Today we wear red for the martyrdom of St. Lucy. Our readings speak of the great prophet Elijah, who was like "fire," and John t...
Today we wear red for the martyrdom of St. Lucy. Our readings speak of the great prophet Elijah, who was like "fire," and John the Baptist, who suffered for the truth. Our three words today are Fire, Fearlessness, and Faith.
First, Fire. The First Reading says Elijah’s word "burned like a torch." Prophets are not lukewarm. They have a fire in their belly for God’s truth. St. Lucy, a young woman in the early Church, had this fire. She refused to compromise her purity or her dedication to God, even when threatened with torture and death. As Christians, we must ask ourselves: Has our fire gone out? Are we lukewarm about our prayers and our morals? Let us ask God to rekindle the fire of the Holy Spirit within us.
Second, Fearlessness. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of how John the Baptist was treated: "They did to him whatever they pleased." Suffering is often the cost of discipleship. St. Lucy faced her executioners with incredible fearlessness. Tradition says she told the governor, "You obey Caesar’s laws; I obey God’s laws." She lost her eyes, but she never lost her vision of God. We live in a world that often mocks our faith. We need the fearlessness of Lucy and John to stand up for what is right, even when it is unpopular.
Third, Faith. The Psalm today prays: "Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved." St. Lucy’s name means "Light." Her physical sight was taken, but her faith allowed her to see the face of God clearly. Faith is not just believing God exists; it is trusting that He is better than life itself.
May St. Lucy pray for us, that we may have fire in our hearts, fearlessness in our witness, and faith that sees the light of Christ.
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