Reflection for Thursday, December 13, 2018

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

IS 41:13-20
PS 145:1 AND 9, 10-11, 12-13AB
IS 45:8
MT 11:-15

As I reflect on the readings for today, I am struck that these readings happen to fall on the feast day of St. Lucy - Santa Lucia.  Lucy's Latin name Lucia shares a root (luc-) with the Latin word for light, lux.  Many traditions give meaning to Lucy as the bearer of light in the darkness of winter.  She was martyred, it is reported, in the year 304 after a disappointed suitor accused her of being a Christian.

In Matthew’s Gospel today, we hear Jesus talking to the crowds about how the “kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force”.  And with most certainty, there is violence and suffering everywhere in our world today. 

We have the exodus at the border (some call it a caravan….I think of it as an exodus from persecution); we have gun violence, racial violence, violence against those who identify as LGBTQ; we see violence against women and against those who embrace our faith; we have violence perpetrated against children at the hands of authority figures – even at the hands of priests in our own beloved Catholic Church.  We see people, maybe even our friends, intolerant of differences.  We may hear unkind words spoken by our friends when we hang out together or when we join in activities with them on campus.  Yes the violence exists – both practically and in our hearts.  And maybe, just maybe, we have some doubt that God answers our prayers – that God is with us and that there is hope in Him.  St. Lucy may have had doubt too.  She too was the victim of violence.

But Matthew’s Gospel also brings us hope.  “And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.”  Yes our Elijah, our Christ child.  In this time of Advent we are waiting and waiting and waiting for that answer to our prayers.  In this third week of Advent, we are also preparing – preparing to be free through the love of God.  Letting go of control makes us free.  Letting go of doubt makes us free.  Hope makes us free.  I am prompted by this image of freedom and of St. Lucy to imagine her namesake Lucy from Peanuts.

And in our freedom, maybe we can, guided by God’s hand, make a small difference.

Spend some time this week praying about how you can help to end violence and suffering.  Can you work for justice in some small way?  Can you stop your friends from making fun of that student who walks by you every day and looks or acts different than you?  Can you reach out to someone you know is different than you and ask them to have a cup of coffee at Starbucks or sit with you in Grand Hall and have some lunch?  Can you include those in the exodus from persecution in your daily prayer? In the words of today’s psalmist, “the Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness”.  Can you be gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness?  In doing so, maybe you too can give freely of yourself as St. Lucy did, and embrace the love of God.  You too then will be free.

Sue Chawszczewski, Ph.D.

Director of Campus Ministry