This morning, I’m inspired by the lives of the two women celebrated in Holy Women, Holy Men, a supplemental prayer resource that every day, highlights lesser known, normal people who led lives worth following. Many communities use this book as the source of the Morning Prayer readings and prayers. Each day, there’s a new Holy Woman or Holy Man, a little summary of why the Church included them in the book, alternative scripture readings related to their life, and a prayer to bring it all together.
Ms. Cooper and Ms. Wright were both African American teachers in the US who first learned and then taught in a divided and hateful system. Ms. Cooper was the daughter of a slave and white man (presumably the slave’s master), was the principal of African American High School in Washington DC, and lost her job for refusing to lower the academic standards for her students because they were black. Ms. Wright was in college Tuskegee in the late 1800’s, and quit her own schooling to create a school for rural African American children in South Carolina. Her school was burned down by arsonists, and she returned to complete her education.
These two women were both drawn to teach children of God who at the time, society saw as second class. They knew in their hearts that these children deserved a high quality education, and despite the risks and hardships, they answered that call.
From them and the selected reading from 1 Timothy, there is much to learn. It’s through how we live our lives that we teach. These two women taught not only the children, but everyone around them, everyone who saw their actions. They taught by how they lived. By their love, faith, integrity, demeanor, and word.
I want to be that person. To be clear, I’m not a trained educator, and that is not my gift. But through my life, I want others to see God’s love. Through what I say. Through what I believe. Through what I do. Through how I love.
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