We contemplate with wonder, O glorious virgin and martyr, St Lucy, that light of living faith which God in His mercy was pleased to infuse into thy fair soul. By the light of this faith thou didst know how to despise the vain and fleeting things of this miserable world, and to keep thy eyes fixed on Heaven, for which alone we were created. The honours, riches, and pleasures of this seductive world did not obscure thy mind, much less corrupt thy heart, to the injury of thy faith and of divine grace; so that far from consenting to the wicked proposals of the unjust judge, thou didst fearlessly and resolutely encounter even death rather than be unfaithful to thy celestial Lord. What shame for us, who, illumined also by faith and strengthened by grace, know not at all how to resist our guilty passions, despise the perverse maxims of the world, or frustrate the wiles of our enemy the devil! Therefore we beseech thee, dear Saint, to obtain for us greater light from God, to understand better that we are not made for earthly things, but for the things of Heaven.

Pater, Ave, Gloria.

O victorious martyr, St Lucy, admirable was thy virtue of hope, which kept alive in thee the desire of Heaven and nourished that filial confidence in God, our most loving Father, which possessed thy heart. Animated with this virtue, while praying fervently for thy mother at the tomb of St Agatha, thou didst obtain for her health in sickness. Full of trust in God, in order to become more completely detached from the things of this earth, thou didst willingly distribute to the poor whatever still remained to thee of earthly treasure; and if courage and strength never failed thee in resisting the tyrant, and in standing firm in the faith in the midst of unspeakable torments, it was solely because thou didst place thy hope in Him who has promised never to abandon us in dangers, but to be to us a shield of defence, ready to work even miracles, such as actually happened in thy glorious martyrdom. Let us then freely confess that too great an attachment to things here below and too little confidence in God harden our hearts, and so deprive us of courage that we often miserably succumb to occasions of danger. Obtain for us, we beseech thee, O blessed St Lucy, a more firm trust in our Lord and God, that we may deserve in every untoward event of our lives to have Him for our helper and consoler.

Pater, Ave, Gloria.

O glorious martyr of Jesus Christ, St Lucy, thy living faith and firm hope could not be separated from the fire of most ardent charity which inflamed thy heart, and made thee so ready to shed thy blood and sacrifice thy life for thy Spouse Jesus. No wonder the flame of material fire which was applied to thy body by order of the tyrant could not penetrate it or reduce it to ashes. This fire was too weak beside that which burnt in thy breast; and so the impious prefect, seeing that his efforts were vain, ordered that thy throat should be completely severed with a sharp sword. Then it was that thy beautiful soul took its flight to Heaven, there to repose on the breast of thy Jesus, and enjoy His heavenly delights for ever. Alas! we love creatures, and so weary ourselves on their account that we find our poor hearts not only void of consolation, but overwhelmed with bitterness. Obtain for us, dear Saint, we beseech thee, that we may be persuaded, once for all, that our true happiness should begin on this earth, in the love of that God who will be the true and the sole object of our perfect and eternal beatitude in Heaven.

Pater, Ave, Gloria.

Full of confidence in thy powerful intercession, O glorious martyr St Lucy, we beseech thee to intercede with thy divine Spouse Jesus, that it may please Him to keep ever healthy the light of our bodily eyes, giving us at the same time the grace to make good use of them, so that on the day of the general resurrection they may become radiant with that heavenly light which will fit them to behold the ineffable beauties of the country of the blessed. Amen.

V. Pray for us, St Lucy. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Hear our prayers, O God our Saviour, that as we rejoice in the constancy in the faith of the blessed St Lucy, virgin and martyr, so we may be filled with pious and devout affections. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We contemplate with wonder, O glorious virgin and martyr, St Lucy, that light of living faith which God in His mercy was pleased to infuse into thy fair soul. By the light of this faith thou didst know how to despise the vain and fleeting things of this miserable world, and to keep thy eyes fixed on Heaven, for which alone we were created. The honours, riches, and pleasures of this seductive world did not obscure thy mind, much less corrupt thy heart, to the injury of thy faith and of divine grace; so that far from consenting to the wicked proposals of the unjust judge, thou didst fearlessly and resolutely encounter even death rather than be unfaithful to thy celestial Lord. What shame for us, who, illumined also by faith and strengthened by grace, know not at all how to resist our guilty passions, despise the perverse maxims of the world, or frustrate the wiles of our enemy the devil! Therefore we beseech thee, dear Saint, to obtain for us greater light from God, to understand better that we are not made for earthly things, but for the things of Heaven.

Pater, Ave, Gloria.

O victorious martyr, St Lucy, admirable was thy virtue of hope, which kept alive in thee the desire of Heaven and nourished that filial confidence in God, our most loving Father, which possessed thy heart. Animated with this virtue, while praying fervently for thy mother at the tomb of St Agatha, thou didst obtain for her health in sickness. Full of trust in God, in order to become more completely detached from the things of this earth, thou didst willingly distribute to the poor whatever still remained to thee of earthly treasure; and if courage and strength never failed thee in resisting the tyrant, and in standing firm in the faith in the midst of unspeakable torments, it was solely because thou didst place thy hope in Him who has promised never to abandon us in dangers, but to be to us a shield of defence, ready to work even miracles, such as actually happened in thy glorious martyrdom. Let us then freely confess that too great an attachment to things here below and too little confidence in God harden our hearts, and so deprive us of courage that we often miserably succumb to occasions of danger. Obtain for us, we beseech thee, O blessed St Lucy, a more firm trust in our Lord and God, that we may deserve in every untoward event of our lives to have Him for our helper and consoler.

Pater, Ave, Gloria.

O glorious martyr of Jesus Christ, St Lucy, thy living faith and firm hope could not be separated from the fire of most ardent charity which inflamed thy heart, and made thee so ready to shed thy blood and sacrifice thy life for thy Spouse Jesus. No wonder the flame of material fire which was applied to thy body by order of the tyrant could not penetrate it or reduce it to ashes. This fire was too weak beside that which burnt in thy breast; and so the impious prefect, seeing that his efforts were vain, ordered that thy throat should be completely severed with a sharp sword. Then it was that thy beautiful soul took its flight to Heaven, there to repose on the breast of thy Jesus, and enjoy His heavenly delights for ever. Alas! we love creatures, and so weary ourselves on their account that we find our poor hearts not only void of consolation, but overwhelmed with bitterness. Obtain for us, dear Saint, we beseech thee, that we may be persuaded, once for all, that our true happiness should begin on this earth, in the love of that God who will be the true and the sole object of our perfect and eternal beatitude in Heaven.

Pater, Ave, Gloria.

Full of confidence in thy powerful intercession, O glorious martyr St Lucy, we beseech thee to intercede with thy divine Spouse Jesus, that it may please Him to keep ever healthy the light of our bodily eyes, giving us at the same time the grace to make good use of them, so that on the day of the general resurrection they may become radiant with that heavenly light which will fit them to behold the ineffable beauties of the country of the blessed. Amen.

V. Pray for us, St Lucy. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Hear our prayers, O God our Saviour, that as we rejoice in the constancy in the faith of the blessed St Lucy, virgin and martyr, so we may be filled with pious and devout affections. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.