But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God?
One of the fascinating things about my faith is that it leaves room for very differing views and opinions. Not only does it leave room, it was largely founded on navigating a way that skirts both sides of very polar positions. This is very evident in the two people commemorated in different sources for appointed reading for Morning Prayer – John Calvin and Mechthild of Madgeburg.
The Book of Common Prayer, the regular standard source for the appointed readings and special commemorations lists today as a day to remember Mechthild of Madgeburg. She was a 13th century mystic, who wrote about her visions of God. Interestingly, she was a woman, and she didn’t know Latin, so she wrote in German. Not that German is an inherently holy language, but she was countering the notion that Latin was inherently holy, or at least holier. These are two things that most 13th century mystics weren’t.
During morning prayers, we learn a little about the person commemorated, and then offer a prayer, highlighting some aspect of the person’s life or faith to be followed. The prayer for Mechthild reads, “Draw near to the souls of your people, O God, that like your servant Mechthild we may yearn to know you ever more, just as we are known intimately by you”. Very contemplative. Very mystical. The Gospel reading appointed for her commemoration is Jesus coming to the house of Mary and Martha, and Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, being contemplative. Martha is bustling about, testy that Mary isn’t helping. Jesus says Mary’s doing the right thing. Very contemplative and very mystical.
The other place we get a list of people to commemorate is from a supplemental resource, called Holy Women, Holy Men. It’s a newer book that adds a bunch of more modern, more varied names to the calendar for remembrances. It’s routinely used for weekday Eucharist services, but also used in the Daily Office. John Calvin is listed in that source for today’s appointed person. Calvin was a 16th century Reformation theologian. He focused on the authority of scripture, the nature of Christian life, and predestination. While these are heady concepts, he was basically trying to reel in the excesses of the Church, and get back to basics. The Gospel reading appointed for his commemoration is Jesus talking about being the true vine. Those who don’t abide in Jesus are taken up and burned. Very reformed. Less mystical. He could have taken issue with Mechthild's writings, and yet they're both commemorated today.
A portion of the prayer written for Calvin’s commemoration is “you brought John Calvin from a study of legal systems to understand the godliness of your divine laws as revealed in Scripture”. Very reformation-like. Very practical.
I love that my tradition can hold both of these people out as worthy of commemoration. There is rarely an either/or, but a both/and. I read somewhere that in describing our tradition, someone said that the truth was not in the middle of polar positions, or in either extreme. Rather, the truth is in both extremes.
I have a particular way of believing the world should be, government should be, God is shown in the world. Other people have other ways. I’m no more exclusively right than they are, and there’s room in the world for both rights. It feels like most people of faith have forgotten that there’s room at God’s table for all perspectives and flavors. For the Mary’s and Martha’s. For the Mechthild’s and Calvin’s. This morning, I’m grateful that my tradition, in theory, believes that there is room for all. Today, I want to remember that my way of thinking, my corner of the US, my liberal denomination may be true. But so are the faithfully held beliefs that differ.
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