The story of Lucy is the story of a young Catholic. She lived in times she found difficult. How did she respond? She was of a rich family. But, like so many others, like all of us, in fact, who have anything, she discovered it was not enough. None of her rich lifestyle was able to satisfy the longings of her heart. So with the agreement of her mum, she started sharing what she had with the poor, and sharing her body with the one Spouse who could satisfy the longings of her heart: the Lord Jesus.
Just because she was a good and holy person trying to live a good Catholic life was not innocent enough for some people. The story goes that a young man who really wanted her – or her riches, which one is not clear – in revenge for what he could now never have, denounced her to the government. The government at the time, as governments occasionally have done throughout history, was in anti-Christian mode. And so, in the end, the story goes, she was first publicly humiliated by being condemned to forced prostitution, and then submitted to fire, and finally had her head cut off.
This means two things. First of all don’t be surprised if you sometimes cop a bit of flack for your faith: that’s the way of Christ, and that’s what your confirmation is for – so don’t worry, of course you have the grace to deal with it! And secondly, what made Lucy different – what the non-Christians didn’t have – was believing Jesus’s words to her in the Gospel about being a wise Virgin, to make sure she had enough oil for her to burn with the living flame of love. This oil, of course, is that oil which makes all things easy and all things good: the oil of the love of God. This is the secret to life as a young, or old, Catholic: building our life on the only satisfaction for any human heart – the love of God. It’s all we need. It’s all that will fill our heart. And it’s what our confreres in the world are thirsting for.
Blog of a City Priest 