LUX

13 December 2006
Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

LUX
Mt 11:28-30

The Latin word “lux” means “light”. Thus, the motto of my alma mater, “Lux in Domino”, means “Light in the Lord”. It is from the word lux that the name “Lucy” comes. We remember today a saint – virgin and martyr – with this name.

St. Lucy was born in Rome and was martyred during the Diocletian persecution in the fourth century. Perhaps because she belonged to the antiquity of Church history, many legends have grown around and about her. One of which is that she plucked out her eyes to dissuade her many suitors because she dedicated her virginity to Christ. This explains why her statue today has her holding a platter that contains her eyes.

I smile as I recall today what a woman I once courted during college said to me. “Your eyes are the windows to your soul.” I do have a mole in one of my eyeballs but I do not see windows in either of them.

However, it is true that our eyes are the windows to our soul. It is through them that light comes in and goes out from our deepest recesses. We see others through our eyes and others see us through them too. We give light to others through our eyes. Through our eyes we receive light as well.

But just as windows may be closed, our eyes may likewise be shut. Then our light grows dim. Our light may also be totally extinguished, and darkness engulfs us.

Of course, we should take good care of our eyes. No one dreams of living in darkness. No one wants to go blind. Yet here is a woman who opted to be blind rather than lose sight of her consecration to Christ. She would rather be engulfed by darkness than darkness be embraced by her. She knew that even in darkness for the sake of Christ, one could see better with the heart. She believed that losing sight could mean gaining focus. She was ready to suffer blindness for the sake of consecrated virginity. Later on in life, she died for the faith in Jesus, the light of the world.

There once was another nicknamed “Lucy” – from “Lucifer” – who was called the “angel of light”. He was the most beautiful of the angels. But he refused to serve his Creator. With a legion of angels, he waged a battle with those who declared, “Serviam (“I will serve”)!” He became the Prince of Darkness.