"Ash Week" continues with an intriguing match up between two martyrs, Lucy and John the Baptist. It's a tough choice but please don't lose your head over the decision. The winner will get ahead and make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen. The loser will be metaphorically re-martyred. See, Lent Madness is easy: we present all of our choices to you on a silver platter.
In the very first match up of Lent Madness 2013, Jonathan Daniels soundly defeated Macrina the Younger to advance to the next round. We're pleased to report that voting was very heavy with over 4,500 votes cast. And if you're new to Lent Madness, make sure to check out the comment stream throughout the day and perhaps even leave one of your own. It's fascinating and informative to hear why people are voting a certain way and many share their own personal experiences with a particular saint. In other words, you're now part of a true online community of people seeking inspiration during Lent from an amazing and diverse group of spiritual heroes.
Can't get enough of Lent Madness? You're in luck because tomorrow is the one and only day in Lent that we'll have a weekend vote. The anticipated Battle of the Iggys -- Ignatius of Antioch vs. Ignatius of Loyola -- will take place on Saturday. In the meantime, keep spreading the word about Lent Madness! Share links with your friends of all denominations, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or walk around your neighborhood with a homemade Lent Madness sandwich board.
Lucy
Not much is actually known about St. Lucy (Santa Lucia in Italian) other than that she was born into a wealthy family in Syracuse (Italy) in the late Third Century and was martyred while still a young woman in the Diocletian persecution in 303.
Tradition has it, however, that Lucy, like many young women of her day, wished to remain a virgin rather than marry the pagan to whom her parents betrothed her. After Lucy's prayers of intercession healed her mother of a debilitating illness, her mother granted Lucy's fervent wish to remain unmarried and instead distribute her dowry to the poor in Syracuse. The erstwhile fiancé, however, was not a fan of this distribution plan and in his rage at her rejection of him denounced Lucy to the Roman Governor as a Christian. She was first taken to a brothel so that she might be forced to surrender her virginity, but the guards who came for her found her too heavy to move even when hitched to a team of oxen, so filled was she with the Holy Spirit. Still, she was imprisoned, tortured, and finally killed when she did not renounce her dedication to Christ and affirm allegiance to the Emperor.
Sometimes Lucy is depicted as holding a platter with a pair of eyes upon it. The story goes that Lucy’s eyes were either plucked out by her torturers or plucked out by Lucy herself in repudiation of her fiancé, who found Lucy’s eyes appealing. Some versions of the story have God restoring her sight with even more beautiful eyes. At any rate, she is the patron saint of the blind and those with eye diseases.
Her name means "light" and her feast day is celebrated by families in Northern Europe by dressing the eldest daughter in a white robe and placing a wreath with lighted candles on her head. Sometimes a village’s “Lucy” carries bread and coffee to all the homes in the village as a re-enactment of Lucy’s kindness to the poor in the distribution of her dowry. Her feast day is a day of special devotion in her native Italy, as well, where the emphasis is on food, particularly hot chocolate with grains of wheat (to represent her eyes) in it.
Lucy was a much venerated, very popular saint in the early Church, and her name is included, along with only six other women, in both the Roman and Ambrosian Canons of the Mass.
Collect for Lucy
Saint Lucy, your beautiful name signifies light. By the light of faith which God bestowed upon you, increase and preserve this light in my soul so that I may avoid evil, be zealous in the performance of good works, and abhor nothing so much as the blindness and the darkness of evil and of sin. By your intercession with God, obtain for me perfect vision for my bodily eyes and the grace to use them for God's greater honor and glory and the salvation of all men. Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. Amen.
-- Penny Nash
John the Baptist
He’s one of the reasons more Episcopal Churches are named St. John than any other name.
John the Baptist (not to be confused with John the disciple or John the Divine, author of Revelation – yes, like today there were lots of Johns back then…) was the son of a priest in the Temple – Zachary. His mother was Elizabeth, who was related to Mary, Jesus’ mother. Thus, John the Baptist was related to Jesus, perhaps his cousin. Many people believe John the Baptist was born in Ain-Karim, which is southwest of Jerusalem. This followed an apparition in which the angel Gabriel told Zachary and his wife that they would have a child, even though Elizabeth was past child-bearing years.
Many scholars believe John lived in the desert, perhaps as a hermit. He may have been affiliated with a group known as the Essenes, whose communal life was chronicled in the Dead Sea Scrolls. This pietistic, separatist group had removed itself from the evils of the big city, Jerusalem, in order to practice the Jewish faith with greater purity in a desolate, desert environment. We find expressions of this in John’s later preaching of repentance.
John’s public ministry started when he was around 30-years-old. The Gospels tell us that John preached a harsh message, calling his hearers a ‘brood of vipers’ and imploring them to repent and start anew. John also understood his role to pave the way for Jesus, declaring he was not worthy to untie the sandals from the Messiah’s feet. John would go on to baptize Jesus in the River Jordan. During this event a dove came down from heaven and the voice of God was heard announcing that Jesus was God’s son.
Following his ministry of baptism, John remained critical of those who did not fear God. He was eventually imprisoned by Herod for correctly accusing the leader of taking his brother’s wife. During his incarceration, John began to have doubts, at one point sending some of his followers to Jesus to confirm he was really the Messiah.
John was needlessly executed after a young dancer named Salome so impressed Herod with her performance that he promised her anything – and, at the urging of her mother, she chose John the Baptist’s head to be served on a platter.
John inspired many of his followers to trust Christ when he designated Him "the Lamb of God." Some of those followers were Andrew and John, who came to know Christ through John's preaching. John is described in the New Testament as the last of the Old Testament prophets and the precursor of the Messiah. His feast day is June 24th and the feast for his death is August 29th.
Collect for John the Baptist
Almighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Chris Yaw
Vote!
UDPATE: The Supreme Executive Committee has found several instances of voting irregularity in this poll. At this point, three addresses have been cast into the outer darkness of Lent Madness. We have adjusted the vote totals by removing 35 votes for John the Baptist. Remember: in Lent Madness, we encourage you to mobilize your friends to vote. But we frown mightily on those who vote more than once.
[poll id="41"]
245 comments on “Lucy vs. John the Baptist”
As someone with poor sight, who cherishes the fact she still has it, I have to vote for my patron saint.
"I once was blind but now I see!" Lucy all the way!
This was a hard one, but Lucy got my vote. Being heavy with the Holy Spirit and umoveable vs. doubt in incarceration was the deciding point. Not that doubt is bad, it just makes the difference in this vote.
I am so tempted to choose Lucy! However, prepping a sermon this week about Jesus in the desert, I had to choose John!
I voted for St. Lucy for the same reason as others with eye problem, but am quite surprised at how close this is.
Go Lucy Go!!! A dead heat!!
I'll take light over locusts any day! And changing your density is a beautiful model of non violent resistance. Go Lucy, go! Shine on and shine bright with better vision and attributes I can rock on Halloween!
Wow! This is only my second year to play, but I don't remember seeing a count this close this early in the day. Passions are rising!
Since I'm Blind, I vote for Lucy.
I was torn until I saw that Lucy is connected with chocolate. Chocolate!!
At the time I voted, the count was 50-50. John the Baptist is too obvious a choice, so I voted for Lucy. Partly because of my Scandinavian heritage, and partly because the young female martyr (Macrina) lost yesterday. Maybe today's young female martyr will win...
Voted for Lucy. With all of the violence against women still in this world, she is a timeless example. Also, vision problems and blindness are a part of my family, making her a familial patron saint.
Gotta go with Lucy, since my husband works for a company dedicated to improving eyesight. Plus, John always seemed a little weird to me. Sackcloth and ashes and all that...
Recently diagnosed with the beginnings of macular degeneration in both eyes, I have to vote for Lucy. Not only is her patronage of importance to me as a scholar who reads for both work and pleasure, but one of the most moving poems in the language--by another of the contenders, John Donne--is "A Nocturnall Upon Saint Lucies Day, Being the Shortest Day."
Theresa, I empathize. I have the same diagnosis. Lucy got my vote -- even if I hadn't known she is a patron saint of those of us with eye "issues." Glad to see that as of the time I'm posting this she and John are tied in the voting. Lucy in the sky with diamonds, indeed!
JtB, who's my favorite saint altogether. Lucy sounds like a great gal, though, too....
It came down to one person's story vs the story of the one person who more than any other signifies the bridging of the Old Testament Law to the New Covenant, and he is family with Jesus as well. His death was worth half a kingdom.
See, in my book, that would be Mary.
Had to go with Lucy, making a connection between this Lucy and Lucy of Narnia - who the hero of the faith I most wanted to emulate as a child. (Today also - what I wouldn't give to walk with Aslan, my cold hands warmed in his mane.)
Oh! Lovely connection. 🙂
The eyes have it.
Gotta be Lucy!!
I'm a little uncomfortable with the matchups so far. I'd be quite surprised if, for the second straight day, a male doesn't defeat a somewhat obscure female. Of course, it works that way in tennis (or basketball) too: somebody has to play the champ.
I hear your concern but fear not, sister Judy, and trust the dubious wisdom of the SEC or failing that the workings of the Spirit through Her people. This is Lent Madness. Anything can happen. Two words: Queen Emma (who used to be 'obscure' to me - my bad - but in case you missed it last year cut a grace-filled swath through a pile of champs last year like Judith through Holofernes, or Jael through Sisera...).
Hi, Judy!
Glad to see you're playing. I agree with your comment. I had the same concern. However, I'm happy to see that as of 4pm CST Lucy is holding her own. In fact she's ahead by about 20 votes, including mine.
Lucy: the original bionic woman. The less we have of her, the more we get to make up. No problem seeing that vote.
Lucy for at least 2 reasons:
First is One Billion Rising. Protesting violence against women.
Second, Handel's Theodora is my favorite opera and the story line is identical. Theodora in Antioch but both victims of the Diocletian persecution. Plus breathtakingly beautiful music!
Third would be light and the Holy Spirit thing.
Go Lucy!
St. Lucia. Keeping your eyes on the prize over losing your head. Besides, what's not to like about being a light unto the darkness?
Hot chocolate with wheat berries. Locusts and honey. Both such sweet and crunchy treats.
Grew up in farming country so have a sweet spot for anyone working to reduce grasshopper population (dip 'em in honey and bite their heads? why not) and I do love dear mad wild call 'em as I see 'em John BUT I am voting for Lucy for the most serious of reasons - with a prayer for anyone else needing the intervention of the Holy Spirit to escape a life of sexual exploitation.
As a good (?) Lutheran, I would never pray to St. Lucy as the collect suggests, but I sure would vote for her! Lutherans from northern Europe especially love her, and the Italian in me loves Santa Lucia too. Now, don't get me wrong, John is "the greatest of all prophets" but I love Lucy...the show and the saint. Wiping away the mythic aspects of her history, we hear of a young woman of faith who loves the poor, serves her neighbor, then suffers and dies for her faith. I admire that, and yes, it inspires me. If interested, I wrote a short blog post about her this past feast day. It helps explain the head wreath and candles, has some of the music as performed in Scandanavia, and a Lutheran prayer:
http://2pennyblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/st-lucy-innocent-of-burglary-on-all-counts/
Thank you, Lou. Good article.
As a cradle Episcopalian, this Lucy collect wouldn't just roll off of my tongue either!
Gotta remember, no Forerunner, no Messiah. Need to roll with JTB on this one.
Baptism. I love Lucy as much as the next gal, but baptism beats martyrdom every time.
Nobody has mentioned the charm factor. Lucy has much more than John. Seriously though, I picked Jonathan yesterday, because he has more relevance for our times and is a better example to us now. (Macrina appealed to me because she could keep her brothers in line; I have three brothers.) Lucy also relates to us, because (we cannot be that voice in the wilderness) we can serve the poor. I hope the rest of this contest won't be quite so challenging.
I had to go with John the Baptist, he is just too important a figure to vote against (plus I have him going all the way in my bracket). Also, my brother and my Dad are both Johns, along with a ton of uncles, cousins and a bunch of other ancestors named John it seemed the right thing to do. Come on John! You can do it!
I voted for St. Lucy, for without St. Lucy we would not have that sweet Italian tune, Santa Lucia. Also, I'm going for the females in the brackets as there can never be enough estrogen power in Christianity.