St. Lucy

The story of St. Lucy is one of those legends that everyone enjoys.  Truth be told we do not know a great deal about her except that we know for certain that she was a brave woman who lost her life during the persecution of the Christians in the early fourth century.

Lucy, according to legend, had a vision of St. Agatha who assured her that her mother’s illness would be cured through faith.  She encouraged her mother to give her dowry money to the poor so that she could enter religious life.  The man she had been promised to became enraged and betrayed her faith to the town officials.  Lucy was condemned to death and her eyes were gouged out.  She is often depicted holding a plate with her eyes on it.  Lucy, whose name can mean "light" or "lucid," is the patron saint of the blind.

Let us take some time today to say Saint Lucy's Prayer:

Saint Lucy, you did not hide your 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 you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation -- every corner of our day. Amen

Sr. Pat Schifini, OSU