As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
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.”
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Jesus came in weakness and became one of us out of love for us. He came to redeem us, to bring us home. He came so that during this life we would know the good news the world had hidden from the children of God.
The world distracts us. It glosses over the love of God. We are born and raised, continually bombarded with false truths and false teachings on how to live, why we live, who we belong to and it is no wonder many do not recognize Jesus Christ.
We for the most part don’t know whose we are and without that truth in our heart we can’t possible open our hard hearts to his love and say yes in spirit to his invitation. Most people walk around feeling not only unloved but unloveable.
But we are born for Heaven. We were created to love here on earth with the love only God can give us and then take our place in heaven. Nothing else matters but to love God and others.
So, for our part we must ask the Holy Spirit to give us the strength and patience to continue to pray more and seek God in all things. To grow in love.
This Advent we are called to dig deeper in faith and love, and work toward softening our heart. If God is love and we are made in his image then we are made to have open and soft hearts that allow the Word to enter and reveal truth. Hearts that allow us to love others more, and live rejoicing in his love.
So how will we know we are progressing in faith and love. Our hearts will be open. Then true joy and love and peace will begin to shine so brightly inside us, anxiety and fear won’t have a place. Not in our hearts.
But it requires a commitment and decision to persevere and let nothing stand in our way of a deeper relationship with God.
St Lucy is our model today for she gave all in preference to live and die in truth and joy. Her light still shines for us today. To remind us of whose we are and where we belong.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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