Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr
(Zephaniah 3:1-2.9-13; Matthew 21:28-32)
Today’s first reading may sound like a denunciation of lax
morals typical of the prophet Isaiah.
However, it is from the prophet Zephaniah, who lived a generation
afterwards. Echoes of both Isaiah and
Zephaniah reverberate today as many pay scant attention to morals in the
pursuit of pleasure. The prophets assure
us that this lamentable condition will change with a remnant attentive to God’s
word.
Christ has cleansed his disciples of sin with his
blood. His followers have followed his
light of truth and love. One member of
this cohort is St. Lucy, the fourth century Sicilian virgin. Although the data
of her life are not known with any certainty, her name expresses what is most significant. As “Lucy” is derived from the Latin word for
light, Lucy reflected the light of Christ in her time and down through the
centuries. She loved Christ more than
her own life which she forfeited for him
We too are to reflect the light of Christ. We might do this in various ways like caring
for the poor or teaching children. We
should take care never to let the good that we do be obstructed by bad habits
or sins. In this way more people will be
attracted to Christ, the world’s light, whose coming we will celebrate shortly.
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