July has three such days -- the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle (July 3), that of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22) and that of St. James the Apostle (July 25).
In his book, Sounding the Seasons -- which I've been using to follow the church year -- priest and poet Malcolm Guite has a poem for two of these figures: Thomas and Mary, which I share now for your mid-summer reflections...
(NOTE: To hear the poet read his work aloud, click the title of each poem.)
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| Santo Tomas Diego Valazquez, Spain ca. 1619 - 1620 |
St. Thomas the Apostle
'We do not know...how can we know the way?'
Courageous master of the awkward question,
You spoke the words the others dared not say
And cut through their evasion and abstraction.
O doubting Thomas, father of my faith,
You put your finger on the nub of things:
We cannot love some disembodied wraith,
But flesh and blood must be our king of kings.
Your teaching is to touch, embrace, anoint,
Feel after him and find him in the flesh.
Because he loved your awkward counterpoint,
The Word has heard and granted you your wish.
O place my hands with yours, help me divine
The wounded God whose wounds are healing mine.
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| Appearance of Jesus Christ to Maria Magdalena Alexander Andreyevich, 1835 |
St. Mary Magdalene
Men called you light so as to load you down,
And burden you with their own weight of sin,
A woman forced to cover and contain
Those seven devils sent by Everyman.
But one man set you free and took your part,
One man knew and loved you to the core,
The broken alabaster of your heart
Revealed to him alone a hidden door,
Into a garden where the fountain sealed,
Could flow at last for him in healing tears,
Till, in another garden, he revealed
The perfect love that cast out all your fears,
And quickened you with love's own sway and swing,
As light and lovely as the news you bring.
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