Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-13-02, Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr

Reading I
Is 48:17-19

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.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 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.

Gospel
Mt 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."

From: Matthew 11:16-19

Jesus Reproaches People for their Unbelief

(Jesus spoke to the crowds), [16] "But to what shall I compare this
generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and
calling to their playmates. [17] `We piped to you, and you did not
dance, we wailed and you did not mourn.' [18] For John came neither
eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon'; [19] the Son of Man
came eating and drinking, and they say, `Behold, a glutton and a
drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is
justified by her deeds."

Commentary:

16-19. Making reference to a popular song or a child's game of His
time, Jesus reproaches those who offer groundless excuses for not
recognizing Him. From the beginning of human history the Lord has
striven to attract all men to Himself: "What more was there to do for
My vineyard, that I have not done in it?" (Isaiah 5:4), and often He
has been rejected: "When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it
yield wild grapes?" (Isaiah 5:4).

Our Lord also condemns calumny: some people do try to justify their own
behavior by seeing sin where there is only virtue. "When they find
something which is quite obviously good," St. Gregory the Great says,
"they pry into it to see if there is not also some badness hidden in
it" ("Moralia", 6, 22). The Baptist's fasting they interpret as the
work of the devil; whereas they accuse Jesus of being a glutton. The
evangelist has to report these calumnies and accusations spoken against
our Lord; otherwise, we would have no notion of the extent of the
malice of those who show such furious opposition to Him who went about
doing good (Acts 10:38). On other occasions Jesus warned His disciples
that they would be treated the same as He was (cf. John 15:20).

The works of Jesus and John the Baptist, each in their own way, lead to
the accomplishment of God's plan for man's salvation: the fact that
some people do not recognize Him does not prevent God's plan being
carried into effect.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

The Word Among Us

Friday, December 13, 2002

Meditation
Matthew 11:16-19

There is definitely truth in the old adage, “You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time!” In a world shrouded in darkness, there will always be individuals who resist happiness. We, however, are children of the light because Jesus Christ has set us free.

Knowing Jesus doesn’t mean we are exempt from ridicule or rejection, as both Jesus and John the Baptist show. As Christians, we are called to bear witness to Christ, and this often requires moving away from what is considered socially acceptable. At such times, we must hold fast to what we know to be right.

One woman who did exactly that was Elizabeth Ann Bayley. She was born into a wealthy New York family in the late 1700s and was baptized in the Episcopal Church. She married a successful businessman, William Seton. But after losing his fortune in the aftermath of the French Revolution, William’s health became poor. Seeking a better climate, he and Elizabeth and their oldest daughter journeyed to Italy—but he died shortly after their arrival.

While staying with some of William’s friends, Elizabeth experienced Catholicism for the first time and was deeply moved by it. On her return home, and despite much family opposition, Elizabeth became a Catholic. A widow needing to support five young children, Elizabeth then ignored the expectations of her social class and opened a school. Later, she took vows and organized a religious community. Finally, she opened a private school, which was the beginning of the Catholic school system in the United States. Each of these steps was met with opposition and the thought that “such things should not be done.” But Elizabeth persisted. In the end, Elizabeth Ann Seton became the first American-born saint.

Like Jesus, both John the Baptist and Elizabeth Seton were controversial figures, yet they also were instrumental in advancing God’s plan. Do you want to make a difference in the world and lead people to God? Don’t be afraid of disapproval. Allow Jesus to be your guide through uncharted waters.

“Jesus, I thank you for calling me out of darkness into your light. Grant me the courage and perseverance to be who you want me to be. I praise you, Lord, joy of my life!”

Advent Candles

Advent Candles
Question from Steve Patrizio on 11-29-2002:

Hi Mathew:

What does each of the Advent candles represent? I know that we light a different candle each week during lent, but why do we do it and why is the fourth candle a different color?

Thanks,

Steve

Answer by Matthew Bunson on 12-09-2002:

The four Advent candles that are used represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent. The colors of the candles vary slightly according to specific traditions, but generally there are three purple candles (that correspond to the sanctuary colors of Advent) and one pink or rose candle. One of the purple candles is lit on the first Sunday of Advent. On each subsequent Sunday, previous candles are relit, with the next one lit in succession for the given Sunday. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent. The third candle for the Third Sunday of Advent – the one that is traditionally pink or rose – was used on Gaudete Sunday. As the name implies (gaudete from the Latin gaudium, for joy), it symbolizes Joy at the Advent of Christ. The colors of the sanctuary and vestments are also changed on this Sunday to Rose.

COPYRIGHT 2002

Saint Lucy
Feastday: December 13
Patron of Blindness

Lucy's name means "light", with the same root as "lucid" which means "clear, radiant, understandable." Unfortunately for us, Lucy's history does not match her name. Shrouded in the darkness of time, all we really know for certain is that this brave woman who lived in Syracuse lost her life in the persecution of Christians in the early fourth century. Her veneration spread to Rome so that by the sixth century the whole Church recognized her courage in defense of the faith.

Because people wanted to shed light on Lucy's bravery, legends grew up. The one that is passed down to us tells the story of a young Christian woman who had vowed her life to the service of Christ. Her mother tried to arrange a marriage for her with a pagan. Lucy apparently knew that her mother would not be convinced by a young girl's vow so she devised a plan to convince her mother that Christ was a much more powerful partner for life. Through prayers at the tomb of Saint Agatha, her mother's long illness was cured miraculously. The grateful mother was now ready to listen to Lucy's desire to give her money to the poor and commit her life to God.

Unfortunately, legend has it, the rejected bridegroom did not see the same light and he betrayed Lucy to the governor as a Christian. This governor tried to send her into prostitution but the guards who came to take her way found her stiff and heavy as a mountain. Finally she was killed. As much as the facts of Lucy's specific case are unknown, we know that many Christians suffered incredible torture and a painful death for their faith during Diocletian's reign. Lucy may not have been burned or had a sword thrust through her throat but many Christians did and we can be sure her faith withstood tests we can barely imagine.

Lucy's name is probably also connected to statues of Lucy holding a dish with two eyes on it. This refers to another legend in which Lucy's eyes were put out by Diocletian as part of his torture. The legend concludes with God restoring Lucy's eyes.

Lucy's name also played a large part in naming Lucy as a patron saint of the blind and those with eye-trouble.

Whatever the fact to the legends surrounding Lucy, the truth is that her courage to stand up and be counted a Christian in spite of torture and death is the light that should lead us on our own journeys through life.

In Her Footsteps:
Lucy is the patron saint of the blind. Braille is an important means of communication for those with visual impairment or blindness. Support the teaching of braille in schools and learn about it yourself by calling your local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind.

Prayer:
Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation -- every corner of our day. Amen

In Sweden, the Lucia Day is celebrated all over the country in every home, school, and workplace on the morning of the 13th of December. All of the other Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway) celebrate Lucia as well. In each home usually the eldest daughter dresses in a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles. She and her sisters wake the family at dawn and serve them a breakfast of sun-colored saffron buns and gingerbread cookies. At each school, there is a gathering in the auditorium or gym first thing in the morning. The lights are dimmed and the Lucia and Lucia maids enter, singing the old song "Santa Lucia".

At every workplace they make time for a special morning "coffee break" before the day even starts and a few ladies dress up as Lucias. At most public institutions, a table is laid ready with coffee, saffron buns and gingerbread cookies for the public to enjoy all that day. On this day, as well as around Christmas, a hot mulled drink called glögg is served.

In 1927, a prominent newspaper arranged for a Lucia competition and that is when the tradition started becoming more widespread and popular. This is how each "town" Lucia and the "Country's" Lucia are chosen. The "crowning" of the "town" Lucia takes place on the First Sunday of Advent after the raising of the Christmas tree in the center of the town square. This is also the first "Christmas Decoration Sunday". This means that all of the stores decorate for Christmas in their store front windows. Mostly all of the town's population gathers downtown for this event and they walk up and down the streets checking out the new decorations in the storefront windows. The "town" Lucia spreads a lot of joy by visiting all of the hospitals and all of the senior citizens' homes from the first of Advent until Christmas, making sure nobody is left out. Lucia brings a message of lighter times to come during the darkest time of the year. It is a very festive atmosphere, full of good feelings, hope, and expectations.

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