Who will face Albert Schweitzer for the Golden Halo? Well, after he swept past Henry Whipple in yesterday’s contest 67% to 33%, it will either be Julian of Norwich or Andrew the Fisherman.
To get here, Julian defeated Brigid of Kildare, Zita, and Joseph of Arimathea. While Andrew made it past Polycarp, Hyacinth, and Andrew of Milan.
Obviously you didn't miss the final in-season episode of Monday Madness. But just in case here it is.
Vote now!
Julian of Norwich
Life was hard.
Wars. Crushing poverty. Unfair work conditions. Prejudice based on religion, gender, ethnicity, and economic status. Pandemics that killed millions. Social upheaval. Society’s foundations were shifting rapidly politically, religiously, and economically.
These were realities for Julian, anchoress in Norwich, England. During her lifetime in the late Middle Ages, England experienced the ravages of the Black Death. Socio-economic upheavals caused a Peasants’ Revolt. Religious dissenters were burned at the stake. Wars were upending the geo-political landscape of Europe.
Amid this cataclysmic world, Julian suffered a serious illness – serious enough for her to receive last rites. As she gazed on a crucifix during her illness, she had a series of visions. After recovering, Julian wrote down her visions of Christ, and later wrote a longer text.
Showings or Revelations of Divine Love, as these texts are generally called, remain one of the most important writings of Christian Mysticism written by any gender. Her words are such perfect inscriptions of love that reducing them to highlights is impossible. Every word she writes carries momentous truth, which is why my well-worn text of Showings is filled with highlights and underlines and notes written in the margins.
I love that she reflects on Christ’s deep fatherly and motherly love for us. Her visions speak of the holy masculine and feminine of Christ. She gives that vision embodiment in Sacrament of Holy Communion, reminding us, “Our beloved Mother Jesus can feed us with himself. This is what he does when he tenderly and graciously offers us the blessed sacrament, which is the precious food of true life.” We hold the body of Christ in the fullness of genders when we receive the Host.
I love that she addresses humanity’s sinful nature not as a condemnation of our bad-ness, but as a reminder that God seeks us when we make a mess of things, loves us, and redeems us. Too much of religion has shamed us when we fail. Julian counters, “Sin is inevitable, but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” Even in our worst moments, Julian reminds us that we are called to the deep well of God’s ove.
I love that Julian doesn’t write her visions from a place of comfort. Her world and her life were hard, uncertain, and even scary. Our world and our lives are hard, uncertain, and scary. Perhaps that is why her writings continue to resonate over the centuries. She gives voice to our worry, our doubt, our anxiety over a world that is overrun with heartbreak. She doesn’t tell us that life will be fine. She knows all too well that life is hard. She does tell us, “He did not say: You will not be assailed, you will not be belabored, you will not be disquieted, but he did said: You will not be overcome.”
Life is hard.
Wars. Crushing poverty. Unfair work conditions. Prejudice based on religion, gender, ethnicity, and economic status. Pandemics that kill millions. Social upheaval. Society’s foundations are shifting rapidly politically, religiously, and economically.
In the midst of this, Julian speaks to us in her steady, gentle voice, reminding us across the ages that God loves us and because of that love, we will not be overcome.
Andrew the Fisherman
In every church, there are those in the front—the clergy, the readers, the choir, the wardens. Those who give the speeches and those who make the decisions and those whose names adorn the plaques of memorial to be remembered.
And then there are those who show up and do the quiet, unseen work. The sextons, the altar guild, the flower guild, the brass polishers, the bulletin fold-ers, the set up volunteers, the people who make the coffee. St. Andrew is the patron saint of these.
He isn’t his brother—Simon Peter—who he invites to follow Jesus, and who becomes THE Peter, the Rock upon whom the church is built. Unlike Peter, we have no recorded speeches of Andrew’s from the Jerusalem Council or in the marketplaces of Roman cities. We have no scripture that flowed from his dictated letters, like Paul. We don’t even have fascinating tales of his miracles.
Instead, what we have is the spread of the church, due to Andrew’s tireless, unheralded proclamation of the Gospel. Places as disparate as Scotland to Russia to Ukraine to Greece all trace their Christian roots to this one figure, making his way across the known world, proclaiming the Good News wherever he went. He didn’t seek his own fame or glory or legacy—he sought only to tell the good news of God come among us in Jesus Christ.
Today, the global church is held together by witness such as Andrew’s—by the quiet faith of the unheralded millions who seek to magnify God in their own lives, and share the Good News in the ways they can, where they can. Andrew is a reminder that this sort of daily dedication to the Gospel can transform the world in ways that we cannot predict or control. When Andrew looked up from his nets that day, and caught sight of the new rabbi in town, he could not have imagined the global impact he would one day have. He could not have imagined the way his ministry would unite the world, or guide him into new paths. But he was faithful enough to take the next step.
May we all be so faithful.
66 comments on “Julian of Norwich vs. Andrew the Fisherman”
it's going to be a coin flip tomorrow, still pulling for Julian
I voted for the underdog, Andrew.
There should be a final between Albert and Andrew knowing despite whichever of these two saintly persons gets the halo: All Will be Well. Truly examples to follow. "Go out"...don't hide away!
Again, two wonderful write-ups for two deserving Saints. I have been a fan of Julien's since she appeared in a novel I read as a young woman. 55 years later, i want to honor her.
But the picture of Andrew really spoke to me too. I have been a background player all my life. Sunday School teacher, Altar Guild, Pastoral Care visitor, Choir member with a few quieter leadership roles (Treasurer, Pledge Chair). The idea that the church moves forward due to a few charismatic thinkers and leaders and legions of quiet supporters has resonance.
Thank you to both writers.
I knew coming into today that I would vote for Julian, but I was unexpectantly moved by Megan's description of Andrew as the patron saint of those angels who do the behind-the-scenes work. God bless those quiet and steadfast servants of the Body of Christ. Also, totally hoping to see a golden halo cat food dish for our array of cathedral and bookstore cats if Julian wins.
Sin is behovely. I remind myself of that when I look at the world and despair at being able to help. I vote for Julian; she is my choice for the Golden Halo this year. I think of the deep need for contemplatives in a world of violence, the necessity for spiritual calm in the midst of perpetual crisis. This group tends to skew "woman / deacon," and that is a wonderful thing. But I hope a contemplative can show us the way forward in a way that is both active and non-violent. BTW, there's a typo in the write-up: the plural of ovum is ova, not ove. That line should read: "We are called to the deep well of God's ova." Be that as it may, AVE to both writers for a job well done.
Celia, this is thought-provoking indeed. But I don't think the blogger meant to lay any eggs -- I suspect the letter L went missing!
Thank you, Megan, for your heart-warming image of Andrew. I didn't have him going this far on my bracket, but I've been a fan of Andrew since I was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church many, many years ago. To the SEC (Committee of Two), I strongly suggest that Silver Halo winners be banned from being a part of Lent Madness in the future - they've won and can rest on their laurels - and they can be generous enough to let someone else have the opportunity to be a winner. Go Andrew!
I long for a Julian of Norwich Golden Halo mug, hence my vote. All the same, the degree of difficulty this week is high and very real. Be Blessed All.
Two deeply powerful writeups today! But my vote goes to Julian. Not just to appease the influential cat lobby, but because, in a nutshell, what the world needs now is Love, sweet Love.
Our family has many wonderful andrews, but as i stand at the bedside of my poor mom in ICU, reading aloud the saints to hasten her out of sedation, the comfort of Julian is giving us strength and fortitude. Thank you.
Let's get real: Andrew is mentioned in all the Gospels as among the First Four Apostles, and in one is probably the First Apostle, who brought his brother fishermen the word of the Christ.
He deserves to wear the GOLDEN HALO!
All shall be well. Julian for the Golden Halo! Her words of comfort still speak to us today.
Without Andrew, there is no Julian. That’s my reluctant choice because I had to choose.
As a retired parish admin, I so appreciate all the "backstage" workers that make everything happen, so my heart would normally reach toward Andrew. However, today a big bridge collapsed that will have major repercussions in the very nearby city of Baltimore, and I need to hear that, "All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well." Baltimore needs that message today.
I voted for Julian because women's voices need to be heard. Her writings about Christ our mother have been transformative for me. But - I didn't want to vote. Andrew's witness - quiet, tireless, and dedicated - speaks to me about living a life in Christ, and how I aspire to be.
I have voted for Julian right along. However, in this season of preparation for the celebration of the Risen Christ in just a few days, I am aware of all those who work behind the scenes to prepare for the festival... so many who go unnoticed.
Dame Julian will always be honored as a saint among saints so I do not have to fear that she will be forgotten. This time I want to honor Andrew.
The good news today is that either choice is a good one. And that will be true tomorrow as well.
Her book (The Revelations) is free on Audible
Haven’t been reading the comments. Is Oliver still here?
For me, this came down to a choice between someone who absented herself from the world and one who involved himself in the world. Yea, Julian said many things that impact us and I greatly admire her. But I have had mystical revelations within the context of my everyday life. Also, as someone who spent years lobbying for protection of our Earth and all of God's creation, I know the value of working with developers and legislators by speaking truth to them. That generally doesn't happen by them coming to me, but by me going to them.
Today’s was the hardest and tomorrow’s will be just as hard. Laurie and Megan both did a wonderful write up which made it so tough. I’m still not sure who I’m voting for. I’ll read again all the writeups and come back and vote later. Any one of the Final Four are excellent choices.
Looks like Julian won? Is nobody else creeped out by that anchoress walled in "Telltale Heart" (Poe) ickiness?
I was swayed by the lovely words for Julian, but then I remembered who Andrew also is .. patron saint for Scotland! The delights of multiple trips means he gets today vote for me!
Andrew is great, and as one of those background workers, in a different year I would vote for him, but my heart is with Julian and her Showing of the encompassing and forgiving love of God, so she gets my vote.
Andrew the fisherman - Thank you my Patron Saint. Steady as you go, so shall I. This is our week of one step at a time. Keep the altar guilds flower gilds, sextants, polishers, steady in their work to praise God through their work. Called to serve quietly.
Many thanks to all of the bloggers, for the information, and humor!, in their comments.