Scripture:
Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
Matthew 17:9a, 10-13
Reflection:
Growing up, I had a "lazy muscle" in my left eye. After 7th grade, our eye doctor, Dr. Lhotka, performed surgery to correct the condition. He literally had to lift the eyeball slightly out of the socket, snip off teh excess muscle, and re-attach the eye. For 2 days, I couldn’t use either eye as both were bandaged to promote healing, and prevent strain. I appreciate our saint of today, St. Lucy!
Lucy’s name means "light" or "lucidity". She rejoiced in being able to see Christ clearly. She dedicated her virginity and her very life to Jesus at an early age. Her mother, unaware of her private vow, had arranged a marriage of Lucy to a young nobleman. When Lucy revealed her promise to Christ, he flew into a rage. Lucy was handed over to the emperor Diocletian’s tribunal, and died by a sword thrust through her throat.
Advent, with its’ shortened amount of daylight in our northern hemisphere, is the time without equal to grow in our appreciation of Christ our Light. Some questions we might ask ourselves are: "
"What aspect of my life is in darkness?", or, perhaps better: " How is the light of Christ’s love leading me in growth in one or another aspect of virtue?"
One medieval saying goes: Lucy-light, the shortest day and teh longest night." As the shortest day gives way to more and more light, so may the eyes of our hearts and spirits be opened wide to embrace the Wonderful Light of Christ at Christmas and always.
Fr. Bob Bovenzi, C.P. is stationed in Chicago, Illinois.