Today the Saintly Sixteen continues as Gregory the Great faces Philip, Deacon and Evangelist. Who will emerge the greatest of these two? That's for you to determine over the next 24 hours.
Yesterday, in a tight battle, Elizabeth of Hungry took down Mechthild of Magdeburg 53% to 43% to advance to the Elate Eight.
And in case you missed yesterday's stellar edition of Monday Madness, you can watch it here.
Vote now!
Gregory the Great
It is all too common for those with great authority to fall short of the profound trust given to them. In fraught centuries following Christianity’s legalization as the religion of the Roman Empire, when power would could be exchanged just as transactionally as in any age, it is a testament to the character of Gregory the Great that he held with dignity the trust given to him as Bishop of Rome.
Gregory’s Book of Pastoral Rule is among Gregory’s most lasting works. A guide for the clergy entrusted with spiritual care of the faithful, it remains one of the anchoring texts on pastoral ministry, even centuries later. “The care of feeding is a testimony of love,” Gregory writes, so clergy must “meditate diligently and every day on the precepts of the Word.” When doing so, they are cautioned against egotism and self-centeredness: “No one does more harm in the Church,” Gregory writes, “than he who has the title or rank of holiness and acts perversely” he writes. To do so is to damage their own soul: “Those who do not speak the words of God with humility must be advised that when they apply medicine to the sick, they must first inspect the poison of their own infection, or else by attempting to heal others, they kill themselves.”
Gregory is also remembered for sending Augustine of Canterbury to evangelize in England. One commonly held tale, recounted by the Venerable Bede, says that Gregory first encountered English boys at a slave market near Rome. “They are not Angles,” is reputed to have remarked “Non Angli, sed angeli” - “they are not Angles, but angels… and they ought to be co-heirs with the angels in heaven.” Indeed, it wasn’t simply the Angles for whom Gregory showed great care – a defining feature of his papacy was intervention on behalf of the poor and outcast: “I have frequently charged you,” he writes in one letter, “to act as my representative… to relieve the poor in their distress.”
As with all the saints, Gregory’s center was in Holy Scripture, which tells the story of Jesus and the love of God. In finding himself in that story, Gregory remarks that “Holy Scripture presents a kind of mirror to the eyes of the mind, so that our inner face may be seen in it. There we learn our own ugliness, and there our own beauty.” The beauty of a transformed life for himself and for others was the beating heart of Gregory’s ministry, and the reason we remember him well today.
Philip, Deacon and Evangelist
The book of Acts tells us that the gospel will be proclaimed “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Philip, deacon and evangelist, leads this worldwide spread of the good news.
As the church is growing in Jerusalem, the evangelistic work of the Apostles comes under threat. They need people “of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3) to help distribute food to widows. Philip is nominated, along with six others, and the apostles commission him and the others to care for some of the most vulnerable in their community.
A couple chapters later, when Acts begins to describe the spread of the gospel outside of Judea, it is not the apostles who take the first brave step into Samaria, but it is Philip. He comes to Samaria with bold proclamation and signs–casting out demons and healing those who are paralyzed (see Acts 8:5-8). His message is received with “great joy” (Acts 8:8), even by the notorious magician, Simon Magus. Simon becomes one of Philip’s closest companions, continually filled with awe at the miracles that take place (Acts 8:13).
Once his work is fulfilled in Samaria, an angel directs him to go south to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip, faithful evangelist that he is, obeys immediately and encounters an Ethiopian eunuch who is also a powerful official in the court of the queen of Ethiopia (modern day Sudan). This proclamation now begins to reach “the ends of the earth” (well before Peter’s famous encounter with Cornelius).
The eunuch is not only from the margins geographically. In spite of his powerful position, he is also marginalized from the religious community–according to Deuteronomy, eunuchs were not allowed full participation in the people of God (but see also Isaiah 56:3-5). You can imagine the eunuch’s interest in the passage from Isaiah about another marginalized man who had been treated unjustly (see Acts 8:32-33). Philip, in his wisdom, explains the good news about Jesus, and the eunuch asks to be baptized immediately. Philip obliges and as the eunuch rises out of the water, Philip is whisked away.
We last hear of Philip in Acts 21 when Paul has decided to return to Jerusalem. On his way he stays with Philip in Caesarea. Here we are introduced to Philip’s virgin daughters, who also have the gift of prophecy. These daughters are mentioned often in early Christian literature. Eusebius, the church historian, recounts how they spent time with Papias (an important bridge between the apostolic and post-apostolic church) and told him about the miraculous acts of God that they witnessed.
Philip was truly a deacon and evangelist – serving those on the margins and most in need and proclaiming the gospel near and far with wisdom and power.
69 comments on “Gregory the Great vs. Philip, Deacon and Evangelist”
"Yesterday, in a tight battle, Elizabeth of Hungry took down Mechthild of Magdeburg 53% to 43% to advance to the Elate Eight.”
I’m curious about the missing 4% of votes.
May be the hardest choice so far. Both are so worthy of honor.
I, too, agree that I have learned a great deal about each saint while taking part in Lent Madness. This information sticks in my mind and has helped me to decide what actions I will take. Also, posted comments. Have stretched my thinking. It is fun to read both those who agree with my daily choices and those who don’t. Keep it coming. A shout out to Rev. Tom Downs who led me to Lent Madness three years ago.
Have to vote for Gregory because my youngest grandchild goes to Gregory the Great school in Virginia Beach
There's a typo in the intro: 53 to 43 doesn't work. Yesterday it was standing at 53 to 47. Was that the final? I have everything on a bulletin board with the daily stats - thus the question. Thanks!
Phillip gets my vote. Lots of traveling, when that was not easy, being whisked away after baptizing the eunuch. The deciding fact, however, is the 2 virgin daughters. Sounds like a good dad to me...didn't force those girls to get married. (I think they need to be n NEXT year's Lent Madness
SOmeone described Gregory's "wise use of power", and someone else quoted Gregory saying, '“No one does more harm in the Church,” Gregory writes, “than he who has the title or rank of holiness and acts perversely,”' Gregory is behind Augustine's disrespect of the Britons: he and other Roman leaders would not stand to greet the Britons who had needed to consult with their community before accepting Roman customs and Roman authority. Augustine threatened the Britons because of their consultation with their community and their taking offense, and shortly thereafter 1200 Welsh monks who had gathered for prayer to support the Synod, were masacred. It seems the tone of the synod was set by Augustine who was functioning under Gregory's leadership. Absolute power corrupted Gregory, in this instance corruptin demonstrated through a representative, Augustine of Canterbury. It fell to Cuthbert a couple of generations later to unite the Celtic church with the Roman church, Cuthburt demonstrated humility and forgiveness as he accepted Roman customs at the Synod in Whitby hosted by Hilda. She helped set a gentler tone for her Synod, even though the outcome was largely predetermined by those loyal to Roman authority.
Hi, CAn;t vote again today. No email came so I opened the website. Can get results but not vote.
to those that do not get the next email or it is very late- I always save the previous days email until the newest one arrives. I am assured of not missing out and way to vote in the morning.
Did not get the Monday Madness email till 10:11 PM!! Did not get Tuesday’s bracket of Gregory & Phillip at all! Had to come to the website to vote. This had never happened before where I didn’t get the email in the morning to vote (and no, you can’t blame USPS for late delivery!). I have followed LM since 2012 and it makes a solid part of my Lenten practice. that things work for everyone.
I didn’t even read about Philip because my church is St Gregory the Great!! But looks like he is losing.
I love Philip for a number of reasons due to his good work, but also for adjacent reasons: His 4 unmarried prophet daughters (what a great dad!) and because Philip means "lover of horses" which if true in his case, earns him extra points in my world.
What an all-around guy!
Having just returned from Canterbury, spending the day at the Cathedral and 2 churches including the one St Augustine went to on arrival having been sent by Gregory I voted for Gregory.
I am particularly struck by the eunuch in Philip's story. For me he represents those who marginalized on account of their gender/sexual identity. Philip got my vote today.
I am unable to vote! The I am not a robot box just keeps buffering. Help!
Gregory the Great: Gregory remarks that “Holy Scripture presents a kind of mirror to the eyes of the mind, so that our inner face may be seen in it. There we learn our own ugliness, and there our own beauty.” I like this…. almost a motto… gets me reflecting. Gregory has quotes that are as profound now as they were then.He cares for the poor.
Deacon Philip also served the poor. He seems to have been a good role model for is daughters.
Philip got my vote today, but I could’ve voted for either one! It’s that time in Lent Madness when it’s like that!
Another tough call, but being a singer who loves Gregorian chant (and who has taught Deacons to chant the Exultet), I had to go with Gregory.
Voted for Philip, deacon and evangelist. With so much trans and LGBTQ+ hatred being fomented in the USA right now, the story of Philip and the eunuch, Philip's insistence on the inclusivity of the Kingdom of God, really spoke to me.
Almost couldn't vote, though. I am so crushed that Mechthild of Magdeburg is out of the running.
I am very fond of Gregory the Great. In fact, I look at his calendar almost every day. But, the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch is one of my favorite Bible stories, so I gave him the nod.
Gregory was great, but I relate to Philip, a people person who dealt directly with individuals.
I figured Liz would win yesterday but had to vote for the unruly underdog like me. Today it’s Greg the Great! My Saints bracket looks about like my basketball one, might get my final two in! Let’s Go, Lucy & Lucy!
I miss Jon Cabot’s rhymes. Jon, please share your poetic craft again. It brings a smile to my face in the mornings.
I will never vote for Gregory. He’s the one who started the smear campaign against Mary Magdalene.
The perversity of today’s Lent Madness April Fool’s prank is that a vast number of folks are writing that they didn’t receive their LM emails. But I, who receive the emails either at 11P or, more often, the following afternoon, did in fact get today’s email—drum roll, please—TODAY! Granted, it was a little after 3P, but that definitely counts. (Perhaps that visiting Palm Beach alligator has chomped down the other missing missives?)
And thanks to David S. for the excellent Gregory bio, but missed seeing him get credit for Gregorian chant. (Gregory, not David.)
Disappointed by yesterday's voting results; are we sure that is a cruel April Fool's joke?
And while I appreciated Gregory's write up today, not even mentioning his contribution to codifying plainsong????? For that alone he should win. Philip is a worthy fellow, but PLAINSONG!
These are days when Gregory's Book of Pastoral Rule is needed more than ever. The clergy falling short of their beliefs may just be turning more away from the Gospel than all our well-intentioned evangelising efforts. I vote for Gregory.
It won't take my vote today. I want to vote for Gregory..but both are very qualified. I just wish the website would accept my vote.
For over a week now, I have been unable to vote. Whether on my laptop or iPhone, all I get is the spinning wheel of death dots. I try to log in at various times of the day and still cannot vote. PLEASE fix the IT stuff!! I have never had this problem in the past 11 years of participation in Lent Madness. And while you are at it, please let us reply to other commentators and have our click on the Like hearts actually register.
I voted for Phillip the Deacon, but Gregory is certainly a worthy candidate (even in spite of his defamation of Mary Magdalene).