Whatever They Pleased

December 13, 2008

Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr

You are destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD, to turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons, and to reestablish the tribes of Jacob. Blessed is he who shall have seen you before he dies. Sirach 48:10-11

“Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” Matthew 17:11-12

Piety

Relying on Your goodness, O God, we humbly ask you, by the intercession of your servant, Saint Lucy, to give perfect vision to our eyes, that we may serve for your greater honor and glory. And we pray for the salvation of our souls in this world, that we may come to the enjoyment of the unfailing light of the Lamb of God in heaven.

St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear our prayers and answer our petitions. Amen. (From Catholic Culture Online)

Study

“Whatev…”

“I couldn’t care less.”

“So what? Who cares? What’s in it for me?”

Elijah was met by a people who did whatever they pleased. Jesus also met resistance from many of the leaders he encountered. Funny…it was the people with the least knowledge and power and influence where Jesus had the most impact. Simple folks. Poor folks. Fishermen. Shepherds. Carpenters. Little Drummer Boys. Orphans. Widows. Lepers.

Jesus wants us to turn out hearts…yet we prefer to keep our hearts set on what pleases us…not what pleases God. It is the Ideal talk all over again! We have too many “important” things on our schedules. Beefing up our retirement plan (see what that got you this year!). Getting a more important job. Getting a bigger car. Getting a fancier house or a lower mortgage payment. We are a nation of go-getters, not go-givers.

Remember Lazarus…not the brother of Mary and Martha who dies and was brought back to life. Remember the OTHER Lazarus. He was in heaven with the Lord after a life which dished him out nothing but the worst. His rich neighbor never even shared with him the scraps from his table. That rich man who ignored the needs of the poor was in torment. He wanted Lazarus to deliver some relief. Even just a drop of water for his parched tongue. But he could get no relief across the chasm between heaven and hell.

[The rich man in torment] said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him [Lazarus] to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:27-31

Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Lucy (Santa Lucia) who refused to give in to the demands of a spurned suitor for sexual favors. Lucy called upon the saints and the Holy Spirit to protect her virginity from those who would sell her into prostitution. When the Holy Spirit protected her with fire, she was tortured and her eyes were damaged. God restored her sight and she was then martyred through death by beheading.

Lucy reminds us how the saints rejected what was in it for them and replaced that with the pursuit of what was requested by God.

Action

Light a candle today to honor the light and fire that marked the life of St. Lucy. Listen to Enrico Caruso sing that famous Napolitano song to “Santa Lucia.”