December 13, 2025 Saturday of the Second Week of Advent
Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
Daily Readings: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11; Matthew 17:10-13
Children of God: In the First Book of Kings, there is a powerful story about the prophet Elijah. He fled into the wilderness, tired and afraid for his life. Queen Jezebel was seeking to kill him after he had confronted the false prophets of Baal. Exhausted and discouraged, Elijah hid in a cave on Mount Horeb, longing for a sign of God’s presence. Then came a mighty wind, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire, but again, the Lord was not in the fire. Finally, there was a gentle whisper — and in that still small voice, Elijah recognized that God was there (1 Kings 19:11–12). God revealed Himself not through power or noise, but through peace and simplicity.
In Matthew 17:10–12, the disciples ask Jesus, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replies, “Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him.” He was referring to John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for the Lord, but many people rejected him. They were expecting a powerful prophet, but God sent them a humble man wearing camel’s hair. They missed God’s messenger because they could not recognize holiness in simplicity.
This Gospel teaches us that God continues to reveal Himself to us in unexpected forms. We may look for Him in spectacular signs or dramatic miracles, yet He often comes in quiet ways: in prayer, in the stillness of nature, in the simple kindness of a friend, or in the patient endurance of suffering. God’s presence is subtle but real for those whose hearts are attentive.
Like the people in Jesus’ time, we too can miss God’s presence if we only expect Him to come in extraordinary ways. But when we learn to listen with the heart, we will find Him everywhere: in the poor who need help, in the sick who seek comfort, and even in moments of silence where His peace speaks louder than words.
Children of God: Let us pray today for open eyes and humble hearts, that we may recognize Christ even when He comes in unexpected forms. May we see Him in the poor, in the suffering, and in the ordinary people around us. For the Lord continues to walk among us, sometimes quietly, but always lovingly.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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