Vindicated by Her Works

The saint holds the dagger with which
she was ultimately executed and the lamp,
her attribute. Lucia of Syracuse (283–304),
also known as Saint Lucy
.

Vindicated by Her Works

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

If you would hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea; Your descendants would be like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, their name never cut off or blotted out from my presence. Isaiah 48:18-19

“…But wisdom is vindicated by her works." Matthew 11:19

Piety

St. Lucy, in this season of hope as we wait for the fulfillment of promises, we ask you to intervene for our sakes with the Lord of all kindness. Help us to accept what comes our way as you did – with faith, not fear. Pray with us that God will open our eyes to appreciate the beauty of this world; open our ears to hear His word; open our mouths that we may spread the Word; and open our hearts to act on His commands.

Study

Yesterday, we saw in the sky the last Full Moon of the decade. (Actually, I was not awake at night but saw it in the darkness of dawn while commuting to work). It was as if St. Lucy sent us a morning light to remind us of her feast day.

Santa Lucia is the patron saint of the mariners in Naples (“O dolce Napoli”) and the gondoliers in Venice. Roman authorities executed her after Lucy pledged her dowry to protect the poor of Sicily and refused to enter into an arranged marriage with a non-Christian.

The familiar (to some) Italian song, Santa Lucia, is a tribute to her. The song (sung by Caruso, Pavarotti, Perry Como, and Elvis Presley, among others) is an invitation from a sailor in Naples to welcome people to board his boat and enjoy the view of the town during sunsets.

The song celebrates the evening light that casts the bay of Naples into a beautiful scene. St. Lucy is known as the “Queen of the Lights” because her feast day traditionally falls on or near the shortest day of the year (Winter Solstice). Shortly after her feast, the days start to lengthen and light becomes more plentiful than in the late autumn days.

Just as the Full Moon-light better illuminated the world, Isaiah shares with us how the Lord turns wastelands into luminous landscapes. No matter how humanity tries to avoid or delay the inevitable coming of the Kingdom, we are as powerless to stop it as we are to stop the sun and moon from rising and setting.

Nothing can stop prophecies from becoming a reality. Jesus, too, reminds us to accept it what we cannot change. Just as St. Lucy did not fear her fate at the hands of civil authorities, Jesus tells us, too, not to worry about the coming of the kingdom which John the Baptist announced.

However, there is “no peace for the wicked,” says the LORD. The news grants peace to the people as a whole.  This “peace,” which can represent the fullness of God’s blessings, however, is not extended to all regardless of disposition.

Action

Saint Lucy did not hide her light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way that she did, but others experience it today. Still, Jesus calls us to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Ask Lucy to give you the courage to bring your Christianity into your work, your play, your relationships, and your conversations -- every corner of your day.