Damien & Marianne of Moloka’i (April 15) 2021

A few years ago the Episcopal Church added Damien and Marianne to our calendar of saints. The date chosen for their commemoration is today, April 15, as it was on this day in 1889 that Father Damien died. The Roman Catholics celebrate Damien on May 10, as this was the day in 1873 when he landed on Moloka'i. I am told that the May 10 date was chosen because April 15 often falls within Holy Week or Easter Week, which means this commemoration is frequently displaced. Mother Marianne died on August 18, 1918.

It is a tradition dating from the beginning of the Christian faith to remember saints on their day of death, although this is not always the case. May 10 was chosen by our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers so that every year a robust celebration of his life could be assured. Some saints are not celebrated on the date of their death, because that date is also the date of a major feast day. Nevertheless, the general rule is that we celebrate the saints on the day when they die, or as we say due to our faith, the day of their heavenly birth.

Eastertide is an especially appropriate time to celebrate the lives of the saints. Every time we celebrate a martyrdom, or saint’s death, we celebrate the resurrection. As Christ overcame death and the grave, death no longer has power over us.

For many it may seem strange, or even morbid, to celebrate someone’s life on the date of their death. Many people have the inclination to celebrate a loved one’s legacy on the date of their earthly birthday. However for the Christian, this is probably the last date we need to remember or celebrate. On Easter Day we were fortunate to have a baptism. One of the things I instill during baptismal catechesis is how the day of baptism is more important than the day of one’s earthly birth. Even with an infant, the child is born anew in Christ when washed with the waters of Holy Baptism.

The beauty of a resurrection faith is that the anniversary of someone’s death may become an occasion of joy. Even though one may always feel loss, the grace and peace of God are more powerful. We know from liturgical scholarship of the early church that many of the feast days of the first Christians were celebrations of the lives of the martyrs - people who had witnessed to the faith even upon death. This is just another example of the power of Jesus Christ. Through Christ and the cross and the empty tomb, all death can be transformed into joy and resurrection. Those who have paid the ultimate price, such as Father Damien, now experience the most ultimate joy. Christ is risen indeed, alleluia.

Father Paul Lillie +