Cornelius the Centurion

Everything we know about Cornelius comes from chapters 10 and 11 of the Acts of the Apostles. He is remembered as the first Gentile, along with his household, to be received into the Christian faith.

Cornelius was a centurion in the Roman army. A centurion normally commanded about one hundred soldiers and was responsible for their discipline and effectiveness, both in camp and on the battlefield. Centurions were career soldiers who were generally respected for their courage, leadership, and ability. Cornelius was also a man of deep faith. Acts describes him as devout and God-fearing, a man who prayed regularly and gave generously to those in need.

The conversion of Cornelius was a turning point in the life of the early Church. Luke gives considerable attention to the story because of its importance for the future spread of Christianity. Both Cornelius and Peter received divine guidance that brought them together. Peter was shown that God was breaking down the barriers that had separated Jews and Gentiles, and when he preached the Gospel to Cornelius and those gathered in his home, the Holy Spirit came upon them.

What happened in the house of Cornelius was so remarkable that it was compared to the experience of Pentecost. Peter could no longer deny baptism to those upon whom God had so clearly poured out the Holy Spirit. The conversion of Cornelius became an important precedent for the decision of the apostles in Jerusalem a few years later that Gentile believers were to be fully received into the Church alongside Jewish believers.

According to Christian tradition, Cornelius later became a missionary and eventually served as bishop of Caesarea. Cornelius and his household may have formed the beginning of the Christian community in that important city, where Philip the Evangelist had also preached and later made his home (Acts 8:40; 21:8).

The story of Cornelius reminds us that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was never intended for only one people or nation. In the home of a Roman centurion, the early Church saw clearly that God shows no partiality and that everyone who turns to him in faith is welcomed into the household of God.

 

Birgitta of Sweden

Mystic

Birgitta Birgersdotter was born into a noble Swedish family in 1303. From an early age, she sensed that God was calling her to a religious life. Yet at only thirteen years old, she was married against her wishes to Ulf Gudmarsson, a member of the Swedish nobility. Their marriage produced eight children, and although her life was filled with the responsibilities of marriage and motherhood, Birgitta never lost her deep desire to live wholly for God.

Throughout her married life, she practiced a disciplined life of prayer, fasting, and devotion. When her husband was away, she openly followed a strict ascetic way of life; when he was home, she practiced it more quietly. Eventually, both Birgitta and her husband became members of the Franciscan Third Order, which allowed laypeople to follow Franciscan spirituality while remaining in their ordinary lives and families.

From childhood, Birgitta had experienced visions in which Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints spoke to her. These messages, which she believed were given for the benefit and correction of others, came to her in Swedish. She either wrote them down herself or dictated them to her confessor. Over time, the messages became increasingly concerned with the affairs of the Church and the rulers of Europe, a development that sometimes made Birgitta deeply uncomfortable.

Though she had a good relationship with the Swedish royal family, Birgitta did not hesitate to speak when she believed those in authority had strayed from what was right. She sharply criticized the king and eventually became something of a spiritual voice for those among the Swedish nobility who opposed him.

Her influence eventually reached far beyond Sweden. Birgitta wrote to popes, kings, queens, and other rulers throughout Europe. She condemned the extravagant lifestyles she saw among members of the clergy, religious orders, and the wealthy laity. She repeatedly urged the popes living in Avignon to return the papacy to Rome. She also appealed to the rulers of England and France to seek peace and bring an end to the conflict that would later become known as the Hundred Years’ War.

Birgitta was not always a comfortable voice to hear. She challenged both Church and state to repentance, humility, and faithfulness. Because of this, she became known throughout Europe as a visionary, reformer, and sometimes an uncomfortable counselor to those in power.

After the death of her husband in 1344, Birgitta gave herself completely to the religious life. Out of the revelations she had received came the religious community later known as the Order of the Most Holy Savior, or the Brigittines.

The structure she envisioned was unusual for its time. A Brigittine monastery would include both women and men living in separate cloisters but worshiping together in a shared church. The abbess would hold authority over the entire community. Birgitta traveled to Rome seeking papal approval for the new order, and in 1370 Pope Urban V approved its rule and permitted the establishment of the monastery at Vadstena in Sweden. Birgitta herself never became its first abbess. That responsibility later fell to her daughter Catherine.

Except for several pilgrimages, Birgitta remained in Rome for the rest of her life. There she ministered among both rich and poor, provided shelter for the homeless, and continued urging the Church toward reform. She never abandoned her hope that the pope would return from Avignon to Rome.

In 1372, Birgitta believed that God was calling her through another vision to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She traveled to Jerusalem, but on the journey home her health began to fail. Birgitta died in Rome on July 23, 1373.

Her influence did not end with her death. Her writings continued to circulate throughout Europe, and the religious order she founded continued her vision of prayer, discipline, and service. Birgitta was canonized in 1391.

In Sweden, her life and witness are especially remembered on October 7th, the anniversary of her canonization. Birgitta's story reminds us that the voice of faith is not always a comfortable one. Sometimes faithfulness requires speaking difficult truths to those in authority, serving those who have little, and remaining steadfast in prayer even when the world around us would rather not listen.

William Tyndale, Priest & Scholar, 1536

 

William Tyndale

Priest & Scholar

William Tyndale was born around 1495 at Slymbridge, near the Welsh border. He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he earned both his B.A. and M.A. degrees, and later spent time studying at Cambridge. After his ordination, around 1521, he entered the household of Sir John Walsh at Little Sodbury in Gloucestershire, serving as chaplain and tutor. In 1523, Tyndale moved to London, where he found support in the home of Humphrey Monmouth, a wealthy cloth merchant.

By this time, Tyndale had become convinced that the Scriptures should be available to ordinary English-speaking Christians in their own language. He was determined to translate the Bible into English, but when it became clear that he would receive no official support for such a work in England, he left for Germany in 1524.

From that point forward, Tyndale’s life became one of constant danger. His translations were condemned, copies of his New Testament were confiscated and burned, and powerful men—including King Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey—sought to stop his work and bring him to trial. Yet Tyndale continued translating, revising, writing, and arranging for copies of the Scriptures to be printed and carried secretly into England.

Tyndale’s passion can perhaps best be summed up in the words he reportedly spoke during an argument with a learned churchman: “If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more scripture than thou dost.”

That was the heart of William Tyndale’s calling. He wanted the Word of God placed into the hands of ordinary people—the farmer, the laborer, the merchant, and the family gathered around the table. Scripture, he believed, should not belong only to clergy and scholars.

Before his death, Tyndale had completed and revised his translation of the New Testament. He also translated the Pentateuch, the Book of Jonah, and much of the Old Testament historical books from Joshua through 2 Chronicles. Although he did not live to see all of this work published, his influence on the English Bible was enormous. Much of his language survived in later translations, especially the Authorized, or King James, Version of 1611. His English was so powerful and enduring that his work has been described as “a well of English undefiled.”

Tyndale was also a man of his age. Like many religious writers of the Reformation period, he could be sharp and even bitter in controversy, and some of his translation choices reflected the theological struggles of his time. Yet behind the controversy was a man who lived simply, gave generously, and remained devoted to the work he believed God had called him to do.

For years he lived as a hunted man, moving from place to place while continuing his translation work. In the end, he was betrayed by someone he had befriended. He was arrested near Brussels, imprisoned, and eventually condemned as a heretic.

On October 6, 1536, William Tyndale was taken to the place of execution. He was strangled at the stake, and his body was then burned.

His final prayer has echoed through the centuries:

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”

That prayer proved remarkably prophetic. Within only a few years, English Bibles—drawing heavily upon Tyndale’s own translation—were being placed in churches throughout England.

William Tyndale did not live to see the full fruit of his labor, but generations of English-speaking Christians have read the Scriptures through words that first came from his pen. His life reminds us of the tremendous price paid by those who believed that every Christian should be able to hear and read the Word of God in a language they could understand.

John Raleigh Mott, Ecumenist and Missionary

 

John Raleigh Mott

Ecumenist and Missionary

John Raleigh Mott devoted his life to the worldwide spread of the Gospel, believing that evangelism and Christian unity were not separate concerns, but closely connected parts of the Church’s mission.

Mott was born in Livingston Manor, New York, on May 25, 1865. Later that same year, his family moved to Iowa. After graduating from Cornell University in 1888, he began serving as student secretary of the International Committee of the YMCA and soon became chairman of the executive committee of the Student Volunteer Movement. In 1895, he became General Secretary of the World Student Christian Federation, and in 1901 he was appointed Assistant General Secretary of the YMCA.

During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Mott to the National War Work Council. His service during the war was later recognized with the Distinguished Service Medal.

Much of Mott’s missionary vision was shaped by the rallying cry, “The Evangelization of the World in this Generation.” He believed that the churches could accomplish far more in the mission field if Christians of different traditions learned to cooperate with one another. That conviction placed him at the center of the growing ecumenical movement.

Mott chaired the committee that organized the International Missionary Conference held in Edinburgh in 1910, and he also presided over the gathering. At the time, it was one of the broadest assemblies of Christians ever brought together and is often remembered as an important beginning of the modern ecumenical movement.

Speaking at that conference, Mott warned that the command of Christ to carry the Gospel to all people remained far from complete. Yet he also saw before the Church an extraordinary opportunity. He believed Christians were living in a time when the Gospel could be carried throughout the world in ways that previous generations could hardly have imagined.

Mott remained deeply involved in the movement for Christian cooperation throughout the following decades. He participated in the Faith and Order Conference at Lausanne in 1927, served as Vice-President of the Second World Conference on Faith and Order in Edinburgh in 1937, and chaired the Life and Work Conference held at Oxford that same year.

In 1946, Mott was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in building and strengthening international organizations committed to peace and cooperation. His many years of work also helped prepare the way for the establishment of the World Council of Churches. When the Council was formally organized in 1948, Mott was elected its lifelong Honorary President.

Although John Raleigh Mott was a Methodist layman and never an ordained minister, his Christian influence crossed denominational boundaries. The Episcopal Church honored his ministry by naming him an honorary canon of Washington National Cathedral.

Mott died in 1955 after a lifetime devoted to Christian mission, unity, and service. His life is a powerful reminder that the work of spreading the Gospel is not limited to clergy. God can use faithful laypeople just as powerfully to bring Christians together, strengthen the Church, and carry the message of Christ into the world.

Jerome, Priest and Scholar

 

Jerome

Priest and Scholar

Jerome was one of the greatest biblical scholars of the early Latin Church. His translation of the Scriptures from the Hebrew and Greek texts into Latin, together with his commentaries and homilies on the books of the Bible, made him one of the most influential Christian scholars in the history of the Western Church. His Latin translation eventually became known as the Vulgate and would shape the reading and understanding of Scripture in Western Christianity for centuries.

Jerome was born around the year 347 at Stridon, in the Roman province of Dalmatia. As a young man, he went to Rome to study, and it was there that he was converted and baptized. During a later visit to Trier in the Rhineland, Jerome became increasingly drawn to the monastic life. He eventually attempted the life of a hermit in the Syrian desert, but the experience proved difficult and unhappy.

In Antioch, around 378, Jerome reluctantly consented to be ordained a priest. He continued his serious study of Hebrew and Greek, convinced that a proper understanding of the Scriptures required careful attention to the languages in which they had originally been written. The following year he traveled to Constantinople, where he studied under Gregory of Nazianzus, one of the great theologians of the early Church.

From 382 until 384, Jerome served in Rome as secretary to Pope Damasus I. Damasus entrusted him with the enormous task of revising and translating the Bible into the Latin commonly understood by the people. This work became known as the Vulgate, from the Latin vulgata, meaning that which was commonly used or made generally available. Jerome's work would eventually become the standard biblical text of the Western Church.

Following the death of Pope Damasus, Jerome left Rome and returned to the East. He eventually settled in Bethlehem, where he established a monastery and devoted the remainder of his life to prayer, study, writing, translation, and the teaching of Scripture. He died there on September 30th, 420. According to tradition, he was buried in a chapel beneath the Church of the Nativity, near the place long honored as the site of our Lord's birth.

Jerome was not always an easy man. He possessed a sharp temper, great confidence in his learning, and an intense commitment to the ascetic life. These qualities often drew him into bitter controversies over theological questions and the interpretation of Scripture. His words toward his opponents could be severe, and he was sometimes painfully aware of his own shortcomings.

Yet Jerome could also acknowledge his faults. He sought no great ecclesiastical office, remained a determined defender of the faith he believed had been handed down by the Church, and labored tirelessly throughout his life. His knowledge of Scripture and the biblical languages was extraordinary, and his gifts as a writer were equally remarkable.

Whatever his imperfections, Jerome gave his life to the study and proclamation of God's Word. His enduring legacy reminds us that the Scriptures deserve not only our devotion but also our careful study, our disciplined labor, and our willingness to spend a lifetime seeking to understand more fully the Word God has given to His people.

 

Paula and Eustochium of Rome

Paula was born in Rome in 347 into one of the great noble families of the Roman world. She traced her ancestry back to Cornelia Africana, the mother of the Gracchi, who had long been remembered as the model of the devoted Roman matron. Just as Cornelia regarded her sons as her greatest treasures, Paula would become an example of another kind—the Desert Mother who surrendered earthly wealth in order to serve God.

Paula married while still young and became the mother of five children. Widowed at the age of thirty-two, she had known all the comforts and privileges of Roman aristocratic life. But after the death of her husband, her life began to change dramatically. Inspired by the example of Marcella, whom the Church commemorates on January 31, Paula devoted herself to prayer, rigorous spiritual discipline, and the care of the poor and needy. Both Paula and Marcella eventually turned their great Roman homes into places of Christian community, gathering around them widows and women who had dedicated themselves to a life of prayer and service.

In 382, Paula met Jerome, who had come to Rome at the invitation of Bishop Damasus and was staying in the home of Marcella. Paula and her daughter Eustochium quickly became devoted students and friends of this brilliant but famously difficult scholar. Jerome was known for his sharp tongue and fierce temper, and Paula and Eustochium became among those closest to him. They often reminded him of the gentleness and humility that Christ calls his followers to show.

Although members of her noble family encouraged Eustochium to marry, she chose instead, under Jerome’s spiritual guidance, to dedicate her life entirely to God and made a vow of perpetual virginity. Jerome later wrote his well-known work De custodia virginitatis for her instruction and encouragement.

Paula and Eustochium were not merely patrons of Jerome’s work. They were serious students of Scripture in their own right. Both were fluent in Greek and, under Jerome’s instruction, became students of Hebrew as well. When Jerome eventually left Rome and returned to the East, Paula and Eustochium followed him. After making a pilgrimage through the Holy Land, they settled with him in Bethlehem.

There Paula used her wealth to establish four monasteries—one for men, directed by Jerome, and three for women under her own leadership. Bethlehem became their home and a center of prayer, study, hospitality, and biblical scholarship.

Their love for Scripture continued to deepen. Paula and Eustochium asked Jerome difficult and thoughtful questions that helped lead him to write many of his biblical commentaries. Paula also encouraged him persistently to undertake the enormous task of producing a new Latin translation of the Bible from the original languages. That translation eventually became known as the Vulgate.

Paula supplied Jerome with books and other resources needed for his work, while she and Eustochium reviewed his translations, suggested revisions, and helped edit his writings. The women living in their communities also served as scribes, making copies of the completed works so that they could be circulated. Paula and Eustochium were, therefore, far more than admirers standing in the background. They were colleagues and essential partners in the work that produced the Latin Vulgate.

Paula guided the communities at Bethlehem for about twenty years, until her death in 404. Jerome, deeply grieving the loss of his friend and companion in ministry, wrote in his eulogy for her: “If all the members of my body were turned into tongues and all my joints were to utter human voices, I should be unable to say anything worthy of the holy and venerable Paula.”

After Paula’s death, Eustochium assumed responsibility for the monasteries and continued the work begun by her mother. She remained in Bethlehem until her own death around 419 or 420. Her niece, also named Paula, was with her at the end and then continued the leadership of the communities.

The lives of Paula and Eustochium remind us that some of the greatest works of the early Church were not accomplished by famous bishops and theologians alone. Behind Jerome’s monumental work stood two remarkable women whose faith, learning, generosity, persistence, and devotion to Holy Scripture helped give generations of Christians access to the Word of God.

 

Lancelot Andrewes

Bishop of Winchester

Lancelot Andrewes, born in 1555, became one of the most respected churchmen and preachers of his generation. He was a favorite preacher of King James I and was especially known for his sermons on the Nativity and the Resurrection. His preaching was deeply rooted in Scripture and filled with the learning of a man who had spent a lifetime studying the Bible, theology, history, and the early Church. King James appreciated that kind of scholarship. For modern readers, Andrewes’ sermons can sometimes be difficult to work through, but there is much there for those willing to read them carefully.

One of his Epiphany sermons later inspired T. S. Eliot in his poem, “The Journey of the Magi.” Andrewes had written:

“A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a Journey, and such a long journey:
The way deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.”

Andrewes was much more than a gifted preacher. He was an accomplished biblical scholar who knew both Hebrew and Greek and was one of the scholars chosen to translate what became the Authorized Version, better known to us as the King James Version of the Bible. He also served as Dean of Westminster and as headmaster of Westminster School before becoming a bishop. Through his teaching and leadership, he influenced a number of important churchmen of his generation, including the poet and priest George Herbert.

Andrewes was also a deeply prayerful man. One of his most enduring works is Preces Privatae, or Private Devotions, a collection of prayers and meditations drawn from Scripture and the ancient worship of the Church. He originally compiled these prayers for his own use, and they give us a glimpse into both his personal devotion and the theology that shaped his life.

At a time of continuing division between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, Andrewes strongly defended the catholic heritage of the Church of England. He believed that the English Church remained part of the historic catholic and apostolic faith while standing apart from the authority of Rome.

He was also widely respected as an example of what a bishop should be. That was no small thing in an age when bishops were not always held in high regard. John Hacket, who studied under Andrewes and later became Bishop of Lichfield, remembered him as a man of extraordinary learning, dignity, kindness, and devotion. Hacket called him “the most Apostolical and Primitive-like Divine” of his age and spoke especially of the reverence with which Andrewes approached God in prayer.

Lancelot Andrewes died in 1626, leaving behind a legacy of biblical scholarship, preaching, prayer, and faithful service to the Church. Nearly four centuries later, his writings still remind us that serious study and deep devotion do not have to stand apart. In Andrewes, they belonged together.

 

Sergius of Radonezh

To the people of Russia, Sergius of Radonezh has long been regarded as both a national hero and one of their most beloved saints. He was born in Rostov around the year 1314.

Civil war and unrest eventually forced his family to leave Rostov and settle near Moscow at Radonezh, where they supported themselves by farming. When Sergius was about twenty years old, he and his brother withdrew into the nearby forest to live a life of prayer and solitude. From that simple beginning grew the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, which became an important center for the renewal of Russian Christianity.

Sergius remained there for the rest of his life. Though he became widely respected throughout Russia, he had no desire for rank or position in the Church. In 1378, he even refused the opportunity to become Metropolitan of Moscow.

His influence, however, reached far beyond the walls of his monastery. Sergius gave his firm support to Prince Dimitri Donskoi during Russia's struggle against its Tartar rulers. In 1380, Dimitri won a decisive victory at the Battle of Kulikovo, an event that helped lay the foundation for Russia's eventual independence.

Sergius himself was known as a simple and gentle man with a deeply mystical faith. He believed that the monastic life was not meant only for prayer and contemplation, but also for service. He encouraged his monks to care for the needs of the people around them, and through both his teaching and example he inspired a deep devotion to the Orthodox Christian faith.

Sergius died in 1392. Pilgrims continue to visit his shrine at the monastery he founded, located at what is now Sergiyev Posad, about forty-three miles northeast of Moscow. The monastery, with its beautiful churches and cathedrals, remains one of the great spiritual centers of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Russian Church remembers Sergius on September 25th. His name is also familiar to many Anglicans through the Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius, an organization founded to encourage friendship, understanding, and closer relations between the Anglican and Orthodox Churches.

Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury

 

Theodore of Tarsus

Archbishop of Canterbury

Theodore was born in 602 in Tarsus in Asia Minor, the same city that had given the Church the Apostle Paul centuries earlier. A learned monk of the Eastern Church, Theodore eventually made his way to Rome, where his life would take an unexpected turn. On March 26th, 668, Pope Vitalian ordained him Archbishop of Canterbury and sent him to England.

The English Church Theodore inherited was deeply troubled. Plague had taken the lives of many of its clergy and leaders, while disagreements between Celtic and Roman Christian traditions continued to divide the Church. Theodore came into this difficult situation at an age when most people would have been thinking about retirement. Instead, he began a ministry that would shape Christianity in England for an entire generation.

After arriving in England, Theodore established a school at Canterbury that became known for the excellence of its teaching. Students were instructed in Scripture, theology, language, music, and other branches of learning, and many who studied there later became leaders in both the English and Irish churches.

Theodore also traveled throughout England, visiting the churches and working to bring greater unity among Christians shaped by different traditions. One example of his wisdom can be seen in his treatment of Chad. Theodore recognized Chad’s character and ministry and regularized his episcopal ordination, allowing him to continue serving the Church as a bishop.

He also helped establish clearer boundaries for the English dioceses so that bishops could provide better pastoral care to the people entrusted to them. Theodore presided over important synods, encouraged reforms based upon established canon law, and helped lay the foundations for the parish organization that would remain an important part of the English Church for centuries.

The historian Bede wrote that Theodore was the first Archbishop of Canterbury whom all the English Christians obeyed. Few leaders had a greater influence upon the organization, unity, education, and growth of Christianity in England during this formative period.

Theodore died on September 19th, 690, in his eighty-eighth year. He was buried alongside Augustine and the other early Archbishops of Canterbury in the monastic Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

Theodore came to England late in life, yet his greatest work was still ahead of him. His story is a reminder that God’s call is not limited by age. Even in what others might consider the closing years of life, God may still have important work for us to do.

Catherine of Genoa, Mystic & Nurse, 1510

 

Catherine of Genoa

Catherine of Genoa is remembered both for her devoted care of the sick during repeated outbreaks of plague and for the writings that grew out of her profound mystical experiences with God. Her works later became widely known through Baron Friedrich von Hügel’s classic study, The Mystical Element of Religion, published in 1908.

Catherine was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1447, the youngest of five children. As a young girl, she desired to enter religious life and become a nun, but her application to the convent was denied. Instead, at the age of sixteen, she was married to Giuliano Adorno in an effort to bring an end to a long-standing feud between their two families.

Their early years together were anything but happy. Giuliano was known for his anger, infidelity, gambling, and reckless spending, eventually losing much of their money. Catherine fell into a deep depression that lasted nearly ten years. At one point, she prayed that God might allow her to become seriously ill so that she could simply remain in bed and withdraw from the life around her.

Everything changed on March 22nd, 1473. While Catherine was in church making her confession to a priest, she was suddenly overwhelmed by an intense awareness of the love of God. The experience was so powerful that she became stunned and disoriented and left the church before even finishing her confession. That moment marked a turning point in her life and the beginning of a much deeper life of prayer and devotion.

Catherine’s spirituality was not limited to contemplation. Her deep prayer life led her outward into service, especially caring for the sick in a local hospital. In time, Giuliano joined her in this ministry, and their marriage itself began to change. Through their shared care for the poor and suffering, the couple grew closer together. Eventually, they moved into the Pannatone, a large hospital in Genoa, where they devoted themselves almost entirely to caring for those who were sick and dying.

It was there that Catherine also dictated a number of works on prayer, divine love, and the soul’s relationship with God. These writings were published about forty years after her death and became an important part of the Christian mystical tradition.

At the heart of Catherine’s spirituality was the belief that God should be loved simply because God is God, and not because of what we hope to receive in return. She expressed this plainly when she wrote, “Pure Love loves God without any for.”

She also described the soul’s experience of divine love in powerful words: “All that I have said is nothing compared to what I feel within, the witnessed correspondence of love between God and the soul; for when God sees the soul, as pure as it was in its origins, he tugs at it with a glance, draws it and binds it to himself with a fiery love that by itself could annihilate the immortal soul.”

Catherine continued caring for the sick until the end of her life. She died on September 15th, 1510, while still serving those in need, and she was buried in the chapel of the hospital where she had spent so many years in prayer, service, and love.

 

THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’” — Luke 1:38

Meditation

The Gospels tell us very little about the family or childhood of Mary, the mother of our Lord. Later Christian tradition names her parents as Joachim and Anne and tells of an elderly, childless couple who were finally blessed with a daughter whom they dedicated to God.

Those stories come from the Protevangelium of James, a second-century Christian writing, and not from Scripture. We cannot know with certainty how much of that tradition preserves actual history. What we do know is the kind of woman Mary became.

Mary was a daughter of Israel, raised among a people who remembered God’s covenant with Abraham and waited for the fulfillment of his promises. She would have grown up hearing the Scriptures and learning the stories of God’s faithfulness from generation to generation.

Then one day the angel Gabriel came to her with a calling she could never have expected.

Mary did not know everything that her answer would mean. She did not know all the sorrow she would eventually face, nor could she see the road that stretched from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Egypt, Jerusalem, and finally the foot of the cross.

Still, she said yes.

“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

Faith like that usually does not appear overnight. Somewhere along the way, someone had taught Mary to trust God. Someone had told her the stories. Someone had prayed with her. Someone had helped form the faith that enabled this young woman to place her future into the hands of God.

On September 8, many Christians throughout the Anglican Communion celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We remember not only Mary’s birth, but the quiet ways in which God prepares people long before their purpose becomes visible.

The same is true in our own lives.

A parent teaches a child to pray. A grandparent tells the old Bible stories. A Sunday school teacher plants a seed. A priest, pastor, deacon, teacher, or friend speaks a word of encouragement. Often they never know what will grow from what they have planted.

Most of God’s work begins quietly.

We may never see the full influence our faith has upon another person. We may never know how a prayer, a lesson, a kind word, or a faithful example becomes part of someone else’s journey with God.

And sometimes we are the ones being prepared.

God may be shaping us today for a calling we cannot yet see. When that moment comes, may we have learned, as Mary had learned, that God can be trusted.

And may we have the courage to say:

“Let it be with me according to your word.”

Prayer

Gracious God, we give you thanks for Mary, the mother of our Lord, for her faith, courage, and willing obedience. We thank you for all those who helped form her faith, and for those who have helped form ours.

Help us to plant seeds of faith in the lives of others, even when we may never see the harvest. Prepare our hearts to hear your voice, and when you call us into places we do not fully understand, give us the courage to trust you and say yes.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing Thought

God often begins his greatest work quietly, preparing ordinary people long before they know where their faithful “yes” will lead.

Four Chaplains Day

Four Chaplains Day

Today the church remembers The Dorchester Chaplains: Lieutenant George Fox, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, Lieutenant Clark V. Poling and Lieutenant John P. Washington, 1943.

February 3 is “Four Chaplains Day” in America by a unanimous act of Congress in 1988. Unfortunately, it is generally not taught to the children in the schools, observed by governmental bodies, nor reported on by media. Consequently, the truly inspiring story of the Four Chaplains, who they are and why there is a day honoring them is unknown by most Americans.

The Four Chaplains, also sometimes referred to as the "Immortal Chaplains" or the "Dorchester Chaplains", were four United States Army chaplains who gave their lives to save other civilian and military personnel as the troop ship S.S. Dorchester sank on February 3, 1943, during World War II. They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their own life jackets when the supply ran out. The chaplains joined arms, said prayers, and sang hymns as they went down with the ship.

The relatively new chaplains all held the rank of first lieutenant. They included Methodist minister the Reverend George L. Fox, Reform Rabbi Alexander D. Goode (Ph.D.), Roman Catholic priest Father John P. Washington, and Reformed Church in America minister the Reverend Clark V. Poling. Their backgrounds, personalities, and denominations were different, although Goode, Poling, and Washington had all served as leaders in the Boy Scouts of America. They met at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University, where they prepared for assignments in the European theater, sailing onboard Dorchester to report to their new assignments.

The Dorchester had been a 5,649-ton civilian liner, 368 feet long with a 52-foot beam and a single funnel, originally built in 1926 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, for the Merchants and Miners Line, operating ships from Baltimore to Florida, carrying both freight and passengers. It was the third of four liners being built for the Line.

Designed for 314 civilian passengers and 90 crew, she was able to carry slightly more than 900 military passengers and crew.

Dorchester left New York on January 23, 1943, en route to Greenland, carrying the four chaplains and approximately 900 others, as part of a convoy of three ships (SG-19 convoy). Most of the military personnel were not told the ship's ultimate destination. The convoy was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba, and Comanche.

Early on the morning of February 3, 1943, the Dorchester was wallowing through icy seas off Greenland. Most of the 900 troops on board were asleep in their bunks. Suddenly a torpedo smashed into Dorchester’s flank. The troops milled in confusion on the decks.

In those dark moments of panic, the coolest men aboard were four U.S. Army Chaplains: First Lts. Clark V. Poling, Alexander D. Goode, John P. Washington, George L. Fox. The four chaplains led the men into boxes of life jackets, passed them out to the soldiers with boat-frill precision. When the boxes were empty, the four chaplains quietly slipped off their own precious life preservers, put them on four young GIs and told them to jump.

The Dorchester went down 25 minutes later in a rumble of steam. Some 600 men were lost, but the heroic chaplains had helped save over 200. The last anyone saw of them, they were standing on the slanting deck, their arms linked in prayer to the one God they all served.

Far away in North Africa, Dr. Daniel A. Poling, distinguished American clergyman, and father of Chaplain Clark Poling, was crouching in a foxhole when he learned of the heroic death of his son and his three fellow Chaplains. In his mind was born the idea of a shrine in the memory of this noble sacrifice; a shrine where people of all faiths could worship God in a spirit of unity without the need for uniformity.

In the heart of a great city, Philadelphia, PA, the Chapel opens its doors to people of all races and religious faiths. Every Sunday there is a service of worship. It is also a memorial to the Four Chaplains who went down on the S.S. Dorchester. It is an interfaith shrine; in it are three altars, one for each faith – Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant. Above the entrance burns an eternal light, which calls men to the unity these four chaplains so heroically demonstrated. Chiseled deep into the stone is this dedication:

Chapel of Four Chaplains

An Interfaith Shrine

Here is Sanctuary for Brotherhood

Let it never be violated

In 1988, February 3 was established by a unanimous act of Congress as an annual "Four Chaplains Day." Some state or city officials commemorate the day with official proclamations, sometimes including the order that flags fly at half-mast in memory of the fallen chaplains. In some cases, official proclamations establish observances at other times: for example, North Dakota legislation requests that the Governor issue an annual proclamation establishing the first Sunday in February as "Four Chaplains Sunday."

The day is also observed as a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Holy God, you inspired the Dorchester chaplains to be models of steadfast sacrificial love in a tragic and terrifying time: Help us to follow their example, that their courageous ministry may inspire chaplains and all who serve, to recognize your presence in the midst of peril; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Today marks the 77th anniversary of the sinking of the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester and the selfless acts of four Army chaplains who were aboard.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - PEACE IN THE FACE OF FEAR

PEACE IN THE FACE OF FEAR

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

~ Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

Twenty-nine-year-old Maryam Rostampour and thirty-two-year old Marzieh Amirizadeh spent 259 days in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison in 2009 in Iran. They had to overcome the fear of life imprisonment and the possibility of execution because they loved and followed Jesus Christ. They had to remain strong through weeks in solitary confinement, and endless hours of interrogation by Iranian officials and religious leaders. They had to endure months of harsh living conditions and debilitating sickness. In their first interview (with Sam Yeghnazar of Elam Ministries), they shared what life was like in prison and how they survived.

When asked about the worst part of the prison experience, Marzieh wept as she explained:

“One of the worst was the execution of two of my fellow prisoners. I had never experienced such a thing. One of those killed was my roommate. We had spent a lot of time together. And one day they took her to be executed. For a week I was in shock that killing a human being was so easy…After these executions the spirit of sorrow and death hung over the prison. There was deadly silence everywhere. We all felt this. There was nothing we could do. Everyone was under pressure. The sadness was overwhelming. We stared at each other but had no power to speak. This was the worst experience. It was horrifying and tangible.”

When asked if she feared execution, Marzieh responded:

“I never thought about execution, I thought we might be sentenced to life imprisonment because that is the punishment for women convicted of apostasy. I just thought this was something we would have to bear.

“Before prison we talked about execution, but when we got to prison and experienced the fear of it—our way of talking changed. The very first night that we were arrested, when they threatened us, we were really frightened. We never imagined we would be so frightened; we had talked about these things before. But the atmosphere there and what happened to us frightened us beyond our expectations. We were confined to a dark and dirty room and paralyzed with fear. We could see the fear in each other’s faces. We prayed and what calmed us was the presence of God and the peace that He gave us.

“It is easy to say that I give my life for the Lord and I will do anything for Him, even die. I always thought it would be a privilege to give my life for the Lord. You say these things. I know for sure that if this would happen to us we would rejoice ultimately. But human fears gripped us. The power the Lord gave us helped us to overcome these fears, just as when we prayed in the police station, God banished our fear and renewed our strength.”

RESPONSE: Today I acknowledge that God can grant His peace in every trying situation I face.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the promise of Your presence, Your peace and renewing strength.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Four Chaplains Day

Four Chaplains Day

Today the church remembers The Dorchester Chaplains: Lieutenant George Fox, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, Lieutenant Clark V. Poling and Lieutenant John P. Washington, 1943.

February 3 is “Four Chaplains Day” in America by unanimous act of Congress in 1988. Unfortunately, it is generally not taught to the children in the schools, observed by governmental bodies, nor reported on by media. Consequently, the truly inspiring story of the Four Chaplains, who they are and why there is a day honoring them is unknown by most Americans.

The Four Chaplains, also sometimes referred to as the "Immortal Chaplains" or the "Dorchester Chaplains", were four United States Army chaplains who gave their lives to save other civilian and military personnel as the troop ship S.S. Dorchester sank on February 3, 1943, during World War II. They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their own life jackets when the supply ran out. The chaplains joined arms, said prayers, and sang hymns as they went down with the ship.

The relatively new chaplains all held the rank of first lieutenant. They included Methodist minister the Reverend George L. Fox, Reform Rabbi Alexander D. Goode (Ph.D.), Roman Catholic priest Father John P. Washington, and Reformed Church in America minister the Reverend Clark V. Poling. Their backgrounds, personalities, and denominations were different, although Goode, Poling and Washington had all served as leaders in the Boy Scouts of America. They met at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University, where they prepared for assignments in the European theater, sailing on board Dorchester to report to their new assignments.

The Dorchester had been a 5,649 ton civilian liner, 368 feet long with a 52-foot beam and a single funnel, originally built in 1926 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, for the Merchants and Miners Line, operating ships from Baltimore to Florida, carrying both freight and passengers. It was the third of four liners being built for the Line.

Designed for 314 civilian passengers and 90 crew, she was able to carry slightly more than 900 military passengers and crew.

Dorchester left New York on January 23, 1943, en route to Greenland, carrying the four chaplains and approximately 900 others, as part of a convoy of three ships (SG-19 convoy). Most of the military personnel were not told the ship's ultimate destination. The convoy was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba, and Comanche.

Early on the morning of February 3, 1943, the Dorchester was wallowing through icy seas off Greenland. Most of the 900 troops on board were asleep in their bunks. Suddenly a torpedo smashed into the Dorchester’s flank. The troops milled in confusion on the decks.

In those dark moments of panic, the coolest men aboard were four U.S. Army Chaplains: First Lts. Clark V. Poling, Alexander D. Goode, John P. Washington, George L. Fox. The four chaplains led the men into boxes of life jackets, passed them out to the soldiers with boat-frill precision. When the boxes were empty, the four chaplains quietly slipped off their own precious life preservers, put them on four young GIs and told them to jump.

The Dorchester went down 25 minutes later in a rumble of steam. Some 600 men were lost, but the heroic chaplains had helped save over 200. The last anyone saw of them, they were standing on the slanting deck, their arms linked in prayer to the one God they all served.

Far away in North Africa, Dr. Daniel A. Poling, distinguished American clergyman and father of Chaplain Clark Poling, was crouching in a foxhole when he learned of the heroic death of his son and his three fellow Chaplains. In his mind was born the idea of a shrine in the memory of this noble sacrifice; a shrine where people of all faiths could worship God in a spirit of unity without the need of uniformity.

In the heart of a great city, Philadelphia, PA, the Chapel opens its doors to people of all races and religious faiths. Every Sunday there is a service of worship. It is also a memorial to the Four Chaplains who went down on the S.S. Dorchester. It is an interfaith shrine; in it are three alters, one for each faith – Catholic, Jewish and Protestant. Above the entrance burns an eternal light, which calls men to the unity these four chaplains so heroically demonstrated. Chiseled deep into the stone is this dedication:

Chapel of Four Chaplains

An Interfaith Shrine

Here is Sanctuary for Brotherhood

Let it never be violated

In 1988, February 3 was established by a unanimous act of Congress as an annual "Four Chaplains Day." Some state or city officials commemorate the day with official proclamations, sometimes including the order that flags fly at half-mast in memory of the fallen chaplains. In some cases, official proclamations establish observances at other times: for example, North Dakota legislation requests that the Governor issue an annual proclamation establishing the first Sunday in February as "Four Chaplains Sunday."

The day is also observed as a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Holy God, you inspired the Dorchester chaplains to be models of steadfast sacrificial love in a tragic and terrifying time: Help us to follow their example, that their courageous ministry may inspire chaplains and all who serve, to recognize your presence in the midst of peril; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Saint James of Jerusalem

Saint James of Jerusalem

Today the church remembers Saint James of Jerusalem, Brother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and Martyr, C. 62.

James was, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark and the Epistles of Paul, a brother of Jesus. Yet he was not a believer during the Lord's earthly ministry. Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection and James was converted. He soon rose to prominence in the church and became the Bishop of Jerusalem. He presided over the important Council in Jerusalem that decided to permit Gentiles to join the church. As the church grew and prospered, James became less and less popular with the authorities. According to the historian, Josephus, he was eventually stoned and clubbed to death by a mob.

James of Jerusalem is usually considered to be the author of the Epistle of James. If this is the case, he certainly had a clear insight into the Lord's message and ministry and its relationship to the Old Covenant.

Grant, we pray, O God, that following the example of your servant James, the brother of our Lord, your Church may give itself continually to prayer, and to the reconciliation of all who are at variance and enmity; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Feast of St. Philip and St. James

Today the church remembers Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles.

The apostle Philip was from Bethsaida and was one of the Twelve. He is mentioned in all four gospels and figures prominently in two episodes in the Lord's ministry. In the first, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Philip's very practical nature shows through (see John 6:5-14). The other episode is the gospel lesson for this feast (see John 14:6-14). He should not be confused with Philip, Deacon and Evangelist, who is mentioned in the fifth and eighth chapters of Acts.

James the Less, son of Alphaeus, was one of the Twelve also. He should not be confused with either James, the son of Zebedee (see July 25), or James, the Lord's brother (see October 23). His agnomen "the less" may imply a small stature or youthfulness. He is mentioned only four times in Holy Scripture, and then briefly or in a list, so we know very little about him.

Philip and James are little more than names to us today. One cannot imagine their being saddened by this fact, since this community and the Christ it knows lives on. "For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5).

Why do we celebrate the feasts of St. Philip and St. James the Less on the same day? Because they were both apostles? No, we celebrate them on the same day because their relics were brought to Rome together on the same day in early May. They rest there still, in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles.

You may be wondering why this apostle James is called “the Lesser.” It is to distinguish him from the other apostle, James, the son of Zebedee, the brother of John, and the one known as “James the Greater,” whose feast day is July 25. It’s not meant to belittle or deride. James the lesser was, after all, chosen by Jesus Christ to be one of the twelve pillars of the Church. It’s a bit like calling one James “Jamie” to distinguish him from another James in the household. We find him listed in the gospels as James the son of Alphaeus.

James was martyred in Jerusalem around Passover during the time Nero was Emperor of Rome. He was arrested and ordered to stand atop a wall in Jerusalem and preach against Christ. James climbed the wall as ordered and then preached the death and resurrection of Christ. Soldiers threw him off the wall. When the fall did not kill him, they began to stone him until he died, a faithful follower of the Christ who called him.

We know Philip best from the Gospel of John, chapter one. Jesus himself calls Philip, saying, “Follow me.” And Philip did follow. He heard the call Jesus issues to each of us and followed. Then Philip began to call others. He told Nathanael, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets. Jesus son of Joseph from Galilee.”

Nathanael is underwhelmed. He asks, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

Philip doesn’t argue or try to top his friend’s flippant remark. He simply says, “Come and see,” trusting that all who come and see will discover the Lord.

Philip was killed in Greece under the reign of the Roman emperor, Domitian. Tradition says he was crucified upside down, like James, a faithful follower of the One who called him.

In our own time, Christian martyrdom is at an all time high: Rome’s Trevi Fountain Illuminated for Christian Martyrs.

Almighty God, who gave to your apostles Saint Philip and Saint James grace and strength fearlessly to bear testimony to the truth: Grant that we, being always mindful of their victory of faith, may learn like them to overcome the world, and glorify the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Almighty God, who gave to your apostles Philip and James grace and strength to bear witness to the truth: Grant that we, being mindful of their victory of faith, may glorify in life and death the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Today the church remembers Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles.

Saint Mark the Evangelist

Saint Mark the Evangelist

Today the church remembers Saint Mark the Evangelist.

Tradition holds that Mark (sometimes called John Mark) was the young man who lost his clothes when Jesus was taken in the garden of Gethsemane (see Mark 14:51). It is also thought by many that the "upper room" where the Last Supper was held was in Mark's parents' home. Mark's mother, whose name was Mary, was a follower of Jesus and a friend of the disciples.

The apostle Peter seems to have taken young Mark under his wing. Mark is listed by Paul as one of Peter's followers in the early controversies in the Jerusalem Church. Mark was also a missionary companion to Paul and a lifelong friend of Barnabas. He was in Rome with Peter and Paul, but escaped the Neronian persecution. According to the historian Eusebius, he traveled to Egypt and founded the great Alexandrian Church there. Also, it is believed that he was martyred there by a mob of angry pagans.

Mark is generally regarded as the author of the second gospel, which bears his name. It is sometimes called the Gentile Gospel because it seems to be directed more toward a Gentile than a Jewish audience.

Almighty God, we thank you for the gospel of your Son Jesus Christ, committed to his church by the hand of your evangelist Saint Mark; and we pray that, being firmly grounded in its truth, we may be faithful to its teaching both in word and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Almighty God, by the hand of Mark the evangelist you have given to your Church the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God: We thank you for this witness, and pray that we may be firmly grounded in its truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Today the church remembers Saint Mark the Evangelist.

The Liturgical Calendar: The Annunciation of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Annunciation by El Greco, c. 1590–1603

The Annunciation of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Today the church remembers The Annunciation of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Not only one of the most important, but also one of the most touching events described in the gospels is Luke's account of the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary and of Mary's response. The angel's salutation, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" was certainly startling. The angel's announcement must have been frightening and deeply perplexing. "You will conceive and bear a son" He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High" and will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." It is not difficult to imagine trembling in her voice when Mary asked, "How can this be?"

When the angel had finished his explanation, Mary freely agreed to submit to God's will in the matter, saying, "Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." So we, who are the church in this age, are called upon to respond obediently and confidently to God's will for us. One is reminded of Isaiah's response when he was called upon to do the Lord's work in his generation, "Here am I, send me." It is also interesting and comforting to note that neither Mary nor Isaiah was forced into submission, but rather, "in the fullness of time" each responded willingly, gracefully, and positively, having little idea of what lay ahead.

When you call us to do great things, O Lord, give us strength and courage to say, "Yes." Amen

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Fanny Crosby

Fanny Crosby

Today the church remembers Fanny Crosby, March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915.

She lived to be 94 years old.  She wrote 8,000 hymns, with more than 100 million copies printed, despite being blind from shortly after birth.

Read the Wikipedia article here.


Listen to one of my favorites below.

Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph

Today the church remembers Saint Joseph.

Joseph was called, under challenging circumstances, to fill the role of Jesus' father on earth. Described in Matthew's Gospel as a righteous man, he was planning to dismiss Mary, who was with child before they lived together, but instead obeyed the message given to him by an angel of the Lord to take Mary as his wife. Joseph is honored in Christian tradition for the love he showed to the boy Jesus, who lived under his roof for at least twelve years. His tender affection and care for Mary has, likewise, been long celebrated in the church.

Joseph was a devout Jew, descended from the line of David. A carpenter by trade, he was a man of very modest means, with no education outside the synagogue. It is generally believed that he died quietly and naturally, prior to our Lord's active ministry. The gospel writers tell us that Jesus was widely known as the "son of Joseph the carpenter," and Joseph's influence on him was, of course, inestimable. Though Joseph might not have grasped the importance of his humble life, it stands as a grace-filled model of serving God through simple everyday activities, as a devoted husband and father.

O God, who did call blessed Joseph to be the faithful guardian of your only begotten Son, and the spouse of his virgin Mother: Give us grace to follow his example in constant worship of you and obedience to your commands, that our homes may be sanctified by your presence, and our children nurtured in your fear and love; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph