Gifts – Fourth Day Adventures

Traditions associated with Saint Lucy Day on December 13

She brings gifts for good children
She brings coal for bad children
Cookies left on the mantle
Children need to be a sleep when she arrives

A wealthy young women who loved Jesus lived in Sicily around 310 AD. She desired to stay a virgin and to spend her life working for God. One powerful pagan man in her community intended to marry her even though Lucia did not want to marry him. She set her mind to using her dowery for helping others and to stay in service to the Lord.

The man denounced her to the authorities for being a Christian in retaliation for her not being willing to marry him. The magistrate ordered Lucia be burned to death. The tradition says her body would not burn until she had received the sacrament. There are many wondrous stories associated with her death and it is difficult to know all the details.

In some traditions, the 13th of December, her saint day, starts the 12 days of Advent.

Regions of Italy, and other parts of Europe, have a tradition that Saint Lucia on a donkey brings either sweets or presents to children who are good. Bad children receive coal. If you are not a sleep, and you see Lucia, she will blow ashes in your eyes making you temporarily blind.

Swedish traditions have a young girl with a crown of candles on her head carrying saffron buns. The lights symbolizing both her name which means light and the fire she suffered for the Lord.

Others say that during the persecutions of the christians, Lucy brought food to christians hiding in the catacombs. She created a wreath on her head and attached candles so she could see and her hands would be free. They believe the Swedish tradition comes from this story.

Prayer: Lord around the world Christians suffer. They are persecuted and punished for loving you. Please open my eyes to their plight. Where I can help show me what I can do.

Meditation: Read the stories of Christians in Egypt, Syria, Africa, China, India, Indonesia who are being persecuted for their faith.

Actions; I will keep a record of every story I hear about persecuted Christians. I will pray for them daily. I will look for ways to help them.

^{Matthew 2:11}And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

A group of educated men saw a star in the sky which signaled the birth of a mighty king. They followed the star to Bethlehem. The men brought with them gifts fit for a king.

Gold makes sense to most of us. You are bringing gifts for a king, gold would be on your list.

Frankincense represented the Priesthood. They would burn Frankincense in the temple. The scented smoke spiraled upward caring with it their prayers to God. Jesus was not only a king but our High Priest.

At Christ’s death, myrrh was used in his burial as was custom.

All of these gifts were very expensive.

Journal exercise

What gift would you bring to the baby Jesus?

The one thing Jesus asks from us is to love one another.

What could you give Jesus as gift for his birthday this year? Don’t just think about material things. Think about things you think He would like for you to do.

Make you gift list for Jesus

Tag: Gifts

Cookies for Santa Lucy

Christmas Wish List