The Saints of St. Andrew Parish
a reflection by Leo Remington
Look up at the windows surrounding us now; look at the saints enshrined here at St. Andrew. These are the holy people of God, men and women who followed Christ to such an extent that their names and lives have been officially revered by generations of Christians. Of all the millions of Christians through 2000 years, these people have been given to us as superlative examples of how to follow the call of the Gospel in our lives.
Notice how the light shines through the glass and paint to make them glow, as if they were illuminated by a heavenly source that makes them shine for all to see and admire.
It is as if the very light of God’s glory enlightens and enlivens their images, the grace of God shining from within to make them glorious.
Yet, everyone of the people depicted in our windows were common people, just like us, who heard the call of Jesus and followed that call in their own time, in their own way. Certainly their lives were extraordinary, but they would all humbly protest that what they did was not extraordinary; they only lived a simple life whole-heartedly based on the ideals of Jesus and filled with his Holy Spirit. Simple lives, yes, but fully and completely, with all they had to offer, totally lived each moment for the glory of God and the service of God’s people.
Of course, they were imperfect in that pursuit. Every saint is also a sinner, but their glory came from acknowledging that, seeking forgiveness for their trespasses, and going on from there to seek more deeply the Kingdom of God and its justice.
Look. There is Peter, leader of the chosen twelve. He carried on the leadership of the new way that Jesus taught the first disciples. We revere him as the first pope, and the greatest church in Catholicism is dedicated to his memory. Yet at a crucial moment, he denied that he knew Jesus, and he ran away when Jesus died on the cross.
Next to him is Paul, the first intellectual and missionary in the history of the Church. His volumes of teaching about the way to follow Christ still inspire us—and puzzle us. Yet he persecuted the early followers of Jesus. He is even enshrined, in our windows, next to St. Stephen, the first martyr. Paul stood by and held the cloaks of the executioners. In our language, that would make him an accessory to the crime.
Mary Magdalen: the woman disciple who was the most dedicated to Jesus and the first to announce his resurrection. St. Mark tells us that Jesus had cast seven devils from her. Whatever this means, we know for sure that she was not perfect, probably doubting at times whether following this crazy Nazarene was really worth the trouble.
Catherine: devoted nun, writer, servant of the poor, mystic, and politician. She scolded the pope and persuaded him to return from Avignon to the papal residence in Rome. She wrote mystical treatises that are now classics in Christian literature. She devoted her life to helping the poor and victims of war. She was an ambassador for peace between warring factions. And she was constantly in prayer, delving deeply into the heart and soul of Jesus himself. You wonder if she had time to eat and sleep, and the legend about her says that she didn’t. But don’t you try this at home.
Brigit: contemporary and friend of St. Patrick, complementing him as the other patron saint of Ireland. She too was a mystic, and a patron of the arts. She established schools, monasteries, and convents. It is said that while in prayer, she was guided by an angel to create the most beautiful ever illuminated book of the Gospels.
I tried to find some negative shortcomings of the woman saints depicted in our windows, but I couldn’t. This could mean that their lives were more perfect than the men’s, or that they had better public relations departments. But we can be sure there were times in their lives that they came short of the ideals God called them to.
If I had time, I could go on with the rest of these people shining in our windows—Francis, Benedict, Clare, Thomas Aquinas, Agnes, and the writers of the Good News--Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All saints, all human, all people just like us except for their exceptional devotion to the call of Jesus in the Gospels.
The light of God, the life of God, shines through their lives to illumine and inspire the rest of us to follow the Spirit in the works of Jesus today.…shining through their lives, God’s glory and love becomes real and relevant.
Now, lower your eyes and look at the people across from you.
You are looking at followers of Jesus, holy people who are living ordinary lives, but with extraordinary devotion to the Kingdom of God and its justice. Saints? Yes, most assuredly, saints. Likely never to be enshrined in windows or to be the subject of bizarre legends, but living witnesses of the light and love of God for people of our own time. Certainly they have flaws and shortcomings, but with the grace of God they redeem themselves daily—with the help of Jesus the Redeemer for all—and they continue to show, to live, to translate the Gospels in ways our world needs today.
The light of God, the life of God, shines through their lives to illumine and inspire the rest of us to follow the Spirit in the works of Jesus today.…shining through their lives, God’s glory and love becomes real and relevant.
Now for the hard part—your homework assignment. (Hold up mirror)
Sometime, soon, remove yourself from your busy life and spend some time in contemplation. Look at yourself in a mirror and think of the saints at St. Andrew, the ones in the windows and the ones in the pews.
Now I warn you: There are demons in a mirror. If you are now, or ever have been, a teenager, you will know about the demons in the mirror. They maliciously want you to see negative parts of yourself--a nose that is odd, wrinkles and flaws that shouldn’t be there, a face that decidedly does not look like the latest media idol. Don’t fight the demons; this only makes them stronger. Just gently tell them that you are busy with something else and you don’t need them right now. As you gaze at yourself in the mirror, breathe deeply, surround yourself with calm and reflection, and look intently at your own image.
You are looking at a follower of Jesus, a holy person who is living an ordinary life, but with extraordinary devotion to the Kingdom of God and its justice. A saint? Yes, most assuredly, a saint. With all your flaws and foibles, with all your greatness and grandeur, the light of God illuminates your life just as it illuminates the saints in our windows.
The light of God, the life of God, shines through your life to illumine and inspire the rest of us to follow the Spirit in the works of Jesus today.…shining through your life, God’s glory and love becomes real and relevant. You can do it—you are doing it. With God calling you to greatness, with Jesus at your side and in your heart, and with the Holy Spirit as your cheerleader, you can do it. You are a saint.
Here are the saints of God, shining in their lives and loves with the radiance of the Risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit--the ancient ones in our windows, the friends and family gathered here,
and you.
