2012 Golden Halo winner Mary Magdalene prepares to welcome her successor.
Well, friends, we began this Lent Madness journey over five weeks ago on “Ash Thursday.” We started with 32 saints and have now whittled the field down to two: Frances Perkins and Luke the Evangelist.
While there's been lots of talk about modern saints vs. "bedrock" saints and the "fairness" of it all, in the end the Faithful Four was very well balanced. We had a 20th-century lay woman, a 1st-century evangelist, a 20th-century martyred Salvadoran bishop, and a 7th-century abbess. Wow!
Regardless of the ultimate outcome, we’ve met some truly remarkable holy people along the way. Perhaps you learned about folks you’d never heard of or maybe you renewed acquaintances with saints who have long offered inspiration. Of course the entire notion of placing saints in a bracket is absurd — each “contestant” has already earned a crown of righteousness in addition to a “golden halo.” But at the heart of Lent Madness is the abiding conviction that encountering those who have come before us in the faith enriches and enlivens our own walk with the risen Christ.
In the process of this whimsical Lenten devotion we've all made some new online friends, encountered a community of believers who take their faith but not themselves too seriously, learned some things, were inspired by saintly witnesses, and had a lot fun along the way.
Of course we literally couldn’t have done this without our stellar “Celebrity Bloggers” to whom we offer sincere gratitude. Laurie Brock, Megan Castellan, Penny Nash, Heidi Shott, David Sibley, Laura Toepfer, Neil Alan Willard, Chris Yaw. The unsung hero of this whole operation is former Celebrity Blogger and current Bracket Czar Adam Thomas. And we can't forget the ever mysterious Maple Anglican who brought us the inimitable shenanigans of Archbishops Thomas and John (watch today's video highlighting our final match-up here). You all rock!
Finally, thanks to all of you who participated by voting, commenting, drinking coffee out of Lent Madness mugs, filling in brackets, talking about saints at coffee hour, and allowing us to play a small role in your Lenten journey. We’ve loved having each one of you along for the “madness” and on behalf of the Supreme Executive Committee we wish you a blessed Holy Week and a joyous Easter.
Oh, wait, there’s one more thing before we set our face toward the Triduum. Cast your vote for either Frances Perkins or Luke the Evangelist — the 2013 Golden Halo hangs in the balance! The polls will be open for 24 hours and the winner will be announced at 8:00 am Eastern time on Maundy Thursday.
Frances Perkins
"The technique of administration in a democracy is not easy…The statute law and the natural law, the law of God, must be somehow or other blended together, and fairness and decency and patience must prevail."
Frances Perkins, 1939
Luke the Evangelist
"Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people."
Luke 2:10
Vote!
[poll id="76"]
207 comments on “For the Golden Halo: Frances Perkins vs. Luke the Evangelist”
Mrs. Perkins deserves the title "Saint" but I just couldn't bring myself to vote against St. Luke. Talk about spreading the Gospel!..... I would think he did more than his share! Go, Luke
Luke already has a halo, I'm certain of that. So, my vote goes to Frances.
I have to vote for Luke. That gospel is my fav. - a gospel of prayer, women, the poor and the Holy Spirit. It is not even close for me. The Christology is foundational for liberation theology (or any movement that seeks to lift up the poor and marginalized). I cannot imagine the canon without it.
In Luke, the infant Jesus was greeted by poor shepherds (rather than Matthew's magi), and Jesus' adult ministry begins with:
"He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ (17b-21)
It would seem to me that Frances Perkins was acting on the words found in the Gospel According to Luke. I have voted for her in past rounds, but not this time. While I believe strongly that we must lift up the voices of women who have, through the centuries, not been acknowledged, this particular match-up is no contest for me.
As before, it has been a fun ride through this Lent Madness. And, while I will find it disconcerting if Luke is defeated, I will still look forward to next year's brackets. Thank you SEC!
And besides...we're in Year C!
GO LUKE! Send Frances to the NIT
Where did Perkins get her sense of appropriate mission if not for the astounding history, instructions, events as St. Luke was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write in what is now called "Acts of the Apostles"? Oops--maybe many of your voters have not ever prayerfully studied the Book of Acts!
CoolHand LUKE!! LUKE!!
If it weren't for Luke, Frances' ministry might never have been honored as such...Frances' ministry is the fulfillment of the kind of equality Luke envisioned...oh what to do?!?!
Luke is the one for me. Without his records, we would have few of the intimate details of Jesus' life.
A hard decision rendered indoor poolside: Hope and Skye yelled "Go Frances" and then jumped in! Thanks for all the great Lent Madness fun!!!
An interesting choice, between a woman of valor who actually worked for the Lord's will in her life over a long period of time, and an anonymous writer of Luke-Acts.
Some will feel miffed, as do those who jumped ship over their inability to comprehend humor, unless we truly do "get it," that all of these candidates from the git-go are already wearing their Golden Halos. Their position of honor is far beyond our poor power to add or detract.
That was fun - thanks - I particularly enjoyed learning about Hilda of Whitby and i think over Easter I will make a short pilgrimage across the Dales to visit her Abbey and Whitby
Thank you for giving faces and stories to the "cloud of witnesses"-those in Heaven and the bloggers celebrity and otherwise who post here. It has been funny and thought provoking and when I ready my Day by Day there is a face and voice to associate with it. Thank you all and a blessed Tridium.
I've certainly enjoyed this Madness (more than March Madness in which my team has already been vanquished.) I'm voting today for Luke's "great joy for all people" over Perkins' blend of church and state.
Dear SEC
Along with several friends, I have enjoyed the company of Holy Women and Holy Men as never before. Thank you.
As Maple Anglican has made clear, the Golden Halo is of no real moment; the aim is Lenten fun. Thank you.
The Triduum will seem more holy, and Easter more joyful than ever this year. Thank you.
You are a Blessing; may we whom you have touched be as much.
I have no consistent policy by which I cast my vote. Well, I confess to a preference for story over abstraction, so theologians don't usually get my vote. Luke is always my saint. Luke's narrative hermeneutic in Acts 10 taught me HOW to read the Bible.
That said, this is Lent MADness after all. That a bureaucrat could live out her Magnificat faith for the benefit of the poor, that because of her I could retire when sick, rather than work until I did myself in, that -- so many things -- these are holy madness at its best. I surprise myself today by casting my vote for Frances.
Oh, and because of that song that made this saint wannabe an Episcopalian --We meet them not only in ages past, there are hundreds of thousands still...
This year has been informative in so many ways. Blessings to all through this Holy Week and into the joy of Easter Resurrection!
As of this writing (2:40 Pacific Time) it appears as though the combined forces of Big Lobster, Mount Holyoke, and the Department of Labor have conspired to bring Frances to the fore. Those of us who voted for Luke should not loose hope. Maybe Big Pineapple can pull one out for the Gospel Writer.
If you have already voted - call your friends and neighbors, call your friends' neighbors, call your neighbors' friends. Tell them to go to http://www.lentmadness.org and vote for Luke. They don't even need to know why - they should respect you enough to to do as you ask - at least this one time. Perhaps bribery with cookies or the gift of a Lent Madness mug would persuade. LET'S DO IT!
Or, maybe people just want to expand the tent of sanctity to people who used their daily life to do good in the name of Christ, and did so and lived to tell about it. A vote FOR Francis isn't a vote AGAINST Luke, or the Gospel, or Evangelism, or anything else.
I don't remember writing anything about voting AGAINST Francis (spelled it right this time). I am just trying to drum up support FOR Luke. By the way, the last time I read the Acts of the Apostles I seem to recall that Luke did use his "daily life to do good in the name of Christ ... and lived to tell about it."
I was so proud of correcting myself in spelling Frances' name, now I see that the corretion is wrong and the original "error" was correct. Perhaps a parable for our times?
heh.
Dear Aleathia! I shall so miss your Southern drawl ! For a whole year ! Ah, well, more LMW.
Luke has my vote.
In 1975, my husband and I joined a church in N. California, and wandered into a prayer group called "Acts 29". Everyone laughed when we asked, "Which verse?"
All of us ARE Acts 29!
Love your reflection, Mainecelt!! It's all Madness and Mystery!
"Francis" with an "i" is a man's name. "Frances" with an "e" is a woman's name.
Re: Frances' contingent: well, and a few Christians following their hearts in there too, one hopes! : )
I have decided for Luke but I am voting later - 'voting strategically' - in order to lull the Francescans into a false sense of security, and lure any undecided voters to the current underdog Luke. Mwha haha!
...Oh, the perfidy in my heart! Appropriately for this Spy Wednesday I have been forced to confront the deviousness in my own heart, that I would try to rock the vote thusly. No moral high ground here, I'm afraid...Also, there is a very good chance I will forget to vote later and cost Luke my own d@mn vote. So fine, I will abandon my cunning evil plan and go vote now. As The Man said to that other guy, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” (Jn 13)
"and a few Christians following their hearts in there too, one hopes! : )"
Yes, me! As others have pointed out, there is also plenty of cross-over between Christians and Mount Holyoke alums / and union households (including mine)
My vote goes for LUKE for without his wonderful Gospel and Acts of the Apostles there would be an important chunk left out of our bibles. Just think what we would be missing out on. But my vote also goes with all those beautiful, hardworking and persevering saints old and new who have challenged us to live for Christ and the Gospel. That includes dear Francis too.
Oh and a big THANK YOU to the Lent Madness crew who put this altogether each year. This is my first time and I have learnt so much about the many people who have contributed so worthily in following Christ. Needless to say, I will happily follow along next year and join my votes to the growing throng. I live (and vote) from Australia and not sure how many of us there are voting but I would be interested to know. Where do we all come from? Thanks again it has been very interesting, funny, challenging, and thought provoking. Have a blessed Easter and look forward to 2014
I guess if Luke has to lose to someone, an Episcopal laywoman employed in the public sector (like me!) will do. #nosainthere
OK peeps, if you are going to vote for Frances, at least spell her name correctly -- that would be Frances with an E. Thanks!
I've been reminiscing today about Francis the Talking Mule telling Donald O'Connor (somewhat indignantly) how to spell his name. (You may well be too young to remember.) 😀
Oh no, I'm not too young!
As much as I appreciate Frances Perkins, and all that she did for us today, I still had to go with Luke in this final vote. For as one person said, without Luke, how would we know Christ's message?
Thanks for another entertaining and informative round of Lent Madness! Can't wait until next year!
Thank you to the SEC, the CB's, MA and the Archies. This has been a blast, and I have learned so much. In reading Frances' biography, I am struck by the irony of what she could accomplish vs. what people of vision struggle to accomplish today. She has my vote (with great love to Luke, whose halo is surgically attached).
"O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!"
(Oops. Inappropriate use of the A word in Holy Week.)
When will the 2013 mugs be available?
I am still mourning San Romero de América losing to Luke yesterday but at least I didn't have to deal with the agonising choice between Romero and Perkins.
i have enjoyed every second of LM...i have learned so much. i didn't know of it until this year. now i will be ready for 2014 LM. i am already having LMW. thanks to all who taught me things i didn't know. HAPPY EASTER!
Frances Perkins was the correct response to a Jeopardy clue tonight. None of the contestants knew it. I was shouting it at the TV. Thanks Lent Madness! I would not have known it 6 weeks ago!
It's so sad to be casting the last vote in this year's LM, isn't it? But cheer up and stave off LMW by doing some Saintly research so you can propose some interesting contestants for next year. Thanks to the SEC and bloggers and all involved for the opportunity to have fun while learning.
Thanks to all bloggers, SEC, Maple Anglican and commenters for this Lenten experience, no matter who captures they Halo.
the Halo