Only in Lent Madness will you find a seventeenth-century nun doing battle with an archangel. But that's what we have going on in today's matchup between Juana Inés de la Cruz and Gabriel the Archangel. Is pitting a mere mortal against an ephemeral being unfair? Perhaps. Though, as always, it's up to the Lent Madness voting community to decide who advances to the next round.
In Monday action, Emma of Hawaii took down Hugh of Lincoln 64% to 36%.
In case you missed yesterday's stirring edition of Monday Madness, you can watch it here. Still hungry for Lent Madness news? Watch the Lent Madness anchor desk from Christ Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Lenten creativity knows no bounds!
Juana Inés de la Cruz
Juana Inés de la Cruz was a seventeenth-century nun, writer, philosopher, mystic, poet, and pot-stirrer in Spanish colonial Mexico.
Born in 1648 near Mexico City, Juana is described on her birth certificate as “a daughter of the Church,” which was a quaint way of stating that she was illegitimate. Her maternal grandfather, however, let her and her mother live in his massive hacienda, and little Juana would sneak into his library—something she was punished for as girls were not encouraged to educate themselves. By age 3, she had taught herself to read and write Latin, by age 5 she had taken over the hacienda’s accounts, and by age 8, she had written a lovely poem on the meaning of the eucharist.
At age 16, having thoroughly frustrated her mother and grandfather, her guardians sent her off to Mexico City, in a sort of debutante/finishing school situation. She didn’t take kindly to this—she wrote home and requested permission to disguise herself as a boy so she could enroll in real school. No luck. Instead, she was assigned as a lady-in-waiting to the colonial vicereine (the wife of the viceroy of New Spain.)
In 1667, she joined a Carmelite nunnery, seeking more time for study, quiet, and contemplation. The Carmelites didn’t quite fit the bill, so in 1669, she tried again, joining a Hieronymite order. This one stuck, and her fame began to spread throughout colonial Mexico for her writings and her poetry. Everything was fine until 1690, when the local bishop published a letter she wrote, containing her critique of a 40-year-old sermon given by a well-known Portuguese priest. The bishop attached his own commentary to Juana’s critique, saying, essentially, “This is why women shouldn’t write and should stick to praying.” Juana, irate, then published another letter, which argued at length for a woman’s God-given right to educate herself and instruct others. “One can perfectly well philosophize while cooking dinner,” she said, while listing all the women in the scriptures who did not appear to heed the bishop’s advice. The local bishop (and the archbishop of Mexico) did not care for her input. They convinced her to cease public writing and counseling, at the risk of official censure or ex-communication. (It was the Inquisition. They weren’t playing.) She died in 1695 while nursing her fellow nuns during a plague outbreak.
Collect for Juana Inés de la Cruz
Almighty God, Source of all knowledge, we give you thanks for the witness of your servant Juana Inés de la Cruz in her fierce passion for learning and creativity. Teach us to be faithful stewards of our minds and hearts, so that, following her example, we might forever proclaim the riches of your unending love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Jesus Christ who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Gabriel the Archangel
Three of the world’s major religions—Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—hold Gabriel in high esteem, as he appears in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Qu’ran.
While Gabriel means “God is my Strength” in Hebrew, the archangel has many monikers: Celestial Messenger, Strength of God, Keeper of Holiness, Angel of Mercy, and Angel of the Power of God. In the Bible, angels are considered agents of God. And being an agent was clearly Gabriel’s calling.
We first meet Gabriel in the Old Testament where he explains and interprets Daniel’s dreams to him. The Book of Daniel contains two other references to unnamed angels who some scholars believe are both Gabriel.
His most famous appearances are in the New Testament Gospel of Luke, where Gabriel has two significant visitations: to Zechariah to announce the birth of his son, John the Baptist, and to Mary announcing the coming of her son, Jesus. Gabriel’s greeting to Mary forms the basis of our familiar and loving prayer: Hail Mary, full of grace.
Gabriel is believed by some to be the angel who sang to the shepherds at the birth of Jesus. Other legends point to Gabriel as the angel who warned Joseph to take the Holy Family to Egypt, sat with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and spoke to the women at the tomb on the third day. Gabriel is a favorite subject for artists. For example, the Annunciation—the commemoration of when Gabriel visited Mary—is illustrated in many forms, from famous paintings to magnificent stained-glass windows. In these depictions, Gabriel is often portrayed with his wings outstretched, wearing white, carrying a lily, a scroll, or a trumpet.
His feast day is September 29, shared with fellow Archangels Michael and Raphael. Gabriel is the patron of telecommunication workers, radio broadcasters, messengers, postal workers, clerical workers, diplomats, stamp collectors, Portugal, Santander in Spain, Cebu in the Philippines, ambassadors, delivery workers, and garbage collectors.
Collect for Gabriel the Archangel
Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
122 comments on “Juana Inés de la Cruz vs. Gabriel the Archangel”
"by age 8, she had written a lovely poem on the meaning of the eucharist." This got my vote! Besides which, as many have pointed out, this is the madness of saints, not the madness of angels, which is a very different thing. Get your own holy bracket.
Is that poem extant? I had no luck googling it. I'd love to read it; maybe even enough to try to decipher 17th century Spanish(or an 8 year old Mexican girl's Latin?)!
I think this an inappropriate match-up. This should be a contest between humans.
I had to make sure today wasn't April Fool's Day. Seriously? Putting Gabriel the Archangel in this competition? Was there really a shortage of men and women who walk, or have walked, the earth from which to choose?
Scott said on Monday Madness 3-14 (4:28 into the video) that "the saints are all kinds of people" (people not angels) and today's Psalm 78:25 "so mortals ate the bread of angels; He provided for them food enough"--nope, Gabriel in a different category, not a saint--my vote for Juana Ines de la Cruz!
I don't think that Gabriel can be "the angel who sang to the shepherds." "Angels We Have Heard on High" notwithstanding, Luke writes that the angels were "praising God and *saying*."
No contest today. My vote goes to Juana, a woman with a fierce passion for learning and creativity. Not the first, and sadly not the last to be silenced by the church.
I disagree with some of the people who think angels aren’t Saints- they’re not people, like you or me, but we do know they have free will to make the same choices we do and to follow and trust God, or to serve themselves. Lucifer used to be an angels, so I’m not sure it’s fair to say Gabriel doesn’t count as a saint or never made any choices. They’re just not choices I circumstances WE can relate to, because he isn’t human. I’m not saying this to claim Juana somehow doesn’t deserve our votes, I think she does through the example of her work and life, but I also don’t think it’s fair to just dismiss Gabriel off-handedly
Angels are perfect creations of God -never mind Lucifer, was probably a different flavor of being. The point of sainthood is that it must be attained by human communion with the divine.
We call angels “saints” in deference to their holiness. We name churches after qualities (Grace), events (Nativity) and even things (Holy Communion.)
We would never consider any of these as “saints”.
Juana gets a bye on this one!
One of the things that has troubled me about Lent Madness is the idea of judging people of God. I have rationalized this by thinking that I am not voting against anyone but expressing my appreciation for particular gifts to the world and the church in the saints' own times, throughout history and today.
My discomfort is compounded by having a heavenly being, a messenger of God, in this array.
At the risk of being sacrilegious, I might compare this situation to having to judge a show of thorougbred horses for which a unicorn has been entered. The only options I might envisage would be to disqualify the unicorn or immediately award it the golden horseshoe (halo).
For me, the only reasonable option I see is to restrict my voting to consideration of mortal saints.
Golden horseshoe - what a great idea!
Unicorns are just horses with plungers on their heads. In the talent contest, the unicorn is the one who can clean the toilet, which takes some skill.
This is not fair....an archangel against a mortal? Juana gets my vote since Gabriel doesn't need human support. She took on the male patriarchy backed up by the Inquisition. My bet is that Gabriel and all the other angels and archangels were backing her.
I have busted out of this, but i loved reading about Juana Ines de la cruise.
Nun’s Day, Juana gets my vote today! Give her the recognition she deserved back then, now.
Will always champion education, especially for women.
Hmm. I think Lent Madness contenders should be human beings only, not members of the Heavenly Host, who are, by definition, holy.
@David Sibley I voted for two of your saints and learned a lot from all three, who were all new to me. Thanks for being a Celebrity Blogger again this year.
While “Gabriel’s Message” is one of my favorite Christmas carols, and I often wonder whether children, hearing the chorus, “Most highly favored lady, ‘Gloria’ “ think that Jesus’ parents were Joseph and Gloria, I voted for Juana because in most of the world, women are still struggling to be equally educated, employed, and compensated.
No need to worry here. Education for women! Yay! Even Gabriel has knowledge to impart to the BVM. Juana for the win!
I have often found my best answers or said my most intense prayers while washing dishes or folding clothes. Juana gets my vote.
Gabriel already has his feast day September 29 when he is celebrated with Saint Michael and all Angels. So I beg to differ with those who would argue that an angel cannot be a Saint.
He may share a feast day, but he is not, as far as we know, dead. We can have a feast day for the angels like we have a feast day for the Annunciation, but that doesn’t mean the Annunciation is qualified to compete in LentMadness.
I am so pleased that Juana is such a worthy and inspiring candidate for the Golden Halo, because I was determined to vote for her no matter what. Pitting a human being against an archangel is beyond ridiculous.
Juana gets my vote today. But again I couldn’t register my vote. What gives? Is there an angel somewhere who can fix this?
Hmmm. Let's see - a real person in the 17th century who had the temerity to stand up to a patriarchal society and church for women's rights, or an ethereal messenger? No brainer - Juana all the way.
One argument for voting for Gabriel -- think of the amount of kitsch to choose from if he makes it to the third round.
Just FYI, angels CAN be saints. Ergo, St. Michael the Archangel.
What would this thread be without a self-designated mansplainer?
I consider it supremely unfair to have angels compete in Lenten Madness. They are an entirely different order of created being. Angels should compete against angels, and humans against humans. I do not expect God to judge me by angelic standards. Besides, the Word became human, not an angel. Do the angels who didn't follow Lucifer even need redemption? And are those who did fall included in the salvific event? ONe of the (post-death) charges against Origen was for saying that Satan would be redeemed.
"I am Gabriel. I stand in the light of God." There is NOTHING that a vote in Lent Madness can do to raise Gabriel's stature in heaven. Mortalist that I am, I reserve my votes for humans--and for fellow creatures such as Saint Guinefort, just as soon as he shows up in a bracket. Plus Sor Juana's "fierce passion" is clearly angelic. Though she was the "tenth muse," the men were clearly not AMUSED, so Sor Juana it is. If only Gabriel could have made himself useful against plague, or masculine resentment, or charges of witchcraft for that matter, in the 1690's.
Not a fair match up. Angel vs. Man or woman I must vote for human!
Gabriel is not a human! I don’t understand this one
While I love the Archangel Gabriel, I was very impressed by Juana Ines and her perseverance in seeking an education and defending women's rights to be heard. She definitely needs more exposure and praise...and Gabriel already has found his place in scripture and church legend.
My vote for Gabriel was a salute to our heroic delivery workers. Thanks for keeping us all safe!
I am really opposed to Gabriel being on this list this year just like Micheal a couple of years ago. Gabriel is an angel and doesn’t have to live by faith. He stands in the presence of God, so he knows. Saints are humans with all our failures that choose to live by faith and follow Jesus.
Went down the rabbit hole on this one…are angels saints? The answer??? It depends! So, I am sticking with my initial understanding. Saints are spirits who have led exemplary human lives.
You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,
in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea;
for the saints of God are just folk like me,
and I mean to be one too