Reflection for December 13
Joey, age 10
We were drawn to select this day for our reflection because it is the memorial of Saint Lucy, a 4th-century virgin and martyr. She is the patron saint of the blind and those with eye ailments. She may have been the inspiration for our family name at some point in the distant past. The scripture readings for today point to the experience of divine light and seeingthrough the eyes of faith.
In the responsorial psalm, we pray: Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. It expresses our desire to know and trust God more fully.
Today’s gospel reading begins just after the disciples had witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, together with the appearances of Moses and Elijah, on their trek up a high mountain. They saw the face of Jesus shining like the sun and his clothes dazzling white.
The reading tells us about the question the disciples ask Jesus, concerning the prophetic expectation that Elijah would return to announce the coming of the Messiah. (The prophet Elijah lived in the 9th century BC and confronted the moral and spiritual corruption of the king and people of his time.) The disciples ask, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus responds that Elijah had come but was not recognized and was unjustly mistreated. Then the disciples were able to see that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.
Our Advent prayer: Lord, let us see with eyes of faith and illuminate our understanding in this Advent season.
Toni and George Lucian