Tom Dobbins Jr., Director of Social and Parish Engagement for Catholic
Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, reflects on the readings for
the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
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****Memorial of Saint Lucy****
Today's Lectionary Readings

Today we commemorate Saint Lucy, a martyr of the early Church who was
born of a noble family in Syracuse, Sicily, during the Diocletian
persecution.

As a child, I was fascinated by Saint Lucy because of her depiction in
church statues holding out a plate with her two eyes. This reflected a
torture she suffered when - after a disappointed suitor accused her of
being a Christian - Roman authorities gouged her eyes out before
executing her, only for it to be discovered when her body was prepared
for burial that her eyes had been miraculously restored by God. 

Coinciding as it does with the upcoming Winter Solstice, today's Feast
incorporates several traditions surrounding Saint Lucy - whose name
derives from the Latin word

**lux,** meaning "light" - assigning to her symbolic meaning as a
bearer of light within the darkness of winter. One particular tradition
that speaks to Saint Lucy's charity holds that she would bring food
and refreshment to Christians hiding in the catacombs during the
Diocletian persecution, and that she would wear a candle-lit wreath to
light her way to free her hands to provide as much aid to those in need
as possible.

In our terribly divided world where the darkness of multiple wars,
poverty, disease, and prejudice too often blind us to the real needs of
others, what is needed today is a restoration of vision that clearly
sees and responds to the needs of every person we encounter. As it was
for Saint Lucy nearly 1,800 years ago, this continues to be the work of
Catholic Charities today - to see beyond divisions and observe the
dignity of every person and respond to those who suffer; to see beyond
poverty, borders, war and violence and respond to those who seek safety
for themselves and their families; to see beyond bars and respond to
those incarcerated, and those returning to society; and to see beyond
disability, age and infirmity and respond with compassion to those in
need of healing and care.     

On this Feast of Saint Lucy, may God bless us with a clarity of vision
to see and respond to those around us as brothers and sisters in our one
human family.   

** **

**Tom Dobbins Jr.** is the

**Director of Social and Parish Engagement** for

**Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York,** a

**Producer** for the "

**JustLove**" radio broadcast on

**Sirius/XM's Catholic Channel 129**, and a

**Board Member** of the

**Roundtable Association of Catholic Diocesan Social Action
Directors.  **

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