Meditation:
The Lord will lead you in the way you should go
Do
you seek God's way of peace and wisdom for your life? The prophets remind us
that God’s kingdom is available to those who are teachable and receptive to the
word of God. Through their obedience to God's word and commandments, they
receive not only wisdom and peace for themselves, but they, in turn become a
blessing to their children and their offspring as well. Jesus warns the generation
of his day to heed God's word before it is too late. He compares proud teachers
and vain scholars with stubborn playmates who refuse to follow wise counsel and
instruction.
Jesus
parable about a group of disappointed musicians and their stubborn friends who
refuse to sing or dance at the appropriate occasion challenge us to examine
whether we are selective to only hear and do what we want to hear. The young
music players in Jesus' parable react with great dismay because they cannot get
anyone to follow their instruction. They complain that if they play their music
at weddings, no one will join in their festive song and dance; and if they play
mournful tunes and songs at funerals, no one will join in at all. This parable
echoes the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3:4 - "there is a time to weep and a
time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance." Are you in tune with
the message of God's kingdom? And do you heed God's word of wisdom and truth as
if your life depended on it?
Spiritual
indifference and deaf ears can block God's word for us
Jesus' message of the kingdom of God is a proclamation of good news that produces great joy and hope for those who listen and obey - but it is also a warning of bad consequences and disaster for those who refuse to accept God's gracious invitation. Why did the message of John the Baptist and the message of Jesus meet with resistance and deaf ears? It was out of jealously and spiritual blindness that the scribes and Pharisees attributed John the Baptist's austerities to the devil and they attributed Jesus' table fellowship as evidence for pretending to be the Messiah. They succeeded in frustrating God's plan for their lives because they had closed their hearts to the message of John the Baptist and now they close their ears to Jesus, God's anointed Son sent to redeem us from bondage to sin and death.
Jesus' message of the kingdom of God is a proclamation of good news that produces great joy and hope for those who listen and obey - but it is also a warning of bad consequences and disaster for those who refuse to accept God's gracious invitation. Why did the message of John the Baptist and the message of Jesus meet with resistance and deaf ears? It was out of jealously and spiritual blindness that the scribes and Pharisees attributed John the Baptist's austerities to the devil and they attributed Jesus' table fellowship as evidence for pretending to be the Messiah. They succeeded in frustrating God's plan for their lives because they had closed their hearts to the message of John the Baptist and now they close their ears to Jesus, God's anointed Son sent to redeem us from bondage to sin and death.
What
can make us spiritually dull and slow to hear God's voice? Like the generation
of Jesus' time, our age is marked by indifference and contempt, especially in
regards to the things of heaven. Indifference dulls our ears to God's voice and
to the good news of the Gospel. Only the humble of heart can find joy and favor
in God's sight. Is you life in tune with Jesus' message of hope and salvation?
And do you know the joy and blessing of believing and obeying God's word?
"Lord
Jesus, open my ears to hear the good news of your kingdom and set my heart free
to love and serve you joyfully. May nothing keep me from following you
wholeheartedly."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The river of forgiveness washes us
clean, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"This
water is good, then. I mean here the grace of the Spirit. Who will give this
Fountain to my heart? Let it spring up in me, let that which gives eternal life
flow on me. Let that Fountain overflow on us and not flow away. For Wisdom
says, 'Drink water out of your own vessels and from the fountains of your own
wells, and let [not] your waters flow abroad in your streets' (Proverbs
5:15-16). How shall I keep this water so that it does not seep out or glide
away? How shall I preserve my vessel, lest any crack of sin penetrating it
should let the water of eternal life exude? Teach us, Lord Jesus, teach us as
you taught your apostles, saying, 'Lay not up for yourselves treasures on the
earth, where rust and moth destroy and where thieves break through and steal
(Matthew 6:19)...
"If you seek Jesus, forsake the broken cisterns, for Christ did not make it his custom to sit by a pool but by a well. There that Samaritan woman (John 4:6) found him, she who believed, she who wished to draw water. Although you ought to have come in early morning, nevertheless if you come later, even at the sixth hour, you will find Jesus wearied with his journey. He is weary, but it is because of you, because he has long looked for you, your unbelief has long wearied him. Yet he is not offended if you only come now. He asks to drink who is about to give. But he drinks not the water of a stream flowing by, but your salvation. He drinks your good dispositions. He drinks the cup, that is, the passion that atoned for your sins, that you, drinking of his sacred blood, might quench the thirst of this world." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 1.16.182–84)
"If you seek Jesus, forsake the broken cisterns, for Christ did not make it his custom to sit by a pool but by a well. There that Samaritan woman (John 4:6) found him, she who believed, she who wished to draw water. Although you ought to have come in early morning, nevertheless if you come later, even at the sixth hour, you will find Jesus wearied with his journey. He is weary, but it is because of you, because he has long looked for you, your unbelief has long wearied him. Yet he is not offended if you only come now. He asks to drink who is about to give. But he drinks not the water of a stream flowing by, but your salvation. He drinks your good dispositions. He drinks the cup, that is, the passion that atoned for your sins, that you, drinking of his sacred blood, might quench the thirst of this world." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 1.16.182–84)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, MATTHEW 11:16-19
(Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1)
(Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "But wisdom is vindicated by her works" (v. 19).
TO KNOW: Jesus was exasperated with those who opposed his work and the work of John the Baptist. Jesus compared these faithless ones to spoiled children who could not be satisfied. He recited a little verse, which appeared in Aesop's fables (6th century before Christ): "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn." Those who opposed John did so because of his austere, ascetic life-style; yet, at the same time, they rejected Jesus because of his association with sinners and outcasts. John was thought to be "demon-possessed" and Jesus was said to be a "glutton and a drunkard" (v. 19). Divine wisdom would vindicate the works of Jesus the Messiah and his herald John.
TO LOVE: Do I make rash judgments about those with whom I disagree?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, give me the wisdom to understand the other person's point of view.
Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr
Lucy (whose name means "bearer of light") was a wealthy, young Christian who vowed her life to Christ. Her mother had arranged a marriage for her, and for three years Lucy refused. To change her mother's mind, Lucy prayed at the tomb of Saint Agatha, and her mother's hemorrhages were cured. Her mother agreed with Lucy's desire to live for God. When Lucy rejected the pagan bridegroom, Paschasius, he denounced Lucy as a Christian. The governor planned to force her into prostitution, but when guards went to fetch her, they could not move her. The governor ordered her killed instead. After torture that included having her eyes torn out, she was stabbed to death. Legend says her eyesight was restored before her death. This and the meaning of her name led to her connection with maladies of the eyes. In Sweden, it is a tradition to have the oldest girl in the family wear a white dress and a crown with a wreath bearing white lighted candles. At dawn she awakens members of the family with steaming coffee and sweet rolls or bread.
Friday 13 December 2019
St Lucy
Isaiah 48:17-19. Psalm 1:1-4, 6. Matthew 11:16-19.
Those who follow you Lord, will have the light of life – Psalm 1:1-4, 6
‘Let us not be blind to others’ qualities.’
Isaiah 48:17-19. Psalm 1:1-4, 6. Matthew 11:16-19.
Those who follow you Lord, will have the light of life – Psalm 1:1-4, 6
‘Let us not be blind to others’ qualities.’
How hard it is to let go of our prejudices and really see
people. John is criticised for being abstemious. Jesus meanwhile is lambasted
for hanging around with somewhat of a wild crowd. Their critics are focused on
the trivial, not on the substance of who they are as people, nor on their
messages. How often do we mistakenly pick a leader, politician, spokesperson,
because they ‘look’ the part. We manage to ignore that person’s words and deeds
but then become surprised and disillusioned when they do something that
contradicts our perceptions of that person. Today is the feast day for St Lucy,
whose name can mean ‘light’ or ‘lucid’. Lucy is the patron saint of the blind.
Today then let us pray that we do not become blind to a person’s qualities
because we are blinded by outward trappings.
Saint Lucy
Saint of the Day for December 13
(283 – 304)
 |
| St. Lucy | photo by Lawrence OP | flickr |
Saint Lucy’s Story
Every little girl named Lucy must bite her tongue in
disappointment when she first tries to find out what there is to know about her
patron saint. The older books will have a lengthy paragraph detailing a small
number of traditions. Newer books will have a lengthy paragraph showing that there
is little basis in history for these traditions. The single fact survives that
a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian, and she was executed
in Syracuse, Sicily, in the year 304. But it is also true that her name is
mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, geographical places are named after
her, a popular song has her name as its title, and down through the centuries
many thousands of little girls have been proud of the name Lucy.
One can easily imagine what a young Christian woman had to
contend with in pagan Sicily in the year 300. If you have trouble imagining,
just glance at today’s pleasure-at-all-costs world and the barriers it presents
against leading a good Christian life.
Her friends must have wondered aloud about this hero of Lucy’s,
an obscure itinerant preacher in a far-off captive nation that had been
destroyed more than 200 years before. Once a carpenter, he had been crucified
by the Romans after his own people turned him over to their authority. Lucy
believed with her whole soul that this man had risen from the dead. Heaven had
put a stamp on all he said and did. To give witness to her faith she had made a
vow of virginity.
What a hubbub this caused among her pagan friends! The kindlier
ones just thought her a little strange. To be pure before marriage was an
ancient Roman ideal, rarely found, but not to be condemned. To exclude marriage
altogether, however, was too much. She must have something sinister to hide,
the tongues wagged.
Lucy knew of the heroism of earlier virgin martyrs. She remained
faithful to their example and to the example of the carpenter, whom she knew to
be the Son of God. She is the patroness of eyesight.
Reflection
If you are a little girl named Lucy, you need not bite your
tongue in disappointment. Your patron is a genuine authentic heroine, first
class, an abiding inspiration for you and for all Christians. The moral courage
of the young Sicilian martyr shines forth as a guiding light, just as bright
for today’s youth as it was in A.D. 304.
Saint Lucy is the Patron Saint of:
The Blind
Eye Disorders
Eye Disorders
Lectio Divina: Matthew 11:16-19
Lectio Divina
Friday, December 13, 2019
2nd Week of Advent
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
too often we are deaf to Your voice
and to the presence of Your Son
among us, His people.
too often we are deaf to Your voice
and to the presence of Your Son
among us, His people.
Inspire us by Your prophets and Your Spirit
that now is the right moment to change
and to commit ourselves
to the kind of life and to the justice
demanded by the kingdom.
Help us to make people see
that Your Son is alive among us
and that He is our Lord for ever.
that now is the right moment to change
and to commit ourselves
to the kind of life and to the justice
demanded by the kingdom.
Help us to make people see
that Your Son is alive among us
and that He is our Lord for ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 11:16-19
“What comparison can I find for this generation? It is like
children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place:
We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn't dance;
we sang dirges, and you wouldn't be mourners.
“For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He is possessed.’
The Son of man came, eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn't dance;
we sang dirges, and you wouldn't be mourners.
“For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He is possessed.’
The Son of man came, eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
3) Reflection
• The leaders and the wise are not always pleased when someone
criticizes or challenges them. This happened in the time of Jesus, and happens
today as well. John the Baptist criticized people and was not accepted. They
said: “He is possessed by the devil!” Jesus also criticized and was not
accepted. They said: “He has lost his head!”, and “Crazy!” (Mk 3:21). “He is
possessed by the devil!” (Mk 3:22), “He is a Samaritan!” (Jn 8:48), “He is not
from God!” (Jn 9:16). The same thing happens today. There are some people who
hold on to what has always been taught and they do not accept another way of
living the faith. They invent reasons for not accepting something new, saying
“It is against God’s Law!” . They invent some pretext in order to
not accept the message Jesus announced. In fact, it is relatively easy to find
arguments to refute those who think in a different way from us in these
matters.
• Jesus reacts to the people’s resistance to the Gospel. They consider themselves wise, but they are like children who wish to be amused, and they rebel when people do not move according to the music that they play. They only accept those who hold the same ideas that they hold. Because of their rigidity, they are condemned.
• Jesus reacts to the people’s resistance to the Gospel. They consider themselves wise, but they are like children who wish to be amused, and they rebel when people do not move according to the music that they play. They only accept those who hold the same ideas that they hold. Because of their rigidity, they are condemned.
4) Personal questions
• In what ways am I rigid in my faith?
• Do I have a critical conscience concerning social and ecclesiastical thought which, at times, prevents needed change?
• Do I have a critical conscience concerning social and ecclesiastical thought which, at times, prevents needed change?
5) Concluding Prayer
Blessed is the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the Lord
and meditates on His law day and night. (Ps 1)
the counsel of the wicked
nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the Lord
and meditates on His law day and night. (Ps 1)
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