Rector's Rambling - August 5, 2012 - A good month for saints

August is certainly a slow month for most churches. Parishioners dash away for their last vacations before school begins, others find the heat and humidity a good reason to stay holed up in air-conditioned spaces. August, however, offers a number of Holy Days to be celebrated. Two of these are “Prayer Book Holy Days”, noted on the calendar contained in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. They are The Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord on August 6th (see Luke 9:28–36), when the apostles got to see a glimpse of the glory of God in the second person of the Holy Trinity, and The Feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle on August 24th. These great feast days will be kept at the altar for the celebration of the Holy Communion. In addition to these Prayer Book Holy Days there are more great saints of the Church which are commemorated throughout August. The primary one is The Feast of St. Mary the Virgin on August 15th. Other saints celebrated in August include; St. John Vianney (August 4) – patron saint of parish priests and Third Order Franciscan, St. Dominic (August 8) – founder of the Order of Preachers, St. Clare of Assisi (August 11) – founder of the Second Order Franciscans (Poor Clares), St. Maximilian Kolbe (August 14) – who gave his life for another at Auschwitz and Third Order Franciscan, St. Louis IX (August 25) – King of France and Third Order Franciscan, and St. Augustine of Hippo (August 28) – bishop and theologian. All these saints will be celebrated at the altars of St. John’s on their feast day or nearest available day on the calendar. We remember the saints in thanksgiving for the lives they lived in dedication to Jesus Christ, and to commend us to also strive (by Grace) to live such lives. The saints remind us, by the great variety of callings they had, that God has a plan for us and that we all can be saints! It is our duty to seek to do His will and allow our selves to be molded into His image.