Santa Lucia

Well, today is the feast of the "Virgin of Syracuse," as little St. Lucy is called in Italy. I have twice visited her shrine in Venice and venerated her mummified relics. Poor little thing, she is a tiny brown form, her skin and flesh more like finely layered pastry than human remains. And I don't recall noticing that her orbital region was sunken (given her martyrdom). That didn't stop me from praying for my relatives who suffer things like macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma... (you know who you are, and I prayed for you today, too). I also prayed today for people whose "inner" vision is obscured. There are so many obstacles to our seeing clearly through the smudgy lens of our consumer culture! I find myself thinking a lot lately about people at the heads of huge corporations (and also in positions of power in government). Self-interest, greed, and the will to power can blind anyone. Sometimes decisions are made that clearly devalue real, live human beings, and the only "benefit" that is discernible is some limited but immediate and very large financial gain. We need eyes that "see the grace of God," like those of St. Barnabas, or like today's St. Lucy.