Tuesday Reflection by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
Readings from: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121322.cfm
St. Lucy, whose name means ‘light’, was born in Sicily around 283 to a rich and noble Roman family. Her father died when she was 5 which left her dependent on her sickly mother. Lucy was raised a devote Catholic, and when she was a teenager, decided to consecrate her life and virginity to God and to use her goods to provide for the poor. Her mother, however, was not happy about this and arranged for Lucy’s marriage to a pagan man. With great faith and hoping to change her mother’s mind, Lucy convinced her sickly mother to go on a pilgrimage to visit the shrine of St. Agatha. While at the shrine, her mother was cured. Overjoyed and impressed with Lucy’s faith, her mother agreed to let Lucy remain single and help the poor instead.
Lucy’s goodness, kindness and generosity grew. At the same time, the Roman Empire was losing power and decided to increase its efforts at persecuting Christians. The Romans saw how Lucy’s reputation as a loving Christian had grown. It is said she had a radiance and beauty about her that came from her love for Christ.
When the Romans came to capture her and take her to a brothel, they were, by God’s power, unable to move her. Neither would the kindling wood become enflamed when they tried to burn her. She eventually suffered the loss of her eyes as one of her grievous torments before she was martyred. Because she lost her vision, St. Lucy is now invoked by those who wish to preserve their precious gift of sight.
The light that Lucy radiated by her life and death were a witness to the people, a witness that gave them continued faith and hope in their troubled times. Many Romans even converted when they saw her willingness to die for her faith. Within decades Lucy’s name would be added next to Agatha’s name in the Roman Canon.
In our first reading, Zephaniah talks about a group of people he calls ‘the remnant’. A remnant, of course, is a “little piece that is left over”. Zephaniah’s remnant are the ones who will stay faithful to God through both good and bad times. St. Lucy could certainly be classified as a ‘remnant person’. Because of her, the people continued to seek God and put their trust in God despite their ongoing trials and troubles. Zephaniah finishes his message with a song of joy reassuring the remnant people of his day that God loves them and will save them. It’s a message for us, too.
As we witness our faith, sometimes we can feel like a ‘remnant’ people up against so many who don’t believe, even among our family and friends. Like St. Lucy and the remnant people of old, we can stay the course and witness to those around us by asking ourselves: Has my attention been focused on the Lord? Have I reached out to those in need? Do I take refuge in the name of the Lord? May the way we lead our lives be a light for others.
St. Lucy, light our way this day, open our eyes to see God and those in need, and pray for us.
