Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary- 8 September

 Since the Elizabethan Prayer Book of 1559, the Nativity or Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been included as a "black letter day" or minor commemoration on some Anglican calendars. Although we have no real historical information about her birth, we know that it occurred and that she played an important and holy role in the story of redemption. So it is certainly appropriate to think of the Blessed Virgin in a special way today and to give thanks for her birth, life, and faith. In the words of Luke 1:28:

     And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. (KJV)

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary- 2 July- Luke 1:39-45

 The second day of July is a lesser feast or on traditional Anglican calendars, a "black letter day."  The day is the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Some calendars since the 1970's observe the Visitation on 31 May.)  Although in certain aspects a minor observance, the Visitation is a significant biblical commemoration. This significance is seen in the Gospel from St. Luke 1:39-45:

"And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

This Gospel account contains several points. It shows the kinship of Mary and Elizabeth, as well as the devotional and theological ties between them and their sons. Elizabeth also points to the blessedness of Mary and the fruit of her womb. Note that even this early in the Christian story, Mary is called "the mother of my Lord." Mary's pregnancy is unique from the beginning; it is the Incarnation of our Lord, the Christ, God the Son. So it is certainly appropriate to recall this event and to meditate on the importance of the Incarnation and Mary's role in God's redeeming work.

Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary- 8 December- Luke 1

Yesterday, December 8, is listed as a "Black Letter Day" or minor commemoration on the calendar of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The eighth of December is a day traditionally called "The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary." Since it is not directly based on a specific Scripture event, the BCP does not provide it with liturgical propers, and some Anglicans have been hesitant to commemorate this day because we do not accept certain papal interpretations of her conception.

Nevertheless, the day is part of the Prayer Book tradition, and it is certainly appropriate for us to remember the blessed Virgin and honor her, especially during the season of Advent. The greeting of the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation echoes in our minds. As St. Luke 1. 26-28 says, AND in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.

While Anglicans have differing views about some traditions regarding Mary, we all agree that she was "highly favoured" and "blessed among women." Her role in God's plan of salvation and the Incarnation of God the Son was important and unique. The blessed Virgin should be respected, and she should inspire us to deeper devotion.

St. Nicholas of Myra- 6 December- John 1:1

December 6 is the real traditional feast day of St. Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop from Asia Minor (or modern Turkey). Bishop Nicholas was noted for several things such as caring for the poor, especially the young. Even more importantly in church history, this bishop was noted for being a defender of orthodox views of Christ at the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea in 325 AD. He really believed the words of John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 

So Nicholas' feast day is a good time to contemplate two points as we prepare for Christmas. 1) Advent and Christmas are about the identity of the Christ Child. Christmas is about the Incarnation; Mary's Child is God the Son who comes into the world as a human to save sinners. 2) Nicholas reminds us about the true Christian significance of giving gifts. As God gives us His Son and many other blessings, we give to those around us, especially those weak or in need. Just as St. Nicholas focused on faith in Christ, we should do likewise in our Advent preparations.

Holy Cross Day- 14 September- Galatians 6:14

Holy Cross Day, also known as the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, is observed on September 14. It is one of the medieval feasts that is included as a "black letter day" or minor commemoration on the calendar of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The 1962 Canadian BCP provides a Collect for Holy Cross Day and suggests the Epistle and Gospel for Passion Sunday (Lent V). The day is also referenced indirectly in the 1928 American BCP (page li) and wherever the autumnal Ember Days have continued to be observed. These traditional days of special prayer for Christian ministry occur on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following Holy Cross Day.

While many Anglicans do not accept all the ancient legends and medieval accretions associated with this festival, Holy Cross Day can be a useful reminder. The cross is a basic symbol of Christianity, and good theology is centered on Christ's cross. In a sense, every day is a holy cross day for Christian believers. We have been baptized into the cross of our Lord, we continue to be saved by the work Christ performed on the cross, and we anticipate the final triumph of the Crucified Savior and our heavenly fellowship with Him. It is appropriate for us to pause and give thanks that the horrible instrument of death has been transformed by God's redeeming work in Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 6:14, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

St. Mary Magdalene- 22 July

Although not in the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer, the commemoration of St. Mary Magdalene has been included in several Books of Common Prayer. It is also a "Black Letter Day" in the 1662 BCP. 

St. Mary Magdalene is a biblical saint who has sometimes been neglected while at other times she has been the subject of extravagant and even heretical legends and secular literature. The New Testament evidence about her is simple but important. She was one of several women named Mary (Maria, Maryam, or Miriam). Christ healed her from demonic afflictions (St. Luke 8:2), she became a loyal disciple and supporter (St. Luke 8:2-3), and she was present at the Crucifixion (St. Mark 15:40). She was also one of the first witnesses at the empty tomb (St. Mark 16:1; St. Matthew 28:1; St. John 20:1-2), and she was the first witness who encountered the risen Lord (St. John 20:11-18).

Some commentators, ancient and modern, have speculated that she was the same woman who anointed Jesus' feet in St. Luke 7:37-50, but this identification is not certain. There are many later stories about her that are doubtful, but the Eastern Orthodox tradition that Mary Magdalene eventually accompanied the Apostle John and the Virgin Mary to Ephesus is plausible.

Mary Magdalene exemplifies a number of Gospel themes. She is a notable example of the healing and redeeming power of Jesus Christ in human life, and she also shows a penitent, loving, and faithful response to His grace. May her example inspire us. May we likewise be open and responsive witnesses to Christ's power and grace!

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary- 2 July

The second day of July is a lesser feast or on traditional Anglican calendars, a "black letter day."  The day is the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Some calendars since the 1970's observe the Visitation on 31 May.) As a lesser feast, it is often overlooked, and that is especially true in North America, since it falls between Canada Day (July 1) and US Independence Day (July 4). Nevertheless, the Visitation is a significant biblical commemoration. This significance is seen in the Gospel from St. Luke 1:39-45:

"And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

In this Gospel account, there are several points. We see the kinship of Mary and Elizabeth, as well as the devotional and theological ties between them and their sons. Elizabeth also points to the blessedness of Mary and the fruit of her womb. Note that even this early in the story, Mary is called "the mother of my Lord." Mary's pregnancy is unique from the beginning; it is the Incarnation of our Lord, the Christ, God the Son. So it is certainly appropriate to meditate on the importance of the Incarnation and the role of Mary's faith in God's redeeming work.

Anglican "Black Letter Days"

Over the centuries, the church calendar has developed many special days, beginning with each Sunday or Lord's Day and major observances such as Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost. With time, other major feasts such as Epiphany, Christmas, and other observances associated with Christ, the Virgin, and the Apostles were included. Later, many local commemorations of martyrs, saints, and events were added. Some of these became universal or at least widespread in the Eastern or Western traditions. By the time of the Renaissance and Reformation, calendars had become very complicated, and many scholars of varying perspectives were calling for calendar reform and simplification.

Among Anglicans, the efforts of Archbishop Cranmer were influenced by other sixteenth-century efforts. In the 1549 Book of Common Prayer, Lutheran examples may have led him to only include "red-letter days," major feasts (and fasts) associated with Christ and other New Testament figures or events. Yet, many other commemorations remained part of popular English Christian culture. So in the 1552 Book of Common Prayer, many long-standing observances were added to the calendar as "black-letter days," or minor commemorations. These days mostly dealt with the feasts of ancient post-biblical saints or figures from early English church history. Some were well-known historical figures such as Augustine of Hippo or Jerome; some such as St. Agnes, St. George, and St. Valentine were probably ancient martyrs whose stories were elaborated in legend; some such as St. Blaise or St. Crispin may or may not have been historical. The 1552 list of days was augmented in 1561 and 1662.

On this blog, I do not always comment on particular "black-letter days." There are so many days, and there is little trustworthy information about some of them. Nevertheless, even as the names of almost forgotten martyrs and saints, many deserve to be remembered. Moreover, some of these days concern influential persons or events in the history of the universal or catholic Church which deserve our attention. So even if I do not comment on them in my posts, I commend the minor commemorations, especially those related to the ancient Church, to your attention.

Saint Nicholas of Myra

Of course, today, December 6, is the real feast of St. Nicholas, fouth-century bishop from Asia Minor (or modern Turkey). It is a good time to remind ourselves and others about the true Christian significance of this saint and of gift-giving. St. Nicholas focused on faith in Christ, not on commercialism. Let us do likewise in our Advent preparations.

Transfiguration of Christ- 6 August- Luke 9:28-36

The feast of the Transfiguration of Christ commemorates an important and mysterious event from the Gospels (e.g., St. Luke 9:28-36). Strangely enough, however, the feast of the Transfiguration has not always received very much emphasis. In the Eastern church, the observance goes back to the fourth century, but it did not spread in the Western church before the ninth century. It did not become a universal feast of the Latin church until 1457. In the English Church, the feast was removed in 1549 and was restored as a "Black Letter Day" in 1561. In the American Book of Common Prayer, the Transfiguration was restored with liturgical propers in 1892.

In the Gospels, our Lord takes Peter, John, and James up onto a mountain where He has a shining appearance during prayer. Moses and Elijah appear and converse with Jesus, and a divine voice proclaims, "This is my beloved Son, hear him."

This event says three things about Jesus: 1) the Law and the Prophets witness to Him as He continues their work, 2) His work involves dying at Jerusalem and 3) He is the unique, glorious, and beloved Son of the heavenly Father.