As a wee one at Sunday School, my catechist put a stack of Saint cards on the table and asked us to pick one. I picked Saint Lucy. She’s the first Saint I ever knew of. I picked her because I thought she was pretty and I liked the color purple. I held onto that holy card and kept it in a little purse that had swans and lipsticks on it. I put other religious treasures in there – cross necklaces, rosaries, prayer cards. Every once in a while I would pull that purse out and lay out all the items on my bed. I remember just looking at this painting of Saint Lucy, not really knowing anything about her, but feeling that she was special to me. I didn’t really know that I could ask her to pray for me, but in some ways I think I did ask for her prayers unknowingly in the depths my heart (innocence of a child, I suppose).
I grew, and soon it came time for me to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. For Confirmation, each person chooses a Saint to take the name of at their Confirmation. It was no question for me – Saint Lucy. But who was she? She was a virgin and martyr that died for her love of Christ and her desire to remain consecrated to Him. You can read her story here and/or here. But one thing I learned is that she is the patron Saint of the blind. At first I didn’t really think much of it – I’m not blind, and I don’t know anyone who is blind. But, over the years, as I draw nearer to this beautiful, strong Saint’s intercession I realize just how blind I am spiritually. I knew next to nothing about my faith as a young teen, but a hunger awoke in me at the time of my Confirmation. Since that time I know that Saint Lucy’s intercession has been powerful for me to be healed from spiritual blindness, because slowly and surely our Lord continues to remove the scales from my eyes, to let in His light and heal me.
As we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus, let us ask for Saint Lucy to pray for us…that we may have spiritual clarity, courage to follow Christ in our daily lives, and that we love the Lord even unto death.
a dillightful adventure 