Being on Speaking Terms with All Saints in Oxford

As you may have noticed this All Saints in Oxford has had me reflecting in a number of ways. One way is thinking back on how I have progressed in my relationship with departed saints.

When I was a new Anglican and went to my first Easter Vigil (a glorious one at Smokey Matt’s), it included a Litany of the Saints.  I could not conscientiously participate in that but was just respectfully quiet. To me, it sounded like praying to saints.

But somewhere down the line, I figured that asking a saint to pray for you, as is done in the Litany of the Saints, is different than praying to a saint.  I never have studied the matter deeply; but just I would have no problem asking you good readers to pray for me, I got to the point where I had no problem asking saints to pray for me.  Besides, the triumphant saints are better at prayer than you.

And one of the endearing traits of traditional catholic Anglicanism is we do not put a great gulf between living and departed saints.  “We forever more are one” in Christ.  And, as I’ve mentioned, here in Oxford you can hardly escape the saints!

So where am I now, for better or for worse (but better I think) in practice?  I will use some of my experience here at Pusey House this term to illustrate.  About the only thing I cannot do here is sing the Salve Regina.  Now I can say or sing the Angelus, but not the Salve Regina.  Why? – as both are very Marian.  Whereas the Angelus uses Biblical language and asks Mary to pray for us, the Salve addresses Mary in a way that I think only God should be addressed.

But I am not just respectfully quiet during the Salve Regina.  I quietly say a personal litany of the Saints, which includes Mary but mainly consists of favorite saints, such as Ignatius, King Edward the Confessor, and King Henry VI (Yes, I know the latter is not canonized, but he should be.). And I often incorporate such a litany of the Saints into my personal prayer times.  Hey, I need all the prayer I can get!  And the saints are good at prayer.  In fact, I am convinced the prayers of King Henry VI brought me a very good answer about five years ago. And I will thank him and God once again when I visit St. George's Windsor soon.

This visit to Pusey House, I even kissed an icon for the first time on my initiative.  An icon of St. Nicholas given to the Principal has been on the altar (for forty days I think) in accordance with Orthodox practice. This morning the blessing of it was completed during morning Mass.  As I love Nicholas, I asked to kiss it afterwards.  (I guess now we are getting into the subject of images, but that is a whole ‘nother topic.)

So to sum up, when I was a very new Anglican, I saw the departed saints as a subject of historical study and as examples along with some inspiration, but not much more for me personally.  But now I see them as joining us in worship and prayer and in the fellowship of God’s Holy Church right now.

This loner has learned more and more through the years as a Christian not to be alone.  And because of God and all his holy saints, I am that much less alone.

On the Feast of Ss. Simon and Jude in Oxford

Yesterday at Pusey House, we observed the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude.  With it falling on a Sunday this year, some are observing it today the day following.

I have to be honest, I’ve not thought much about this holy day much before.  But as the Principal, George Westhaver, pointed out in his sermon, it is the last major saint’s day before and a harbinger of the near Feast of All Saints.

It is hard to ignore the saints in Oxford although one can certainly take them for granted.  They are everywhere here, even in Broad Street where the place of the burning of the Oxford Martyrs is marked with a cross in the street.  (Yes, there were never canonized, and, yes, they were Cambridge men.) So much here and in England is named after saints.  Saints’ days are more remembered here with that of Frideswide being particularly noted in Oxford.  Before I first came here some dozen years ago I had never heard of her!

And before I became Anglican I did not pay much attention to saints at all, other than everyday non-canonized saints still alive.  Such inattention is hard to pull off in Oxford.  And Hebrews chapters 11 and 12 would not have that at all. We should be well aware that “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.”

When I study in the reading rooms of the Old Bodleian Library, I am reminded of that.  I look up at the wall above the book shelves and see portraits of old worthies supervising my reading*.  I used to find that amusing.  But now they almost speak and ask, “Are you doing your part to pass on the torch of learning?  We played our role and now are dead, but our legacy lives on and you are benefiting from it now.  What are you doing with that?  Are you well playing your role before you, too, must soon leave the stage of earthly life?”

In Oxford, old worthies may supervise even your meals.  Those who have visited the Hall of Christ Church know what I mean. They just won’t leave you alone here.

They serve as a reminder that we are obligated to more than ourselves.  Of course, our first obligation is to God.  But what are we doing with the legacy that old worthies, living and dead, have passed down to us?  What are we doing with The Faith the saints have passed down to us? And are we in turn doing right by the young and those to come?  Are we passing on the legacy and The Faith well to them?  Or are we, out of selfishness and laziness, dropping the ball?

The church through the ages is all connected – or should be connected.  If we just do our own thing, if we just become the Church of Me or the Church of What’s Happening Now, the connections become frayed.

Yes, the approach of All Saints Day has me reflecting.  This time of year with its colder rapidly shortening days reminding us the time is short to play our role can do that.  Oxford can do that.

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*P. S. Oliver Cromwell of all people supervised my studies this morning.

Poor St. Thomas

Today is St. Thomas’ Day.  If you forgot that, it’s okay.  I suspect most years I forget also.  Thomas is surely used to the indignity by now anyway.

And placing his day right before Christmas is an invitation to forgetfulness.  What’s worse is the Book of Common Prayer collect.

ALMIGHTY and everliving God, who for the

more confirmation of the faith didst suffer

thy holy Apostle Thomas to be doubtful in thy

Son’s resurrection: Grant us so perfectly, and

without all doubt, to believe in thy Son Jesus

Christ, that our faith in thy sight may never be

reproved. Hear us, 0 Lord, through the same

Jesus Christ, to whom, with thee and the Holy

Spirit, be all honour and glory, now and for

evermore. Amen.

Nothing about his martyrdom or steadfastness or any “good example” of his.  Just “help us not to be a doubter like ‘thy holy Apostle Thomas’ there . . . the doubter. We really don’t want to embarrass ourselves right in front of thee like he did.”

It’s interesting that Cranmer completely rewrote the collect for the Feast of St. Thomas.  The previous Sarum collect did not mention his doubt at all and even holds forth his faith as an example to follow.  It seems Cranmer had it in for him or was in a mood when he got to that part of the BCP.

Well, by now Thomas is probably a good sport about it all – and that is surely a good example to follow.

Have a good St. Thomas’ Day.

10th Anniversary: St. Stephen, the First of Many

One of the more poignant posts of the ten years of this blog came on St. Stephen’s Day last year.  Sadly, it is even more true this year.

There is a particular parallel between the martyrdom of Stephen and the martyrdom of now thousands of Christians in the Middle East today that we must not ignore.  After the stoning of St. Stephen, the church was for the most part forced to flee from Jerusalem. (Acts 8:1)  Today, the church is being pressured by Muslims (There. I said it.) to flee from much of the Middle East.  The population of Christians in several Middle East countries is shrinking precipitously.  It is distressing, and it is hard to see what can be done about it.

And I am at a loss even what to say, except to pray and to remember that the holy Army of Martyrs will grow yet larger and will triumph in the end.

This St. Stephen’s day particularly, let us continue to pray for those displaced, suffering and dying for the name of Jesus.

The Wisdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch

Tonight is the Eve of the Feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch.  He was the Bishop of Antioch in the early 2^nd Century and, during an intense persecution of Christians in that city, was condemned to death by wild beasts, to be executed at Rome.

And we do not know much else about him except from a number of letters he wrote to churches as he was being taken to his sentence.

But what letters they are!  Ignatius’ heart and pugnaciously joyful personality shine through these letters.  Impending martyrdom did not discourage him but emboldened him.  He even looked forward with eagerness to “get to God” through his grisly martyrdom in the Coliseum.

And his letters are full of wisdom, particularly in how churches should relate to their leaders.  He also took aim at heresies, particularly Docetism.

I wish to conclude by quoting a statement of his about heresies in his Letter to the Trallians.

[Heretics] mingle Jesus Christ with their teachings just to gain your confidence under false pretenses.  It is as if they were giving a deadly poison mixed with honey and wine, with the result that the unsuspecting victim gladly accepts it and drinks down death with fatal pleasure.

And so it remains today.  The inventors of just about every false religion and heresy, even if mad and blind, still realize that the person of Jesus Christ is important and attractive.  Even in their delusions, they are compelled to answer his question, “Who do you say that I am?”  So they include in their falsehoods what I call a “token Jesus.”  They give lip service to Jesus to add attractiveness and legitimacy to their false religion.  But it is not the real Jesus Christ, but a supposed Jesus who is not the Son of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords.  And, yes, the Jesus of “mainline” libchurchers is such a token Jesus.

Which St. Ignatius so well warned against some 1900 years ago.  God’s Holy Church does well to remember his courage and wisdom and to thank the Lord for his teaching and godly example.

Joseph of Arimathea

In some Anglican and Orthodox calendars, today is the Feast of Joseph of Arimathea.  There is some disagreement about the proper day for his feast.  The Romans have it on March 17^th.

Joseph has some fun legends about him.  I particularly enjoy the story of his founding the church of the Isle of Glastonbury.

But the reason he comes to mind this year is the relevance of his good example.  In the midst of hostility to Christ and his followers, he went out of his way and risked his reputation and more to honor Him in His death by having him buried in his tomb.  To the urging of the Jewish leaders (and Joseph of Arimathea was a devout Jew) and of the mob and by the order of Pilate, Jesus was very publically executed as a criminal.  Yet Joseph went to the same Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus so that he may give him an honorable burial.  And that when many of Christ’s followers were already in hiding.

Moreover, Joseph of Arimathea was a “rich man” as Isaiah 53:9 prophesied.  Taking up for executed criminals usually is not good for business.

Today, there is more and more hostility – and persecution – of Christ and his followers.  Western culture is certainly becoming more hostile to practicing Christians.  (Although, as I’ve mentioned before, this is nothing compared to the outright genocide against Christians committed by several groups of extreme Muslims.)  Yet we are all the more called to honor Christ in the midst of an opposing and derisive culture.  Christ’s honor comes before our own honor, comes before the culture’s approval.

May God help us to follow the good example of Joseph of Arimathea by putting Christ and his honor first no matter the risk to our reputations and livelihoods.

Merciful God, whose servant Joseph of Arimathea with reverence and godly fear prepared the body of our Lord and Savior for burial, and laid it in his own tomb: Grant to us, your faithful people, grace and courage to love and serve Jesus with sincere devotion all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Feast of St. Cuthbert

Today is the Feast of St. Cuthbert.

My reverence and appreciation of him has deepened in the past year. I’ve read more about his holy life, holiness that was well recognized long before his departure.

He would not have had it so. The man could not escape for the solitary life he yearned for without the church begging him to leave his little island to become bishop. And, indeed, this man who would rather live the life of a monk was a great and gentle leader during the sensitive time after the Synod of Whitby. He did finally die as he desired, accompanied only by selected brother monks on his lonely island. (Here is a photo of the island from Barry Miller Photography. A condensed biography of St. Cuthbert may be found here.)

Visiting his grave in Durham Cathedral this past September and walking part of the path his body took as monks fled the Vikings to take him, as it turned out, to Durham also affected me. Not to mention viewing some of his relics at the Cathedral.

Speaking of which, today is definitely a red letter day at Durham Cathedral.

If you would like to do your part to honor St. Cuthbert, one way is to visit the British Library, either online or in person, and join me in throwing in a pound or two to help the library acquire St. Cuthbert’s Gospel, which I had the pleasure to view last year.

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MORE: Ohio Anglican has posted a brief biography and propers for the day.

The Feast of St. Lawrence

Today is the Feast of St. Lawrence. I particularly appreciate this deacon and martyr because the method of his martyrdom was particularly unpleasant – grilling on a gridiron. That makes burning at the stake seem merciful in comparison.

Yet, he is said to have been cheerful and even joking ("This side’s done, turn me over and have a bite.") during his torture.

I notice that his feast had a prominent place in the Sarum rite. He even had a vigil assigned to him.

If a learned reader has insight as to why St. Lawrence was so important in the late medieval English church, please post a comment.

On St. Joseph’s Day

With tomorrow being St. Joseph’s Day, I wish to commend to you this excellent essay on the man and the day from Touchstone.

The article emphasizes Joseph’s love and faithfulness in a family situation not of his choosing or of his doing, in being a father to a Boy who was really Someone else’s Son.

I was moved by the article in part because my persistent singleness and current family situation was certainly not something I would have chosen years ago. And I was a foster son myself. So St. Joseph’s good example touches me.

As the essay mentions, we tend to forget St. Joseph and his day. Don’t do that. Read The Good Father and pray:

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

Santa Claus, Scourge of Heretics

No, I’m not talking about the phony Santa foisted on us every year. I’m talking the real Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. He kicked heretic butt.

Not only was Nicholas intolerant of pagans, he was also intolerant of Arianism. Nicholas is listed as a participant in the First Council of Nicaea. There according to legend he became so angry upon hearing the views of Arius that he rushed over to the heretic and gave him a tremendous box on his ears, sending him to the ground.

So on this St. Nicholas Day, let us honor the man by contending for The Faith and against heresies which dare oppose the word of Christ.

Edwardtide!

This morning as I drove, I began singing a hymn in praise of St. Edward the Confessor when it occurred to me – his feast day is upon us. Later I looked, and, sure enough, The Feast of the Translation of St. Edward the Confessor is October 13th.

A year ago I very much enjoyed a Sung Eucharist on the Eve of the Translation at Westminster Abbey, which St. Edward founded. For those who can, I strongly recommend attending a service or two at Westminster Abbey during Edwardtide.

(Wow, this year is different. First thing this warm, humid, and still morning I caught some waves. This evening I will likely get some barbeque with a friend. South Texas and England are different worlds.)

Hugh of Lincoln

Today, the Church of England celebrates the Feast of St. Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln. I intend to celebrate at Magdalen tonight (and with dinner and a pint at a pub afterward, of course). The choir there has really hit their stride, by the way, and is sounding even better than earlier in the term.

What I don’t expect to hear in praise of St. Hugh, however, is his well-earned reputation as a notorious collector of relics. He even went so far as to take a bite out of the arm of Mary Magdalen to collect a relic of her . . . which makes remembering him at Magdalen College this evening all the more appropriate, does it not?

Edwardtide Glory (and fun) in London.

Last night, I took the Oxford Tube (my first double-decker bus) to London. The main reason was a Sung Eucharist on the Eve of the Translation of St. Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey.

King Edward was the founder of Westminster Abbey (hence, their celebration of “Edwardtide”) so I thought it would be special. And was I right!

First, I got off the bus early on a whim to walk through Hyde Park. Broad green spaces are therapeutic for me. It became a bit warm though. I guess I better stop complaining about cold, grey days.

The service at Westminster was excellent. Of course, I could nitpick like any traditionalist neophyte liturgist. But the usher, without any prompting from me, guided me to the “Canada” seat on the back row of the choir. And it was a very comfortable, relatively private, and excellent place to hear and view the service. Heck, I was right next to one of the lectors. Arriving early has its perks. And I guess I’ll have to stop blaming Canada . . . for a while.

The choir sang Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices very well. The organ pieces, mainly from Bach, were very well selected and played. (By the way, Bach’s organ pieces can really speak to me.)

I liked the sermon from the Dean, which pointed out that we celebrate King Edward in part because England is not a (nasty) secular state like France.

We sang excellent hymns in praise of St. Edward. Yes, I love that sort of thing.

And after the service, the screen was opened for us to go behind it and circumnavigate the shrine of St. Edward. Very medieval.

The bells were ringing like crazy, which only increased my joy from the service when I stepped outside. I was so happy as I walked to the excellent Italian dinner I stumbled upon (Spaghetti House near St. Martins-at-the-Fields is expensive, but good.).

Then I attended my first ever London theatre to see Spamalot. I bought the ticket online during a discount promotion. It was A-10, so I thought it would a good front row seat in the balconies. Wrong! It was FRONT ROW, PERIOD!

(Now, be warned that Spamalot is more bawdy than the Monty Python and the Holy Grail it “lovingly” rips off. But, with that caveat, it was good fun.)

Yes, it was an auspicious evening.