I’ve got a patron saint of my very own!
For the sake of variety I use the Glenstal Book of Prayer some. It’s produced by a Benedictine community of that name in County Limerick, Ireland. The publisher is suckering us a little, knowing the current popularity of all things Celtic and Irish.
But there’s a slightly different prayer for each morning and evening of the week, and prayers for the small hours of the Daily Office. By the time I read the scriptures from the daily lectionary here I’ve had a pretty healthy workout. Again, I’m lucky to have more time than many others do for this stuff.
Patron saint of cripples
My question for the day is: the Glenstal brothers include the petition that the saint of the day pray for us at the end of the prayers. In curiosity I looked up the saint for September 1: St. Giles, a hermit in France, whose pet deer was wounded by the king, and Giles himself was wounded. He’s now the patron saint of cripples.
What do I think about the veneration of saints?
The Blessed Virgin Moon
Southern Baptists collect money in the name of their saints such as Lottie (Charlotte) Moon. In the 19th century their Blessed Virgin calmly made her way through denominational squabbles over missionary ownership of land and assets on the foreign field. This strong Virginia woman “spoke” to the Chinese. (Had she been male, it would be preaching; but, as we all know, women do not preach.)
Like the Virgin Queen of England, she didn’t “yield her virgin patent up” to any male, partly because she didn’t wish to be subject to any male.
I grew up venerating Bill Wallace of China, a Tennessee physician martyred by the Communists. Jim Elliott and the four other Wycliffe missionaries murdered by Auca Indians also are protestant saints.
So do I get to claim the intercession of St. Giles on my behalf?
Who’s in between God and us?
Scripture clearly says: “There is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human,” 1 Tim 2:5 (NRSV). It also teaches that both Christ and the Holy Spirit intercede for us (Romans 8.26, 34). Christ was immobilized on the cross. He has experienced all I’ve experienced, and more.
The picture of St. Giles stroking the wounded deer is lovely, and the thought of a patron saint for cripples is commendable. Leviticus excludes cripples and others from Temple service; I’m glad God makes holy places more accessible than that to the disabled, women, and gays/lesbians.
I look to the communion of saints for thousands of years of tradition (not as authoritative for me as for Catholics), but still it’s my roots. I look to them for their example and witness, and spiritual companionship (granted I don’t know exactly what that is.)
But I don’t need them to stand in line to get me an audience with the Creator, Christ, Comforter. The 1+1+1=1 is closer to me my breath.
Remembering and honoring forebears
As I understand it, the intercession of the saints and Mary grew more important as awareness of the nearness of the Father receded. But the immanence of God has never waned in my awareness, so I’m not hankering for closeness. I’ve got it, even when I don’t feel it.
Give Baptists a couple thousand years, they’ll have a roster of saints equal to that of the Roman Catholics today. It’s proper to remember and honor our forebears. I’ve even got a list of my own saints.
Mary is something else. The Holy Spirit came upon her as upon no other human being; she shared a heartbeat with Jesus for nine months. Yet, Jesus said, ”Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:35 (NRSV)
So for now, I’ll continue to pray the liturgy of the Glenstal Abbey, with its prayers to Mary and the saints, but out of courtesy and because I’m tired of arguing with my brothers and sisters in Christ about this. God bless them! We disagree. Big fat hairy deal.
Tags: Mary, patron saints, prayer, St. Giles