I'm an American celebrating a Swedish holiday about an Italian martyr while living in a Malaysian warehouse. And it seems fitting.
Today is Santa Lucia Day, a holiday celebrated mainly in Sweden, not Italy. She died for her faith in Jesus in the 300th century A.D. The story goes that Lucia would carry food and supplies down to the persecuted Christians hiding in the catacombs during the reign of Diocletian. Her arms were full, so she would wear a crown of candles on her head to light her way. It's a holiday I've loved celebrating since I was a little girl.
Lucia means light.
I'm a morning person and anyone on my team will agree to this. I got up at 5am all last month because I wanted to. And I loved it. Around 8pm is when I start shutting down and noticing that I don't have anything left to say or to do, so it's time for me to go to bed.
But here in my warehouse, it feels different. I am still a morning person, but there is a darkness I'm not used to at 5am, 6am, 7am, 8am and 9am. And it isn't until 9am when the barber next door opens the screeching door for business and the light pours in. I set my alarm for 7:30am because my body refuses to wake up in complete darkness. But I enjoy the stillness of the dark cement room by myself for a couple hours.
While living in our cement walls we must be very quiet about our faith. We are to not let anyone know that we are Christians in this city for several reasons. So I had to take off my cross, put my Bible in the back room and make sure I don't pray with my eyes closed. I must not speak about such things also.
But we have been told to be the light.
And we aren't entirely sure what this means here.
For we are in a dark warehouse and we must be careful about what we say and do. How exactly will this light be able to shine?
2,000 years ago God sent the greatest gift. He sent the gift of light into the world. Now He didn't send it at all how people expected it to come or maybe even how they hoped it would come.
This light came as a baby born of a virgin in a lowly stable.
It reminds me that this Christmas so far from my expectations or what I would hope for in this dark place that Christ came to be the light. And He did it His way surpassing our expectations and to fulfill all our hopes.
And because He resides in me, the light has come to these cement walls of this dark warehouse.
Happy Santa Lucia Day! And God Jul!
