Recognize Him

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

He said in reply, “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

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.  Psalm 80:4

Study

Did you ever turn on a light in a dark room?  At first, you have to keep your eyes closed to adjust to the newfound brightness.  Eventually, you blink a few times and your pupils dilate enough for you to be able to open your eyes.

Maybe that was what it was like when Jesus came into the dark world.  He turned on the light but those around him had adjust to the Light. 

Sometimes – like at his Baptism and at the Transfiguration – his true self was revealed.  However, the world was not ready for him yet.  So, Jesus gradually introduced himself with preaching and teaching, with healing and signs. 

Today’s Good News comes right after one of those flashes of light in the darkness, right after the Transfiguration.  They were coming down from the mountain and Jesus told Peter, James and John what was to come.  They began to understand.  The light did not make it any easier when the arrest and crucifixion happened.  But they began to understand the light flickering in the distance by at least starting to put the story of John the Baptist into context with “the vision” thing that just happened:  “Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.”  (Matthew 17:13)

Action

How is Jesus turning up the light so you can recognize him this season?

Advent is like the dimmer switch to Christmas.  You probably have such a switch in at least one room.  Rather than turning up your lights in full, you can dial back the brightness a little or a lot and slowly bring the lights on to full power.

As each week of Advent passes, we turn up the “dimmer switch” toward Christmas until we see the fullness of the Nativity. 

One purple candle. 

Two purple candles. 

Two purple candles and a pink candle. 

Three purple candles and a pink candle. 

Christmas tree!

How is Jesus turning up the light so you can recognize him this season?