Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness

Saint Lucia, Martyr

Lucy was giving her dowry away; taking the money and riches that had been promised to her future husband - a pagan - and using it all in service to the poor. When this extravagant charity was discovered, Lucy’s betrothed denounced her as a Christian to the authorities. She was commanded to offer a sacrifice to the Roman emperor, and when she refused, the governor sentenced the consecrated virgin to a life of prostitution. Legend has it, when the soldiers came to take Lucy away to the brothel, they were unable to move her, even when she was tied to a team of oxen. So they tried to burn her where she stood. But the stacks of wood piled around her would not ignite. No matter what they did, she simply would not die. Unafraid, unmoved, Lucy confessed her faith in Christ and condemned the ongoing persecution of the Christian church. She finally met her death when a sword slit her throat and silenced her.

Her feast day comes as the Northern Hemisphere creeps towards its darkest day of the year. In another one of the legends that surrounds her, St. Lucy delivers food to Christians hiding in the catacombs, wearing a crown of candles on her head to light the way. And so this morning in households around the world, the eldest daughter will greet the darkness of early morning balancing a wreath with lighted candles on her head, and wearing a white robe and red sash in remembrance of this early Christian martyr. She’ll bring a breakfast tray full of sweets to her parents, carrying a message of light and hope in Christ in the midst of a dark and uncertain world.

Consider this first post on our Substack a little breakfast tray - a sweet saffron-infused bun - offered to you, our reader, as a bit of sustenance for your journey.

We are Lutheran women on the road; following in the Way of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We are different ages, vocations, life stages, political persuasions and personalities. But we each love the living Christ who has made us His own in Baptism. And like Lucy, we will not stop singing His praises.

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Praise the one who breaks the darkness

With a liberating light.

Praise the one who frees the prisoners,

Turning blindness into sight.

Praise the one who preached the Gospel,

Healing every dread disease,

Calming storms and feeding thousands

With the very bread of peace.

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Praise the one who blessed the children

With a strong yet gentle word.

Praise the one who drove out demons

With a piercing two-edged sword.

Praise the one who brings cool water

To the desert′s burning sand.

From this well comes living water,

Quenching thirst in every land.

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Praise the one true love incarnate:

Christ who suffered in our place.

Jesus died and rose for many

That we may know God by grace.

Let us sing for joy and gladness,

Seeing what our God has done.

Praise the one redeeming glory,

Praise the One who makes us one. (LSB 849)

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