Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr

(Zephaniah 3:1-2.9-13; Matthew 21:28-32)

In prison two men are serving multi-year sentences.  They have been there awhile and will not leave soon.  Yet they do not seem anxious.  When asked about how they are doing, they respond that since they have accepted their situations, they are at peace.  Today’s readings have people like these men in mind.

The reading from Zephaniah critiques city dwellers who sit back in comfort.  These are the people who enjoy a degree of prosperity and participate in religious services.  But their hearts are not converted. They do not ask themselves how they might have done wrong and therefore do not repent.  Surely their lives will end in disaster.  In the gospel Jesus speaks of two brothers.  One does wrong, recognizes his fault, and corrects it.  The other brother is blind to having done wrong when he makes a promise that he does not keep.  His life too will end in misery.


The second brother may be contrasted to St. Lucy whose feast day is today.  He was blind to what is really import but could see.  She kept her sight on Christ even though she is said to have been blinded in the course of her martyrdom.