Today's saint, St. Lucy, was just one of the Martyrs during the persecution by the emperor Diocletian. The veneration of St. Lucy, her courage and her concern for the poor spread quickly. On the older calendar Dec. 13 was the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, and so candles became central to her feast day. Girls would dress in white, with red sashes to symbolize virginity and martyrdom and process with candles through the street.
While the processions with candles may have fallen out of practice. On this feast of St. Lucy each of us can begin this day determined to be bringer of light, the Light of Christ. For many of us this will require incredible discipline not only with our actions but with our words. Bringers of light follow the instruction of St. Paul,
- Say only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear Eph 4:29
Today may all our actions and words be actions and words of light.
St. Lucy, pray for us.
