*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

September 27, 2025 – Next Monday, September 29, is the Feast Day for “St. Michael and All Angels,” also called Michaelmas. “In the Christian angelology of some traditions, the Archangel Michael is considered as the greatest of all the angels; being particularly honored for defeating satan [Satan] in the war in heaven.” I’ll get to Saint Michael in a bit, but first a few words about angels in general. For one thing, there are good angels and bad angels.

As it says in Revelation 12:7, “Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels.” (With the dragon being Satan, as clarified in Revelation 12:9.*) But let’s stick with the good angels for this post.

For example, in Matthew 18:10 Jesus warns not to despise children because “their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Then there are guardian angels, “a type of angel that is assigned to protect and guide a particular person, group or nation.” (Is our nation’s guardian angel working overtime these days?) And there are said to be three levels (“spheres”) of angels, inside each of which there are three orders. See Wikipedia for the full list of orders and sub-orders, but they include Seraphim and Cherubim, the latter seen at left.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that “the existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith.” And turning to other sources, consider the theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, who said all angels “originate from the human race, and there is not one angel in heaven who first did not live in a material body. Moreover, all children who die not only enter heaven but eventually become angels.”

As for those guardian angels (Swedenborg added), they should be approached with caution: “Due to man’s sinful nature it is dangerous to have open direct communication with angels and they can only be seen when one’s spiritual sight has been opened.” (All the more reason to read the Bible on a daily basis, and understand it with an open mind, per Luke 24:45.)

And then there are archangels, which brings us back to Saint Michael. The word is used twice in the New Testament, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 1:9. Further, the term “appears only in the singular, never plural, and only in specific reference to Michael.” Further – for those of us (theoretically and statistically) closer to life’s end than the beginning – he is the “Christian angel of death: at the hour of death, Saint Michael descends and gives each person the chance to redeem oneself before passing.” (Something I didn’t know but found quite comforting, for those who may need that extra chance: “Who’d be stupid enough to pass up that deal?”)  

And as noted, Michael is mentioned most prominently in Revelation 12:7-10:

[T]here was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels. And prevailed not… [T]he great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying … the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

See Michael (archangel) – Wikipedia, which added that he is also mentioned three times in the Book of Daniel, once as a “great prince who stands up for the children of your people.” But now comes the tricky part, for me anyway. I attend the Episcopal Church, part of the Anglican Communion. We use the Book of Common Prayer, and it says the idea of purgatory is both a “Romish doctrine” and “repugnant to the Word of God.” But I’m willing to be flexible.

The thing is, without purgatory your dying day is pass-fail. No Via Media, no “way between two extremes.” You’re either in or out. You go to heaven or “down, down the down-down way.”  But with purgatory you get another chance, an “intermediate state after physical death,” where some ultimately destined for heaven can first undergo “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” And so, like I said, I’m willing to be flexible. So here’s to Michael (archangel), and his reaching out to save souls in purgatory.”

“Hey, I’ll take all the help I can get!”

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of Saint Michael in the Catholic Church – Wikipedia. The full caption: “St. Michael’s church in Hammerfest, Norway, the northernmost Catholic church in the world.” (To which I like to add, jokingly, “It’s okay. Catholics are almost Episcopalians! And they sure got Gregorian chant right.”) Then too the Catholic Church – Wikipedia link added this:

Saint Michael is one of the angels presumed present at the hour of death. Traditionally, he is charged to assist the dying and accompany them to their particular judgment, where he serves as an advocate.

But see also 1st John 2:1, “if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ.” (BTW: I’ve compared Jesus with “the Ultimate Public Defender.”)

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

For this post I borrowed from 2014’s St. Matthew, and 2018’s On Holy Cross, Matthew, and Michael – “Archangel.” Also from 2023’s An update – “Feast Days in France.” (It included notes on St Matthew, Evangelist and St Michael and All Angels, and some on hiking the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail.) Also, Angels in Christianity – Wikipedia. And for future reference (future posts on this feast day), see St. Michael & All Angels on the The Lectionary – Satucket website. It includes “Everything You Never Wanted to Know about Angels,” along with information about the Nine Choirs and “Cherubs, Griffins, and Grimm Shifts.” (Which is being interpreted: “I had to work my way through a number of such readings, this morning, September 29, leading to this update.”

On dragons in the Bible, see What the Bible Says About the Meaning of Dragons: “In the Bible, the term ‘dragon’ often symbolizes chaos, evil, and opposition to God, particularly representing Satan or the forces of darkness… The imagery utilized in these verses evokes a sense of impending threat and turmoil, indicating that the forces of darkness are ever-present in the lives of believers and the history of salvation.” (And is that so hard to believe these days?)

Re:  Purgatory as a “Romish doctrine.”  See page 872 of the BCP, or The Online Book of Common Prayer under Historical Documents of the Church, Articles of Religion, Part XXII:

The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well
of Images as of Relics, and also Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and
grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.

But another note on Purgatory and the Episcopal Church:  “Although denying the existence of purgatory as formulated in Roman Catholic doctrine, the Anglican and Methodist traditions … affirm the existence of an intermediate state, Hades, and thus pray for the dead.”  The latter will be addressed later this month, as noted in 2017’s On the THREE days of Hallowe’en.

Re: “Theoretically and statistically closer to life’s end.” I’ve noted that – if the Lord wills and I help with right diet and good exercise – I hope to live to 120, like Moses, with “eye undimmed and vigor unabated,” like it says at the end of Deuteronomy. See From two years ago – “Will I live to 141?”

See also – on the “way between two extremes” – Via Media – The Episcopal Church, and Via media – Wikipedia, on the Latin phrase meaning “the middle road” or the “way between (and avoiding or reconciling) two extremes… Its use in English is highly associated with Anglican self-characterization, or as a philosophical maxim for life akin to the golden mean which advocates moderation in all thoughts and actions.” And the “[it went] down, down the down-down way” is what my brother said many years ago after he flushed our grandmother’s expensive watch down the toilet.

The lower image is courtesy of the Wikipedia article, with the full caption: “Guido Reni‘s painting in Santa Maria della Concezione, Rome, 1636 is also reproduced in mosaic at the St. Michael Altar in St. Peter’s Basilica, in the Vatican.”

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

September 20, 2025 – As indicated in the last post, September 21 is normally the feast day for St Matthew, Evangelist. But this year it’s like Holy Cross Day, because this year it too also fell on a Sunday. Meaning that – like Holy Cross Day – it too was transferred to the following Monday. (This year St. Matthew’s day will be celebrated on September 22.)

With that out of the way, we can begin his story with Matthew 9:9-13:

As Jesus went on from there [Capernaum], he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth.  “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Which turned out to be good news for pretty much all of us, because in Jesus’ time tax collectors were “lower than dirt.” That is, in His time tax collectors were social outcasts. “Devout Jews avoided them because they were usually dishonest (the job carried no salary, and they were expected to make their profits by cheating the people from whom they collected taxes).”

Thus, throughout the Gospels, we find tax collectors (publicans) mentioned as a standard type of sinful and despised outcast. Matthew brought many of his former associates to meet Jesus, and social outcasts in general were shown that the love of Jesus extended even to them.

Get that? “The love of Jesus extended even to them.” (For more see Tax collector – Wikipedia.) And as noted in 2014’s On St. Matthew, a tax collector like Matthew was “sure to be hated above all men as a merciless leech who would take the shirt off a dying child.” Further, in Jesus’ time “the word ‘publican’” – or tax collector – was “used as representing an extreme of wickedness in the Sermon on the Mount.” In plain words tax collectors worked for Rome’s forces of occupation and so were viewed as collaborators, “Quislings,” and traitors to their country:

Tax collectors, also known as publicans, are mentioned many times in the Bible (mainly in the New Testament). They were reviled by the Jews of Jesus’ day because of their greed and collaboration with the Roman occupiers. Tax collectors amassed personal wealth by demanding tax payments in excess of what Rome levied and keeping the difference. They worked for tax farmers. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus sympathizes with the tax collector Zacchaeus, causing outrage from the crowds that Jesus would rather be the guest of a sinner than of a more respectable or “righteous” person. 

So what’s the good news in all this? Just that by accepting the forgiveness and grace offered by Jesus, Matthew the hated tax-collecting, collaborating Quisling got magically transformed. Magically transformed into a Gospel writer of the first magnitude, much like Saul, who got magically transformed into Paul through his Damascus Road Experience. (Where he was changed from an enemy of the early Church to its foremost spokesman.)

Which means that “if those two could be so magically transformed, so can we!”

Or as a biographer wrote of Thomas Merton, he was an ordinary man with more than his fair share of human faults, but it was just such “base metal which, in the marvelous alchemy of the spiritual journey, became transmuted into gold.” Or transformed, like it says in Philippians 3:21, on Jesus, “who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body.”

Which brings up a point. I Googled “transfigure synonyms” and at the top got “transform into something more beautiful or elevated.” And isn’t that what Jesus wants? So don’t stay in your spiritual cocoon. Get transformed from a creepy-crawly caterpillar into “high-flying mode.”

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of Brugghen, Hendrick ter – The Calling of St. Matthew. See also Matthew the Apostle – Wikipedia.

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

Re: Matthew and “from there.” I figured Matthew 9:9 referred to Nazareth as Jesus’ own city. But see Matthew 9:1 in the Bible Hub link, where Jesus healed a paralyzed man: “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.” The Commentary notes: “‘His own town’ refers to Capernaum, which served as Jesus’ base of operations during His Galilean ministry… This town is where Jesus performed many miracles and taught in the synagogue, fulfilling prophecies about the Messiah’s ministry in Galilee.”

For this post I borrowed from 2014’s St. Matthew, and 2018’s On Holy Cross, Matthew, and Michael – “Archangel.” Also from 2023’s An update – “Feast Days in France.” (It included notes on St Matthew, Evangelist and St Michael and All Angels, and some on hiking the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail.) See also Holy Cross Day – The Episcopal Church, and Celebrating Holy Cross Day | Holy Apostles.

The lower image is courtesy of Metamorphosis Caterpillar To Butterfly – Image Results. I used it in On the Transfiguration – 2025, and my August 2023, “Love one another” – get Transfigured (too). 

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The next major feast – Holy Cross Day – normally comes on September 14, but this year it’s transferred to Monday, September 15. (As happens with many such feast days.) And Holy Cross Day is one of several Feasts of the Cross, recalling the cross used to crucify Jesus:

In English, it is called The Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the official translation of the Roman Missal, while the 1973 translation called it The Triumph of the Cross. In some parts of the Anglican Communion the feast is called Holy Cross Day…

Historically, the feast is associated with the dedication – in the year 335, nearly seven hundred years ago, on September 14 – of a complex of buildings built by the Emperor Constantine in Jerusalem on the site of the Crucifixion. Constantine’s mother Helena supervised construction and during the work “a relic believed to be the cross was discovered.” In turn, although the “authenticity of alleged relics of the cross may be questionable, Holy Cross Day provides an opportunity for a joyous celebration of Christ’s redeeming death on a cross.”

Which leads to a side note: That last August 14, while hiking the Canterbury Trail in England, I visited the “Church of the Holy Rood,” in Holybourne. And “rood was originally the only Old English word for the instrument of Jesus Christ‘s death.” (How’s that for a segue?)

Holybourne is a village in Alton, in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire. It’s 1.3 miles northeast of the center of Alton, with a population around 1,500. The town was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Haliborne and appears in 1418 as Halybourn. In turn, the Church of the Holy Rood has foundations dating from the 12th century.

We came across the church not long after leaving the Alton House Hotel, near the famous Jane Austen House. (About a mile and a half later.) But back to Holy Cross Day: It honors “Christ’s self-offering on the cross for our salvation. The collect for Holy Cross Day recalls that Christ ‘was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world unto himself.'”

Which means we have a lot of work to do to make that happen.

But wait, there’s more! Coming up later this month are feast days for St. Matthew, Evangelist, on September 21, and for St. Michael and All Angels on September 29, so stay tuned.

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of Church of the Holy Rood, Holybourne – Wikimedia Commons. See also Holybourne – Wikipedia, and Rood – Wikipedia.

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

For this post I borrowed from 2018’s On Holy Cross, Matthew, and Michael – “Archangel.” Also from 2023’s An update – “Feast Days in France.” (It included notes on St Matthew, Evangelist and St Michael and All Angels, and some on hiking the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail.) See also Holy Cross Day – The Episcopal Church, and Celebrating Holy Cross Day | Holy Apostles.

Also, and for reference and use in future posts, see the link Holy Cross Day in the “Lectionary Page Satucket” website. It contains deep background on the practice of making the sign of the Cross: “Tertullian, in his De Corona (3:2), written around AD 211, says that Christians seldom do anything significant without making the sign of the cross. Certainly by his time the practice was well established.” (With references to Ezekiel and the Book of Revelation.) As for the significance, we today put our “personal mark on something to show that it belongs to us.” By making the sign of the Cross we signify “that we belong to Him,” Jesus. (I should note that I’ve had problems doing posts on Holy Cross Day because of a dearth of information, which is no longer true.)

I borrowed the lower image from the 2018 post, and added, “I’ll take all the help I can get!” It included notes on Purgatory as a “Romish doctrine,” per page 872 of the BCP, or Online Book of Common Prayer under Historical Documents of the Church, Articles of Religion, Part XXII:

The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well
of Images as of Relics, and also Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and
grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.

But here’s another note on Purgatory and the Episcopal Church:  “Although denying the existence of purgatory as formulated in Roman Catholic doctrine, the Anglican and Methodist traditions … affirm the existence of an intermediate state, Hades, and thus pray for the dead.” (As noted in further posts like 2017’s THREE days of Hallowe’en.)

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

August 4, 2025 – The next major feast day happens on August 6, The Transfiguration of Jesus. At 6:30 that Wednesday morning – if all goes according to schedule – I’ll arrive in London. (No doubt all bleary-eyed and jet-lagged from another long red-eye flight from Atlanta.) I’ll be arriving in London to meet up with my brother and his wife, and early the next week start hiking the Canterbury Trail – called the Pilgrims’ Way by locals – from Winchester to Canterbury.

But back to the Transfiguration, what has been called the greatest miracle in history. That’s because unlike His other miracles, this one happened to Jesus. (Not Him helping others.)

About eight days after Jesus had foretold his death and resurrection, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they [Peter, John and James] saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem…

That’s from Luke 9:28-36, and as noted this miracle is unique among those listed in the “Canonical gospels, in that the miracle happens to Jesus himself.” And that’s why St. Thomas Aquinas considered the Transfiguration “the greatest miracle in the world.”

Another view: The meaning and importance of the transfiguration. Answer: Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets, but “God’s voice from heaven – ‘Listen to Him!’ – clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus.” As in Jesus brought in the new and living way to replace the old: “He is the fulfillment of the Law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament.” Beyond that, Peter, James and John – who witnessed it – told the other disciples, and through them to “countless millions down through the centuries.”

So you could say that Peter, James and John got “transfigured” themselves.

Which means that while this was indeed a dramatic event – for Jesus – it can also mean that just such a dramatic event can happen to you. It can mean that you yourself can have such an exalting, glorifying spiritual experience, just like Peter, James and John.

In other words, by accepting Jesus – via John 6:37 and Romans 10:9 – you yourself can undergo a spiritual metamorphosis, like the kind a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. So in your journey through the present trials and tribulations, do you want to stay a caterpillar, or become a butterfly? I’m thinking such a transformation is what the Jesus Faith is all about.

In other words, the August 6 feast day could mean you too can be transfigured, just like Jesus, and through Him like Peter, James and John. See for example Bible Verses about Transformed into His Likeness, like 2d Corinthians 3:18. It says we true Christians “are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Or Philippians 3:21, which talks of the power of Jesus, “who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body.” Or 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

Which brings up an interesting point. I Googled “transfigure synonyms” and at the top got “transform into something more beautiful or elevated.” And isn’t that what Jesus calls us to do? He does indeed love and accept us just as we are, but He doesn’t want us to stay that way. For one thing, how could we perform greater miracles than Jesus if we stay “just as we are?”

Which opens up a whole new can of worms, but for now let’s focus on transforming from caterpillars to butterflies. And a closing note: I’ll try to update my own process of “getting all Jesus-upped,” while hiking the Canterbury Trail in England. So wish me luck and stay tuned…

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of Mount Hermon Images – Image Results. See also, What is the Mount of Transfiguration? – BibleAsk: “The Gospels do not specify exactly which mountain was the location,” but several ave been proposed. “One traditional site is Mount Tabor, located in Lower Galilee.” Early church fathers thought so, but it is “not a particularly tall mountain (about 1,800 feet high), and by the time of Jesus, it was likely inhabited and even had a fortress, which would make privacy difficult:”

Another possible location is Mount Hermon, which is much higher (over 9,000 feet) and is located near Caesarea Philippi, the place where Jesus was just before the transfiguration (Matthew 16:13). Some scholars believe that Mount Hermon fits better geographically and contextually.

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

For this post I borrowed from the 2015 post, Transfiguration – The Greatest Miracle in the World, The Transfiguration of Jesus – 2016, On Saint James the Pilgrim – and “Transfiguration 2021,” and The Transfiguration – 2024.

“Another long red-eye flight.” I flew over to London last May, to check things out.

The “law and prophets” are two of the three parts of the Hebrew Bible, what Christians call the Old Testament. The three parts are the Torah (the five Books of Moses), the Nevi’im (the Books of the Prophets), and the Ketuvim, or Writings. Thus the acronym “TaNaK.” The Writings include Psalms, Proverbs and Job, along with Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. (Wikipedia.)

“Listen to him.” Luke 9:35, “A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 

On transfigure see also TRANSFIGURE Synonyms | Collins English Thesaurus.

“Just as we are.” The link is to Just as I Am (hymn) – Wikipedia, about what “became an altar call song in the Billy Graham crusades in the latter half of the twentieth century.” 

“Get all Jesus-upped.” An expression my hiking brother used to describe my proposed trip to Jerusalem back in 2019. (See for example From Jerusalem to Assisi – 2022, or type in “Jerusalem” in the search box above right.) Also, if I can succeed in doing an update on a post on my tablet over in England, I’ll put it at the top of the latest post, “so stay tuned.”

The lower image is courtesy of Metamorphosis Caterpillar To Butterfly – Image Results. I used it in my August 2023, “Love one another” – get Transfigured (too). (Where I mentioned Crossfire Christians):

The way I see it, that name can help in those situations – so common these days – where someone demands, “What are your politics?” Are you a Conservative or – heaven forbid – a Liberal? Here’s a good new answer that just occurred to me: “Who Me? I’m just trying to stay out of the crossfire. So I’m a Crossfire Christian.* You know, like Jesus?”

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

July 19, 2025 – Next Tuesday, July 22, is the Feast Day for Mary Magdalene. Which means that for the first time in a really long time I’m doing a Feast-Day post before that day rolls around. (I won’t explain it “ex post facto.”) Turning to this Mary – the name was quite common in Jesus’ time – she was said to be a prominent follower of Jesus and to have been healed by Him. She is also said to have supported His ministry financially, and was there at the Crucifixion and Burial. But while she played a key role among his female disciples, for the most part “there is limited information about her life.” And much of that was limited information was bad.

As the Collect for her day says, Jesus “restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and of mind, and called her to be a witness of his resurrection.” She did that, and set an example for us all.

And she did all that despite what some said was a sordid past and a really lousy reputation.

For starters, “Mary” was as noted an extremely common name at the time. This particular Mary was said to have been born in Magdala, which is where she got her name: “Mary from Magdala,” or Magdalene. Unfortunately it’s not clear where Magdala is, but most scholars assume it’s “the place the Talmud calls Magdala Nunayya.” (“Magdala of the fishes.”) And the consensus is also that this is the site noted in Matthew 15:39, on what happened after Jesus fed the 4,000:

And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan. [Below left.]

As Wikipedia noted, this particular Mary has long had a bad reputation. In Western Christianity, she’s known as “repentant prostitute or loose woman.” But the consensus now is that such claims are unfounded. Consider what Isaac Asimov said.

He first noted that Magdala is usually considered a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, and may have been a suburb of Tiberias. He also noted this Mary “has been considered, in tradition, to have been a prostitute and to have repented as a result of her meeting with Jesus.” (Thus the “devils” in Mark 16:9 and Luke 8:2 “might then be considered devils of lust.”)

Asimov also noted some confusion that arose from the placement of the story of Mary’s “devils” coming right after the story of the woman washing the feet of Jesus with her tears and drying them with her hair. Wikipedia also noted there’s long been a mix-up between Mary from Magdala and the “unnamed sinner who anoints Jesus’ feet in Luke 7:36-50:”

Mary Magdalene, the anointing sinner of Luke, and Mary of Bethany, who in John 11:1-2 also anoints Jesus’ feet, were long regarded as the same person. Though Mary Magdalene is named in each of the four gospels … none of the clear references to her indicate that she was a prostitute or notable for a sinful way of life, nor link her with Mary of Bethany.

Asimov put it this way: The sinner in Luke 7:36-50 “was, indeed, a prostitute in all likelihood,” but there was no direct link in the Bible between this woman and Mary Magdalene. He added that to be “possessed by devils” – as this Mary was said to be – would be considered today as “mental illness, rather than anything else.” Thus to Asimov, Mary Magdalene would be more accurately considered “a cured madwoman rather than a reformed prostitute.”

But wait, there’s more! She also gave us – inadvertently – the negative term “maudlin,” meaning effusively sad, full of self-pity or “extremely sentimental.” (“Maudlin” is an alteration of the name Magdalene, referring to this Mary as “frequently depicted as a tearful penitent,” as shown in the painting above.) But she overcame all that bad press by her own series of transforming pilgrimages. Unfortunately, much of that change-of-opinion happened long after she died.

That posthumous journey – in its way – led “to a personal transformation,” a transforming of how we see Mary today. For example, Mary of Magdala | FutureChurch noted that for centuries she was “perhaps the most maligned and misunderstood figure in early Christianity:”

Since the fourth century, she has been portrayed as a prostitute and public sinner…   Paintings, some little more than pious pornography, reinforce the mistaken belief that sexuality, especially female sexuality, is shameful, sinful, and worthy of repentance. Yet the actual biblical account of Mary of Magdala paints a far different portrait than that of the bare-breasted reformed harlot of Renaissance art.

But if you think about it – and read the Gospels – this Mary showed tons more courage than the male disciples when push came to shove. While those 11 men cowered in their room, hiding lest the Romans punish them as well, Mary alone went to the empty tomb. John 20:1: “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.” Thus one indisputable fact about Mary is that she was both the first person to visit the empty tomb and the first person to see the risen Jesus. (John 20:11-16.) That’s why St. Augustine called her the “Apostle to the Apostles.”

Then too that may account for all the stories of her “sordid past.” Did jealous men – then and later – try to cover up their own cowardice or their own bias, by sullying her reputation? So one lesson from all this? Keep on “pilgriming.” Good results can keep coming even after you die!

But the important thing to remember is that this Mary personally experienced the Risen Jesus, and so was the first among the millions who’ve had that experience. As the Wesleyan Quadrilateral says, aside from Bible itself, a personal experience of the Risen Jesus “is the strongest proof of Christianity.” And Mary of Magdala was the first of all that followed.

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of wikipedia.org/wiki/Penitent_Magdalene_(Titian,_1565):

The Penitent Magdalene is a 1565 oil painting by Titian of saint Mary Magdalene, now in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.  Unlike his 1533 version of the same subject, Titian has covered Mary’s nudity and introduced a vase, an open book and a skull as a memento mori.  Its coloring is more mature than the earlier work, using colors harmoni[z]ing with character.  In the background the sky is bathed in the rays of the setting sun, with a dark rock contrasting with the brightly lit figure of Mary.

That is, Titian did a “racier” version in 1533. See Penitent Magdalene (Titian, 1533) – Wikipedia. Also, for more on this Mary see also MARY MAGDALENE, Bible Woman: first witness to Resurrection, and What Did Mary Magdalene look like?

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

In a pure legal sense, “ex post facto” refers to a law that “retroactively changes the legal consequences or status of actions that were committed, or relationships that existed, before the enactment of the law. In criminal law, it may criminalize actions that were legal when committed.” (Wikipedia.) But the original Latin translates “(from) a thing done afterward.” Legal Information Institute.

For this post I borrowed from 2014’s On Mary Magdalene, “Apostle to the Apostles,” 2023’s St. James (2023), Pilgrimage, and “Maudlin’s Journey.” See also Mary Magdalene – Wikipedia.

Re: Isaac Asimov. The quotes on Mary are from Asimov’s Guide to the Bible (Two Volumes in One),  Avenel Books (1981), at pages 899-902. Asimov (1920-1992) was “an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards.” His list of books included those on “astronomy, mathematics, the Bible, William Shakespeare’s writing, and chemistry.” He was a long-time member of Mensa, “albeit reluctantly;  he described some members of that organization as ‘brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs.’” See Isaac Asimov – Wikipedia.

Re: Experiencing the Risen Jesus. See Wesleyan Quadrilateral – Wikipedia, referring to “a methodology for theological reflection that is credited to John Wesley, leader of the Methodist movement in the late 18th Century… This method based its teaching on four sources as the basis of theological and doctrinal development, scripture, tradition, reason, and experience.”  Also, a complete quote:

Apart from scripture, experience is the strongest proof of Christianity… Wesley insisted that we cannot have reasonable assurance of something unless we have experienced it personally. [He] was assured of both justification and sanctification because he had experienced them in his own life. What Christianity promised … was accomplished in his soul. Furthermore, Christianity (considered as an inward principle) is the completion of all those promises. Although traditional proof is complex, experience is simple: “One thing I know; I was blind, but now I see.” Although tradition establishes the evidence a long way off, experience makes it present to all persons. As for the proof of justification and sanctification Wesley states that Christianity is an experience of holiness and happiness, the image of God impressed on a created spirit, a fountain of peace and love springing up into everlasting life.

The lower image is courtesy of File: Rembrandt – The Risen Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen.  See also On Easter Season – AND BEYOND.

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

Welcome to “read the Bible – expand your mind:”

The Book of Common Prayer says that by sharing Holy Communion, Christians become “very members incorporate in the mystical body” of Jesus. The words “corporate” and “mystical” are key. They show that a healthy church has two sides, with the often-overlooked “mystic” side posing the question, “How do I experience God?” This blog will try to answer that.

It has four main themes. The first is that God will accept anyone. (John 6:37.) The second is that God wants us to live lives of abundance.(John 10:10.) The third is that Jesus wants us to read the Bible with an open mind. (As Luke 24:45 says: “Then He [Jesus] opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”) The fourth theme – another one often overlooked – is that Jesus wants us to do even greater miracles than He did. (John 14:12.) 

And this thought ties them together:

The best way to live abundantly and do greater miracles than Jesus is: Read, study and apply the Bible with an open mind. For more see the notes or – to expand your mind – see the Intro.

In the meantime:

July 7, 2025 – This time eleven years ago (2014) I did what may have been my first post on America’s Independence Day. I was riding a train north from New York City to Montreal, which meant I had to find my passport. In the process I found some interesting reading.

That included – on page 4 – the Preamble to the United States Constitution. It begins “We the People of the United States … do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Meaning that for the first time in history the People finally decided that they held Sovereign Power, not some temporary hired hand with a limited term of service.

Moving on, passport pages 8-9 are topped by a saying from George Washington, “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair.” Unfortunately – as we’ve seen too often – the reckless and dishonest can also repair to the standard of freedom that America provides. 

Then there’s a quote on pages 16-17, from Teddy Roosevelt: “This is a new nation, based on a mighty continent, of endless possibilities.” Get that?  “Endless possibilities?” But to get over to that land of endless possibilities, our ancestors – the first immigrants, the people with enough gumption and nerve – had to leave behind the old and corrupt ways of “back where they came from.” (Another way of saying conservative types, but that’s a subject for another post.) 

Then there’s the last quote, on page 28, from the late astronaut Ellison Onizuka:

Every generation has the obligation to free men’s minds for a look at new worlds . . . to look out from a higher plateau than the last generation.

(Ellipses in passport.) But are we doing that? Are we opening up new worlds for our children and grandchildren? Are we working toward a future where the can look out from a higher plateau? Or are we saddling them with an national debt that threatens their future?

But down off the soapbox: Onizuka was part of the seven-member crew on the Space Shuttle Challenger that took off from Kennedy Space Center on January 28, 1986. The shuttle exploded when a flame-jet leaking from a solid rocket booster ruptured the liquid hydrogen fuel tank 73 seconds after launch. All seven crew members were killed.

Meaning the freedom of space travel showed itself as extremely dangerous, but as Thomas Jefferson said, “I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” Which could be one of those off on a tangents for which I am well known. (At least to my own family.) But back in 2014 I added that all this was just another way of saying, “Sing to the Lord a new song.” (As it says in Isaiah 42:10 and Psalms 96:1, 98:1, and 144:9.) But could trying to sing a new song to the Lord be dangerous as well? Some people seem to think so. They prefer to go by the book” – which usually means “never beyond a literal reading of the book.”

In other words, some people today seem to think that rather than expanding our minds, exploring new worlds and enjoying freedom for all, it’s better to stick with the same old song. But as noted above, Jesus expects us to do even greater miracles than He did, and can you do that by “going by the book?” Or singing the same old song over and over again?

Which makes this a perfect time and place to bring up Independence Day:

Independence Day is a day of family celebrations [with] a great deal of emphasis on the American tradition of political freedom…  Independence Day is a patriotic holiday for celebrating the positive aspects of the United States…  Above all, people in the United States express and give thanks for the freedom and liberties fought by the first generation of many of today’s Americans.

(Hmm. A tradition of political freedom. The freedom and liberties fought for by the first generation of Americans…) But it’s also a religious feast day, as noted in the link Independence Day: “We commemorate the day the formal wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved and the document signed.” Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the Declaration, doing so in a way that (as one British writer said), “combines great prose, great politics, and great theology.”

But he wasn’t finished. In 1777 he went on to draft Virginia’s Statute for Religious Freedom. (Which he considered so important that it was “one of only three accomplishments Jefferson instructed be put in his epitaph.”) Needless to say, his proposal generated considerable debate. For one thing, the statute took away the power of Virginia’s state church – today’s Episcopal Church – so that all Virginians enjoyed religious liberty. But in passing the bill, Burgesses took note of the “impious presumption of legislators and rulers,” manifested in a desire to establish “their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible.” (Sound familiar?) 

And finally, the statute noted “that Truth is great, and will prevail if left to herself … and has nothing to fear from the conflict.” In other words, that religion is best that proves itself in the “free market place of ideas.” See Marketplace of ideas – Wikipedia. In further words, if your faith is true and sound, you won’t be afraid of a little competition.

That’s what I wrote in an earlier post, which is also a way of saying you can’t live up to, fulfill or implement either promise – the John 14:12 Promise of Jesus or the American Dream’s “endless possibilities” – if you interpret the Bible or Constitution in a closed, narrow, or “strict” way.

And speaking of competition, consider these two articles: Episcopalians criticise President Trump’s ‘big, beautiful Bill’,’ and US (Catholic) Bishops express deep concern over final passage of Budget Bill. Which leads to my mantra for the upcoming year: “I believe in Jesus Christ, the rule of law, and the Constitution!” And another note: The upcoming year would be ever so much more enjoyable if the political party that thinks it’s more Christian would do their duty and make the first moves toward becoming “ministers of reconciliation.” (2nd Corinthians 5:18.)

Here’s hoping that doesn’t turn out to be a pipe dream...

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of Ellison Onizuka – Wikipedia. Onizuka (1946-1986) was an American astronaut from Kealakekua, Hawaii, who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C. He died in the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, on which he was serving as Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L. He was the first Asian-American to reach space.”

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

For this post I borrowed from 2014’s For Sunday of the July 4th weekend, On Independence Day, 2016, On Independence Day, 2018, and July 4, 2024 – and a “What would have happened?”?” Also – for some reason – On my first full day in Jerusalem, from June 2019.

I found some interesting reading when I Googled “freedom is dangerous…”

It’s the Same Old Song – Wikipedia gave some background. Best known for the 1965 Motown single by the Four Tops, the group’s tenor, Abdul “Duke” Fakir, recalled how the lyrics developed:

Lamont Dozier and I were both a little tipsy and he was changing the channels on the radio. He said, ‘It sounds like the same old song.’ And then he said, “Wait a minute.” So he took “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and reversed it using the same chord changes. The next day, we went to the studio and recorded it, and then they put it on acetate, shipped it out to disc jockeys across the country.

(Which goes to show that somethings a little “tipsy” can help creativity. Psalm 104:15, about God bringing forth food from the earth and “wine that gladdens the heart.”) Another note: “Pop music writers and bloggers have noted the similarity of the song’s main instrumental riff with the marimba riff in the Rolling Stones song ‘Under My Thumb‘ which was first released almost a year later, on April 15, 1966.” Which is one reason I love blogging: You learn lots of new stuff.

Wikipedia says a Mantra is “a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) believed by practitioners to have religious, magical or spiritual powers.”

2 Corinthians 5:18 says “all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

The lower image is courtesy of Pipe Dream – Image Results. See also Pipe dream – Idioms … Free Dictionary which defines the term as a “fantastic notion or vain hope.” The idiom is an allusion to the “fantasies induced by smoking an opium pipe … used more loosely since the late 1800s.”

*   *   *   *

As noted in the opening blurb, this blog has four main themes. The first is that God will accept anyone. (See John 6:37, with the added, “Anyone who comes to Him.”) This is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. From the Old Testament, Psalm 9:10, “You never forsake those who seek you, O Lord.” (In the Book of Common Prayer version.) The second is that God wants us to live abundantly.  (John 10:10.) The third is that we should do greater miracles than Jesus. (John 14:12). A fourth theme: The only way to do all that is read the Bible with an open mind:

…closed-mindedness, or an unwillingness to consider new ideas, can result from the brain’s natural dislike for ambiguity. According to this view, the brain has a “search and destroy” relationship with ambiguity and evidence contradictory to people’s current beliefs tends to make them uncomfortable… Research confirms that belief-discrepant-closed-minded persons have less tolerance for cognitive inconsistency…

So in plain words, I take issue with what I call “Christian first graders.” Those who choose to stay in a kind of elementary-school first grade. See John the Baptist, ’24 – and “Christian First Graders,” for more. But the key point: “The Bible was designed to expand your mind,” not make it narrow. Also, there’s the idea that “Jesus was anything but negative. His goal was for you to grow and develop into all that you can be.” (For more on that see ABOUT THE BLOG, above.)

I’ve written on boot-camp Christians, the Literalists who never go “beyond the fundamentals.” But the Bible offers so much more than a narrow reading gives… (Unless you want to stay a buck private all your life…) Now, about “Boot-camp Christians” see Conservative Christian – “Career buck private?” The gist of that post: Starting the Bible is like Army Basic Training. You begin by“learning the fundamentals.” But after boot camp, you move on to Advanced Individual Training.” 

And as noted in “Buck private,” one of this blog’s themes is that if you want to be all that you can be, you need to go on and explore the “mystical side of Bible reading.*” In other words, exploring the mystical side of the Bible helps you “be all that you can be.” See Slogans of the U.S. Army – Wikipedia, re: the recruiting slogan from 1980 to 2001. The related image at left is courtesy of: “toywonders.com/productcart/pc/catalog/aw30.jpg.”

Re: “mystical.” Originally the “liturgical, spiritual, and contemplative dimensions of early and medieval Christianity.” Mysticism – Wikipedia, and the post On originalism.  (“What the Bible was originally about!”) See also Christian mysticism – Wikipedia, “In early Christianity the term ‘mystikos’ referred to three dimensions, which soon became intertwined, namely the biblical, the liturgical and the spiritual or contemplative… The third dimension is the contemplative or experiential knowledge of God.” As to that “experiential” aspect, see also Wesleyan Quadrilateral – Wikipedia, on the theological reflection method using four sources of spiritual development: scripture, tradition, reason, and “Christian experience.”

For an explanation of the Daily Office – where “Dorscribe” came from – see What’s a DOR?

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

June 29 is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, honoring the “martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul.”  It’s an ancient celebration, and the date is “the anniversary either of their death or of the translation of their relics.” Remember that in January we celebrate each man – each saint – on separate dates, but in June we celebrate both men together:

On 29 June we commemorate the martyrdoms of both apostles. The date is the anniversary of a day around 258, under the Valerian Persecution, when what were believed to be the remains of the two apostles were both moved temporarily to prevent them from falling into the hands of the persecutors.

(See St. Peter & St. Paul, a link from Satucket.com.) So on June 29 we remember both men being martyred at about the same time, and their bodily remains being “translated” near that same time. (Early Christians moved the remains – called “relics” – into hiding so unbelievers couldn’t desecrate them. For more on “translation of relics” see my 2015 post.)

Back on topic: The Peter & Paul article said the Bible doesn’t mention the deaths of either man, “or indeed any of the Apostles except for James the son of Zebedee.” (Acts 12:2.) But early tradition said they were martyred at the command of Emperor Valerian in Rome, and buried there:

As a Roman citizen, Paul would probably have been beheaded with a sword. It is said of Peter that he was crucified head downward[. And thus as St. Augustine wrote,] “even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood…”

On the topic of scholars disputing, see Wikipedia on the Feast of Peter and Paul. It includes a link to the Incident at Antioch. That dispute – between two prominent Church Fathers – continues to this day. It involved circumcision as prerequisite for becoming a Good Christian. Specifically, the dispute involved whether all new non-Jewish converts – “Gentile Christians” – had to follow all the laws, rules and regulations of the Jewish faith to be real Christians. (Put another way, “legalism” versus “grace.”) As the Incident at Antioch article said:

[T]he issue of Biblical law in Christianity remains disputed to this day. The Catholic Encyclopedia states:  “St. Paul’s account of the incident leaves no doubt that St. Peter saw the justice of the rebuke…”  In contrast, L. Michael White’s From Jesus to Christianity states: “The blowup with Peter was a total failure of political bravado, and Paul soon left Antioch as persona non grata, never again to return.”

Wikipedia added, again, that the “final outcome remains uncertain resulting in several Christian views of the Old Covenant to this day.” And speaking of good Christians arguing vehemently – yet still able to work together – see Galatians 2:11-15, where “Paul Rebukes Peter at Antioch:”

When Cephas [Peter] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned;  for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles.  But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy…

So in this case, Paul basically got mad at Peter for being two-faced about the Lord’s Supper. And there’s another aspect: Whether you are “saved” by following a set of rules and regulations, or by faith in Jesus alone. See The Controversy Over Faith And Works Continues. While some Christians say you are “saved” by following a set of rules, Paul clearly came down on the side of faith. Galatians 2:16: “Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.” (But see also the Apostle James, that “faith without works is dead.”)

Then there’s the tension between Deuteronomy 19:16-19 and Ezekiel 3:16-19. 

Briefly, Deuteronomy 19:16-19 says if you accuse someone of a heinous crime – say, murder or heresy – and it’s not true, you will be punished as if you did the crime yourself. (You can’t blithely make false accusations and not face consequences.) For example, if you accuse someone – maybe a fellow Christian – of being a “heretic,” and that’s false, you will be punished as a heretic yourself. (Some conservatives have said liberalism is heresy, and some arch-conservatives called Billy Graham “Antichrist” for being too ecumenical later in life.) 

On the other hand there’s Ezekiel 3:16-19. There “Zeke” wrote about a Believer’s duty to warn others of the error of their ways. (“Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman.”) Briefly, if you don’t warn a fellow citizen of the error of his ways, and he keeps sinning, God will punish both of you.  But if you warn him and he keeps on sinning you will have saved your own spiritual butt: “They will die for their sin;  but you will have saved yourself.”

Thus a dilemma. If you tell someone “you’re going to hell for being a heretic” you could end up in hell yourself. On the other hand if you think someone may be committing the Unforgiveable Sin – and you don’t warn him – you may be punished for the “sin unto death” yourself. (Could it be a matter of extremely careful grammar? “Excuse me, I think you may be guilty of…”)

What you end up with is one more dynamic tension in the Bible. Which leads to this conclusion: The Bible isn’t one book giving a “one size fits all” set of answers to all life’s questions. (What many people expect.) Instead it’s a library, containing at least 66 different books, depending on the translation and whether it includes Apocrypha. And aside from John 6:37 and Romans 10:9, those books often raise more questions than provide answers. That includes Gloomy Gus books like Ecclesiastes and Job, both of which most people find extremely depressing.

Which is to say the Bible recognizes that sometimes life is unfair, and that quite often Bad Things Happen to Good People. But all that seems necessary for spiritual growth. To grow – whether spiritually or physically – we need to set up, meet and overcome resistance. (In Weight Training you literally kill muscle cells, which then grow back stronger.)

Thus the Bible’s dynamic tension is a form of spiritual resistance training, so that the more you train the more you will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. (2d Peter 3:18.) Bottom Line? Real life isn’t simple, and the Bible’s 66 books reflect that. Fortunately we have good old John 6:37 and Romans 10:9 to fall back on. (“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Emphasis added.) Which makes it a lot easier to deal with the Bible’s Dynamic Tension.

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of Two Scholars Disputing by REMBRANDT Harmenszoon … (web gallery of art.)  The explanatory section added that the most likely explanation of the painting is that it “represents St Peter and St Paul in conversation,” or even Argument:

Rembrandt omits the attributes by which the two apostles were traditionally identified, he relies only on their physical characteristics … and on what they are seen to be doing, that is earnestly discussing a text which the one (St Peter) is explaining to the other.

For other input see also canvasreplicas.com/Rembrandt, and Two Scholars Disputing by REMBRANDT Harmenszoon van Rijn.

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

For this post I borrowed from On Peter, Paul – and other “relics” (June 2015), John the Baptist, Peter and Paul – 2016, from June 2019, On a wedding in Hadley – and John, Peter and Paul, and On “John T. Baptist,” Peter and Paul – 2021. See also On the Bible’s “dynamic tension,” from March 2019. The latter included some conservatives saying liberalism is heresy. As to Billy Graham called “Antichrist,” see October 2018’s A Soldier of Christ – “and BEYOND!” Also Unholy war: The few evangelicals who stood up to Trump, noting that later in life Billy “expressed regret at his close connections to politicians and warned against being beholden to one party. The elder Graham’s granddaughter Jerushah was a vocal critic of Trump.”

The article What does “faith without works is dead” mean? – Bible Hub says that James 2:17-26 “does not imply that works earn salvation, but rather that true faith, once received, will necessarily manifest itself in outward conduct.”

The lower image is courtesy of Dynamic Tension Charles Atlas – Image Results. See also Dynamic Tension – Wikipedia, and Charles Atlas – Wikipedia.

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

June 26, 2025 – Last June 24 was the Feast Day for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. It celebrates the birth of John, “a prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus, whom he later baptised.” But first John’s father Zechariah had to be struck dumb. That event came before John’s nativity, his being born; in fact even before his conception.

(As Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”)

John’s father was a member of the “priestly order of Abijah,” and he and his wife Elizabeth were righteous before God but also old and childless. Then God sent the angel Gabriel to tell Zechariah he was about to become a father. But Zechariah had his doubts: “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.“ And that was why he got struck dumb. As Gabriel said, “Since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born.” (Luke 1:20.) He got struck dumb because he doubted. (He should have accepted on faith what was, to him, counterintuitive.) So what happened?  

The time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced…  [T]hey were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John…”

Which provides a valuable life lesson: If you won’t listen to an angel sent by God, at least listen to your wife! As shown by Luke 1:64, saying that right after Zechariah wrote out John’s name, “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.” Then came his Benedictus (Song of Zechariah), “the song of thanksgiving uttered by Zechariah on the occasion of the birth of his son, John the Baptist.”

[John] was to be a prophet, and to preach the remission of sins before the coming or the Dawn from on high.  The prophecy that he was to “go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways[,”] an allusion to the well-known words of Isaiah 40:3 which John himself afterwards applied to his own mission (John 1:23)…

Luke’s account ends with Luke 1:80, saying the child John “grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.”

Wikipedia added that this Feast comes three months after the March 25 Annunciation, when “Gabriel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy.” (He was one busy angel.) On the flip side, it comes six months before Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. Also, the “purpose of these festivals is not to celebrate the exact dates of these events, but simply to commemorate them in an interlinking way.” Finally, Wikipedia added that this Nativity is “one of the oldest festivals of the Christian church, being listed by the Council of Agde in 506 as one of that region’s principal festivals, where it was a day of rest and, like Christmas, was celebrated with three Masses: a vigil, at dawn, and at midday.”

This John went on in later years to become famous for eating Locusts and Wild Honey – “symbolizing his detachment from worldly comforts and reliance on God’s provision” – and for wearing a garment of camel hair. But in the end he was famous for his head being chopped off at the behest of Salome, of whom more below. Which I suppose is part of a “prophetic mission and ascetic lifestyle.” Or as one Christian mystic said, “It is to vigor, not comfort that you are called.”

*   *   *   *

And now some loose ends for this 2025 version. First off, this morning’s Daily Office included Psalm 119:126, “It is time for you to act, O LORD, for they have broken your law.” And boy did that sound timely! Also, years ago I got a CD of Gregorian chants by the Benedictine Monks Of The Abbey Of Saint-Maurice. Lately I’ve been listening to it a lot. On a similar note: A helpful hint for handling the often-hostile Public Discourse these days? “As a good Christian I try not to hate people just because they have a different opinion.” But I can prophesy a response by some, to which you can add, “Or demonize people, just to ease my conscience – for hating people just because they have a different opinion.” (In the meantime you might meditate on Salome…)

*   *   *   *

*   *   *   *

The upper image is courtesy of the link – Benedictus (Song of Zechariah) – in the Wikipedia article, Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The caption: “Detail of Zechariah writing down the name of his son (Domenico Ghirlandaio, 15th century, Tornabuoni Chapel, Italy).”

The Book of Common Prayer reference: The “corporate-mystical” prayer is on page 339, the post-communion prayer for Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

Feast days are designated days on the liturgical (church) calendar “set aside to commemorate events, saints, or doctrines that are important in the life of the Church. These can range from Solemnities, which are the highest-ranking feast days like Easter and Christmas, to optional memorials that celebrate lesser-known saints.” Feast Days: Celebrating the Church’s Calendar.

For this post I borrowed from Nativity of John the Baptist – 2015, On “John T. Baptist,” Peter and Paul – 2021, On John “T. Baptist” – 2023 (et alia), and John the Baptist, ’24 – and “Christian First Graders.”

On camel’s hair, see What is a Hair Shirt? – Historical Index: A “coarse garment intended to be worn next to the skin, keeping the wearer in a state of discomfort and constant awareness:”

Originally, these garments were known as cilices, in a reference to the Latin word cilicium, meaning “covering made from goat’s hair.” Early shirts were made from sackcloth or coarse animal hair so that they irritated the skin, and later versions integrated additional uncomfortable features such as thin wires or twigs. Several characters in the Bible wore hair shirts as demonstrations of religious faith, and the practice was picked up by devout members of society and the Church. The term “cilice” is now used more generally for any object worn to increase discomfort.

Re: “To vigor, not comfort.” Here’s the full quote on the life of a new Christian:

Hearing now and again the mysterious piping of the Shepherd, you realize your own perpetual forward movement…  Do not suppose from this that your new career is to be perpetually supported by agreeable spiritual contacts, or occupy itself in the mild contemplation of the great world through which you move. True, it is said of the Shepherd that he carries the lambs in his bosom; but the sheep are expected to walk, and to put up with the bunts and blunders of the flock. It is to vigour rather than comfort that you are called.

From Evelyn Underhill’s Practical Mysticism, Ariel Press, 1914, at page 177.

The Psalm 119:126 translation is from the Book of Common Prayer Psaltery.

Re: Gregorian chant. For a sample, ️Gregorian Chant. Christian Meditation Music. Relaxation.

The lower image is courtesy of Salome – Wikipedia. The caption: “‘Salomé,’ by Henri Regnault (1870).” The article added that this Salome (III) was…

…a Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II, who was the son of Herod the Great, with princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great, and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New Testament, where she is not named, and from an account by Flavius Josephus. In the New Testament, the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas demands and receives the head of John the Baptist.

*   *   *   *