Lucia: A Light in the Darkness, Sight to the Blind

based on John 8;12

Advent Midweek 2 – December 13, 2006

Pastor Richard Mau

Immanuel Lutheran Church – Des Plaines, IL

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 126 Revelation 7:9-17 John 8:12

How many candles are there in the chancel (front) area of the church? Twenty-eight. There are fifteen sets of three in the nave (seating area) of the church totaling forty-five. Twenty-eight and forty-five equal seventy-three candles. What are candles for? Light. So in this church, there is a great importance on light and the symbolism of light.

Thirty-years ago I taught in an Eskimo village on the Arctic Circle. When we got into December, there was a period of twilight for three hours a day. The students came to school in the dark and walked home at the end of the day in the dark. The electric service in that remote village was inconsistent with the power going out sometimes several times a day and night. For Christmas I gave each student in my class a pocket flashlight so they would always have a light.

Today we celebrate another person in the history of Christianity. Her name is Lucia, or Lucy. That name derives from words such as lucent, lux, luminous, etc. that all mean light. Lucia is depicted as a young girl in a white robe wearing candles in her hair. on her head a wreath with a candle.

Lucia lived in Syracuse (a city on the east coast of Sicily) in the early fourth century. That is the same time as Nicholas of Myra whom we learned about last week. She lost her life as a result of being persecuted as a Christian. We do not know for certain details about her life. There are many legends that circulate. She supposedly refused to marry a certain man. He, in anger, revealed her Christian faith. That resulted in imprisonment, torture, and death. Part of that torture was blinding her. But she continued to live in her faith. In spite of the darkness of earthly blindness, she could always see the light of Jesus, her Lord and Savior.

What we know about Lucia for certain is that she never wavered in her faith. In that witness, she is a light to Christians today, an example of how the light of Christ overcomes and leads us through the “valley of the shadow of death,” and into our Savior’s waiting arms. Today is the day that the Christian Church has recognized this witness of faith in Lucia over the centuries. According to how the calendar was established centuries ago, December 13 was the shortest day of the year, the day with the most darkness. This day was chosen as people look forward to the coming light as days get longer and spring and summer are on the horizon.

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Light, as we see the number of candles in this church, is important in God’s plan for our eternal life with him, our salvation. The first thing God made was light. He made light before he made the things that make light. God himself is light, pure and holy light. We cannot stand in that light as we are today because we are sinners. God wants you to have that light and to live in that light. In Revelation we learn that in heaven God our Father, and Jesus the lamb are the light in that holy city. We will not need the sun, nor the moon, nor flashlights or candles. God is our light. And God called the light good because God is nothing but good.

Isaiah tells us that “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light,” [9:2]. The darkness Isaiah speaks of is our lives in sin. We cannot see our way out of sin. But God has revealed the one who brings us out of that darkness, Jesus. God loves you and does not want you lost forever. He reveals his light, his love, his forgiveness, his eternal home for you in Jesus who comes down from heaven and becomes a person so you can see, touch, feel, and know him as God wants you to. Jesus tells us that when we see him, we have seen the father [John 14:9].

The candles in the church, always reminding us that God is the true light. The seven candles on the wall indicate the completeness of God. The sets of three candles on either side of the altar and along the alls tell us God is Triune, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all in one God. The two candles on either side of the crucifix remind us of today’s passage, Jesus is the light of the world. It is only through the cross that we come into his light. The Advent Candles tell us what God gives us in Jesus; love, hope, peace and joy. The center candle, the white one, we light on Christmas Eve and Day telling us that the light in its completeness has come into this world. That light is Jesus.

Above the sanctuary area is what we call the eternal light. God willing it is always burning as a remembrance that God’s love to us in Jesus never goes out. “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you,” [Hebrews 13:5]. John writes of this new light again, “Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining,”

[1 John 2:8]. God uses you to spread his light. As you live in faith in Jesus, that light shines in you so others may see it too.

In Jesus eternal light. Amen.