# Bring joy to our lives
*2015-12-13*

> On the third Sunday of Advent and the feast of St. Lucy, Bill Young reflects on the call to rejoice in the Lord and share that joy with others.

## The Feast of St. Lucy

Today is the third Sunday of Advent and the feast day of St. Lucy. St. Lucy lived in the 4th century in Sicily, Italy. While not much is known about her, tradition tells us that she preserved her virginity despite attempts of rape and murder. In that way, she is quite similar to St. Maria Goretti.

## Rejoicing in the Lord

Our reading today comes from the book 'Opening Our Hearts to God: Praying Through Advent with Pope Francis.' The theme is 'Bring Joy to Our Lives,' and the scripture reading is Philippians 4:4: 'Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice.'

## A Prayer for True Joy

In our prayer today, we ask: 'Oh Jesus, help us to be glad with the joy that you give us when you allow us to enter our lives anew and invite us to go out to the margins of life and proclaim the gospel with joy and courage. Help us discover the true joy of making ourselves a gift of reprogation, the great gift that we have first received without merit of our own. Amen.'

## Community and Intentions

I want to thank Susan Fox for her kind comment. It is interesting that she reached out on the 11th, as the 12th was my birthday, and a year prior, Susan K. made a comment on the exact same day. I thank my sweet Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, who always looks out after us. I also want to mention a listener from India who has requested prayers as he seeks a seat in the Indian Parliament. I wish him good luck; if it is God's will, may it be done.

*We are called to discover the true joy of making ourselves a gift to others, reflecting the great gift we have first received from God.*