As we reflect and remember the Feast Day of St. Lucy, I had to go back and do some research. I have always thought of St. Lucy because her feast day is celebrated on my birthday, but I never dug into the reason on why she became a saint until recently. St. Lucy exemplifies the embodiment of “being the light of Christ in the world” which is one of the main reasons why her feast day is celebrated in the Advent season. In one traditional Swedish hymn named “Santa Lucia” it describes St. Lucy’s call to holiness: “night trends with heavy step round yard and hearth/woods brood in darkness now, sun’s gone from earth/but through the darkness comes, with brightness glowing/Saint of the heavenly lights, Our Savior comes, with brightness glowing/Saint of the heavenly light, Our Savior showing…” Referencing St. Lucy visiting Christians who were hiding in the catacombs, by using a wreath of candles on her head to light her way as she brought them food in the dark.
St. Lucy’s actions demonstrate heroic virtue-risking her own life to minister to hungry Christians, giving away all she had to feed the poor, and refusing to deny Christ even in the face of torture and death. Her life mirrored Jesus’ selflessness and sacrifice a bright light in a dark world.
The call to sainthood and being a light to others extends to each of us. We are called to be the light of the world in Jesus’ name and the world needs it now more than ever. We continue to see hate, war, and violence plague every corner of our planet, and if we allow the Holy Spirt to dwell within us, we will be able to carry the light of the Gospel to the darkest places. As Isaiah says, “The people in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.”(9:1-6).
So as we remember St. Lucy on her feast day among the season of Advent, may we become the light of the world bringing hope, belonging and love to our families, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and strangers alike. May our eyes, like St. Lucy’s see as Gods sees that all people are children of God, worthy of love and deserving of our time and sacrifice. May we seek to give rather than receive, feed rather than to be fed, love more deeply and authentically so that when others see that light they instantly want to know the source of it; may we continue to reflect His light to all those around us not just in the Advent season but in all the seasons.
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