I grew up in the Episcopal Church yet the older I get, the more I am drawn to the lives of the saints. One might think this is very “Catholic with a capital C” of me but what some of us may not realize is that observing the lives of the saints is also part of our church tradition. There is a list of saints recognized by The Episcopal Church in the back of the Book of Common Prayer and an updated list can be found online here, “A Great Cloud of Witnesses.” This title comes from a passage in Hebrews that uses the term to describe those who have actively lived a life of faith.
I think what draws me to the saints is the powerful stories of their ordinary lives being transformed by the power of the Spirit. They show us what is possible if we work to live a life dedicated to the glory of God and the love for humankind. A word that keeps springing up in my conversations these days is “brave.” In the many ways our world is spinning and (possibly) our personal lives are spinning, it takes a certain measure of bravery to face each day with hope. Our current realities make me think of the words of the poet, Mary Oliver, “It is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in a broken world.” You can read the whole poem HERE.
The lives of the saints speak of bravery and belief. Each was spurred on by a calling to live their lives in service to God and others in their immediate context. A few favorites from the last few weeks are…
Pauli Murray (1910-1985), a lawyer-turned-priest who was a force for justice in the civil rights movement. Pauli was the person who provided much of the legal research and writing support to argue Brown v. Board of Education, which ended the legal racial segregation of our nation’s schools. Her life was just celebrated by the U.S. Mint in a quarter series featuring “Women of Courage.” What sparks my interest in her was how hard she fought for justice and how deeply she cared about the church. If you are looking for a summer read, consider checking out her memoir, Song in a Weary Throat. Another suggestion would be to gather a few friends and watch the documentary (Amazon Prime), My Name is Pauli. Pauli Murray’s feast day is July 1.
William White (1748-1836), the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania as well as the first Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. He was the chaplain to the Continental Congress and devoted his life to equality and access to medical care for the poor. William also worked to bring a higher standard of humanity to the early prison system in the United States. Fun fact: William White has a St. David’s connection! Our member Robert White, is a direct descendant. William White’s feast day is July 17.
Mary Magdalene, a close friend and follower of Jesus, was the first person to encounter the resurrected Jesus. I am so drawn to Mary that I had her tattooed on my right arm in celebration of my ordination. Mary might be one of the most controversial figures in the Bible because of how she has been (wrongly) portrayed by scholars over the millennia. What I love best about her is how she went to Jesus’ tomb because she just wanted to be close to him, no matter what. My prayer is that each of us has that deep desire and sense of longing to be close to Jesus, too. Mary Magdalene’s feast day is coming up on July 22.
I encourage you to check out the list of those who have been canonized (aka made saints). Whose life speaks to you? Who might you seek to be more like in your life? Who showed you an unexpected way to serve? Who makes you want to learn more? Who makes you realize, “it is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in a broken world.”
The list is a wonderfully diverse “cloud of witnesses” to the movement of God among God’s people.
Emily +
The Rev. Emily Given
Deacon
Published July 18, 2024