13 December.  St Lucy.   Ruth and Old Testament women. Lucy is revered as a young virgin martyr.  According to tradition, at the time when Christians were marginalized and persecuted, her parents wanted her to marry a pagan man and she refused. He was angry and denounced her as being a Christian. She was tortured for her faith and her eyes were gouged out, while she was later executed. The Church made her a patron saint for the blind. The name Lucy means light. Her feastday is during the time of the Hannukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights that commemorates an important time of liberation from oppression for them.  

The history of the Jewish people in the Old Testament is full of stories, mostly of the deeds of men, but women played important roles in their families and society and even as Judges – political leaders of the time. The story of Ruth is a lovely one. She was a widow and a very loving and caring woman, who left her own country and accompanied her mother-in-law, Naomi, back to Israel.  Ruth became the grandmother of David, the most famous king of Israel.     

Reflect, share,  Scripture:  No one who lights a lamp hides it away or places it under a bushel basket, but on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. Luke 11:33.   Prayer to St Lucy.   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 also called to let the light of our Christianity light up our daily lives.  Please help us to have the courage to bring the light of our faith into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation and every corner of our day.  Amen.  Pope Francis writes of the communion of saints. The holiness of the saints in the communion of saints comes to the aid of our weakness in a way that enables the Church to fortify the weakness of some with the strength of others. Pope Leo: On the wounded faces of the poor, we see the suffering of the innocent and, therefore, the suffering of Christ himself. Poverty is a multifaceted phenomenon. There are many forms of poverty: the poverty of those who lack material means of subsistence, the poverty of those who are socially marginalized and lack the means to give voice to their dignity and abilities, moral and spiritual poverty, cultural poverty, the poverty of those who find themselves in a condition of personal or social weakness or fragility, the poverty of those who have no rights, no space, no freedom. DT 9.  Act and pray:  During the holiday season remember those people who are suffering from various disabilities, the blind, the deaf, those with dementia and many others. Offer any need you can.