The Feast of St Lucy | Friday 13 December 2024

Today is Friday the 13th of December, the feast of Saint Lucy, in the 2nd week of Advent.

Eliza King sings ‘Receive Him’. How will you receive Christ this Christmas?

In rumours of old, whispers from the heavens
Prophets foretold, of signs and seasons
One who would come, through the line of David
A Bethlehem King, of whom angels would sing
Would we recognise God
If He came without gold, without riches and
Spent His first night on earth
With the wanderers and wise men and shepherds?
Born unto men, and born the King of angels
Let us come adore Him, in the starlit manger
His name shall be great, and His kingdom evеrlasting
Find the Ancient of Days, in the еyes of this babe
Would we recognise God
If He lay in the hay like a poor man, with
No appearance of might
Nor beauty or rank or importance?
Would we recognise God
As a foreigner seeking asylum, who
Had to flee in the night
Without any place to reside in?
I will receive Him, this King of heaven
Prepare Him room within my soul, oh oh
Love's revelation
The King of glory come in humble form
Emmanuel is born
I will receive Him, this King of heaven
Prepare Him room within my soul, oh oh
Love's revelation
The King of glory come in humble form
Emmanuel is born
Would you recognise God
As He played on the knee of a virgin?
Learned to speak, learned to walk
Divine but in every way human
Would you recognise God
If He came and He carried your burden?
Lived a man on the earth
So that every man might come to know Him
Would you know Him then?




Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 11:16-19

‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,

“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.”

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’

John the Baptist came to call people to repent, in readiness for the coming of Jesus. Then Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God and healed many people as he revealed that he was the Son of God. Yet in this reading, Jesus describes the petty criticisms, rejection, and perhaps misunderstandings, as like being with children playing games in the market-places.

In your journey of faith, have you also come across people who’ve criticized you, who’ve mocked your faith, and perhaps rejected you?

Can you recall how you felt when this happened?

Picture this person, or these people now. Why do you think they might have reacted in this way?

As you listen to the reading again, try to feel the Lord’s exasperation of his generation.

“Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds”, Jesus says.

As you approach the end of your prayer, ask the Lord to show you where your own deeds have been a witness, for example, your love for others, or your faithfulness to God, or something else.

End your prayer time today in gratitude for the words, works and promises of John the Baptist and Jesus, and how, because of these, their wisdom is lived out through your faith.

O Wisdom
Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse
Key of David
Rising Sun
King of the Nations
Emmanuel
Come, Lord Jesus.