Theologian's Almanac for Week of August 15, 2021
Welcome to SALT’s “Theologian’s Almanac,” a weekly selection of important birthdays, holidays, and other upcoming milestones worth marking — specially created for a) writing sermons and prayers, b) creating content for social media channels, and c) enriching your devotional life.
For the week of Sunday, August 15:
August 16 is the day Aretha Franklin died in 2018 in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 76. The undisputed “Queen of Soul,” Franklin defined the age of soul music in the 1960s and 70s — and her live album, “Amazing Grace,” recorded at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1972, is a landmark example of Christian faith in musical form. It’s the bestselling live gospel album of all time (as well as Franklin’s bestselling album), and now is memorialized as an extraordinary documentary film of the same name: “Amazing Grace.” Not to be missed!
August 18 is the 101st anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, recognizing that women have the right to vote. The amendment’s initial version was officially proposed in 1878 — and in every congressional session since — and finally (and narrowly!) passed both the House and the Senate in 1919, whereupon it was sent to the states to be ratified. Most states in the South stood against the amendment, but on this date 101 years ago, it was clear that if Tennessee passed it, it would be ratified nationally. As the state legislature gathered to vote, the atmosphere was electric.
Those in favor of the amendment wore yellow roses in their lapels; those opposed, red roses. With the vote tied at 48-48, all eyes turned to 24-year-old Harry Burn, the youngest legislator in the chamber. He was widely expected to vote against the amendment (he reportedly was wearing a red rose), but his mother had written him a letter, which he carried that day in his pocket. She wrote: “Dear Son: Hurrah, and vote for suffrage! Don't keep them in doubt. I noticed some of the speeches against. They were bitter. I have been watching to see how you stood, but have not noticed anything yet. Don't forget to be a good boy and help Mrs. Catt put the 'rat' in ratification. Your Mother." Harry Burn voted in favor. And so, as we approach next year’s elections, the moral of the story is: Every vote (and every letter) counts!
August 18 is also the Holy Day of Helena, mother of Constantine (c.255-c.330), the emperor whose conversion to Christianity marked a new age in the religion’s history. At the spry age of 70, Helena made pilgrimage to the Holy Land, founding basilicas at Bethlehem and on the Mount of Olives. As of the late fourth century, legend had it that she discovered the crosses on which Jesus and the two thieves with whom he was crucified. And ever since, St. Helena has been thought especially able when it comes to discovering thieves!
August 20 is the Holy Day of Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153).He was a fierce theological advocate, an eloquent writer — and, unlike many of his contemporaries, a strong critic of Christian persecution of Jews. He is widely considered a Doctor (i.e., a preeminent teacher) of the Church. He wrote: “There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is Love.”
More Bernard: “What we love we shall grow to resemble.” And: “Believe me, you will find more lessons in the woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you what you cannot learn from masters.” And: “‘My burden is light,’ said the blessed Redeemer, a light burden indeed, which carries him that bears it. I have looked through all nature for a resemblance of this, and seem to find a shadow of it in the wings of a bird, which are indeed borne by the creature, and yet support her flight towards heaven.”
And finally, Bernard wrote: “Who loves me, loves my dog.”