Phil Wyman: Dim Saesneg

Advent December 13th: Saint Lucy’s Day
Luke 1:76-79
The Light goes with You

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Christ is the light of the world, and even before His birth, Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist prophesies these words. For every missional person, the same light bearing characteristic holds true. People should see things differently after encountering us. Our lifestyles, our generosity, our commitment to truth, our peacefulness, and our sacrificial perspective on life should call others to see the world differently.

December 13th is Saint Lucy’s Day – not a Celtic Saint, she came from Sicily, and lived in the 3rd century. One of the tales of Lucy is that she helped Christians hide in the catacombs from the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. To keep her hands free to carry supplies to the catacombs, she placed two candles on a wreath on her head. Wild tales are told in the hagiographies of her martyrdom under the reign of Diocletian. Her name means light, and she is most celebrated in Scandinavia during this darkest time of the year.

Prayer: You are the light of the world, and I Lord, am merely a small point of light in a world of darkness. Cause me to bear your light, and like Saint Lucy, to lead others to places of safety.