What is it about the connection I have to Lucy? I have no long lost relatives, or any new ones for that matter, named Lucy. I never considered Lucy as a girls name when we were expecting children. I don't even think I've ever had a really close friend named Lucy.
Yet here I am today, still in love with Lucy. Let me connect the dots for you. Early in my life I have many fond memories of my family watching Lucille Ball. Now this would be the sixties and somehow I have memories of both Lucy's 60's era sitcoms as well as the more famous reruns of the iconic I Love Lucy. This show is the standard by which all other's are measured; at least for me. As we speak, I am watching a bit of the all day I Love Lucy marathon on Hallmark TV because today Lucille Ball would have turned 100. And if that is not enough, that extra special TV show, I Love Lucy, is celebrating anniversary # 60. Here is a TV show that began in 1951, when Dwight Eisenhower became our nation's President, and new generations are drawn to it all these decades later.
The show only lasted to 1957, which happens to be the year of my birth. In those 6 years Lucy, husband Desi Arnaz and costars William Frawley and Vivian Vance, better known as Fred & Ethel, entertained and made us laugh. Some episodes are gems: the candy factory, the vitameatavegamin, the stomping of the grapes, the birth of little Ricky, the miniseries like shows of their long trip to Europe or the season they traveled to Hollywood so Ricky could land in the movies. Iconic!
We lost Lucille Ball about 22 years ago due to complications from heart surgery. Her loss was felt across the world but we soon were reminded; she lives own in reruns. Now, thanks to Hallmark and TV Land before, we all can watch and laugh and introduce our children and grandchildren to Lucy.
Continuing to connect the dots, my affection for St. Lucy. Now I will admit freely, of all the saints we can become devoted to; St. Lucy was not one of them. But then as I approached that glorious day of ordination to the Permanent Diaconate I realized the date would be the Feast of St. Lucy. So in the months and weeks leading to ordination, I learned more about St. Lucy and she became one of my patron saints. St. Lucy's witness is powerful; devoted to Christ and devoted to perpetual virginity, she was attacked and tortured for not giving in to the demands of a suitor. In a rage, he removed her eyes, tried to set her on fire(the fire would not burn her) and finally he stabbed her to death. She remains a patron saint of those with eye trouble. I am reminded often of my connection to her feast day everytime I reflect on ordination day!
And then comes today and I am introduced to another Lucy. Because of a family commitment one of the deacons at St. Jane's in Abita(my home parish and original assignemnt after ordination) was unable to attend the baptism scheduled for a little 7 month baby girl named Lucy. I was happy to stand in for my brother deacon and today met and baptized little Lucy. And she was so good throughout the Baptism and beautiful too. As is the case with all babies that God calls me to baptize, it was a great joy and a remarkably rich and spiritual moment for me! In my brief reflection I shared my devotion for St. Lucy, invoked her help in the Litany of the Saints, and even shared with family and friends that how ironic this baptism is also occuring on the 100th anniversary of Lucille Ball's birth. That got a laugh.
So on this hot Saturday afternoon I'm watching some great I Love Lucy reruns, asking St. Lucy for her prayers and intercession and recalling the wonderful Baptism today of little Lucy.
So today I can truly say, I still love Lucy!
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