Daily Reflection on the Memorial of Saint Benedict by Archivist David Crawford
David Crawford is a former archivist of Creighton University, where he was responsible for the University’s Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible. On this Memorial of Saint Benedict, Crawford reflects upon the illumination Isaiah’s Vision, in relation to passionate obedience.
Our readings today begin with the first part of the vision of Isaiah. Isaiah sees God on His throne, surrounded by worshipful seraphim. Isaiah, deeply aware of his own unworthiness, is dramatically purified and then excitedly offers himself to serve. “Here I am, send me!”
These stirring words have inspired artists for millennia. Two pieces in particular have been on my mind as I have prepared this reflection. For a couple of weeks now, I have had Dan Schutte’s wonderful hymn “Here I Am, Lord” running through my head – maybe the best earworm I have ever had. I also have been spending time with Donald Jackson’s beautiful illumination “Isaiah’s Vision” from The Saint John’s Bible.*
The Saint John’s Bible, as you may know, is a 21st-century handwritten, hand-illuminated Bible commissioned by the Benedictines at Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota. The sacred artwork illuminates the sacred text so that we see God’s Word, and hear the Holy Spirit, in new and fuller ways. This facilitates the practice of Visio Divina, in which one contemplates the Scriptures and illuminations together. On this day that celebrates Saint Benedict, it seems fitting to engage with an image from the Bible commissioned by Benedictines in Minnesota. My contemplation of angel wings and the tongs with the red-hot ember leads me to the question: How do I answer when God calls?
Too often I do not follow Isaiah’s example of passionate obedience. Sometimes I respond, “I’ve already done my part. Someone else can do it.” Not the correct response! At my church in Bellevue (where I used to live), we had a dear friend, Joyce, an octogenarian who used to chastise her retiree friends who declined to serve because they had already done their part. Joyce would say something along these lines: “If God still has you here on earth, He still has a use for you. If He calls you to do something, you’d better do it.”
Sometimes I respond by trying to “correct” God: “Surely you don’t mean I should do that. It would be much better for me to do” this other thing that I would much prefer to do. When I was in graduate school in Indiana, my wife and I became friends with a retired missionary couple, Neville and Emma, who had served close to half a century as Baptist missionaries in West Africa. I recall them saying how, when they were called to missionary work in French-speaking colonies in West Africa in the late 1940s, Neville explained to God (in prayer) and the missionary board (in person) all the reasons why they must be mistaken. Surely an English-speaking locale with familiar foods and pleasant climate was where they should go. Finally, accepting (as Jesus tells us in Matthew 10) that he was the disciple who should not place himself above the teacher, Neville and Emma blessed others, and were blessed abundantly themselves, by years of service and ministry in Africa.
I am inspired by the artists, like Dan Schutte and Donald Jackson. I am inspired by the examples of Joyce, Neville and Emma. I am inspired by Isaiah.
Loving God, inspire me – inspire us – not just to be thrilled by Your words and the examples of others, but to be stirred to action as we heed Your call.
* Isaiah’s Vision, Donald Jackson, Copyright 2005, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Thank you to Creighton University Archives and Special Collections for access to the digital image. Contact archives@creighton.edu to schedule a visit to see a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible at Creighton; follow this link to find a Heritage Edition near you; or visit Saint John’s University to see the original manuscript.
About David Crawford
Crawford was Creighton’s University Archivist from January 2007 to April 2021, although as a faculty spouse he had been a part of the Creighton community since 1995. As University Archivist, he was responsible for archival, rare books and special collections, as well as for a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible on loan to Creighton. He left Creighton to assist others with historical, archival, cultural and various artistic projects.
He has been married to my wife, Sue, since 1990. They have two sons, one a graduate of Fordham and the other a graduate of University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He enjoys birdwatching, playing soccer, music and comedy.
The online Daily Reflections have been an important part of his faith journey for several years. He is excited and humbled by the opportunity to write these devotions.