The Notable Dozen

I was messing around with pencil and pad one day and made a list of the Twelve Tribes of Israel: Jacob’s sons (and a couple of grandsons) from the patriarchal period recorded in Genesis. There was Rueben, Simeon (Levi), Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, and Manasseh. It is a rich tale: the beginnings of a family in covenant with God. These literal figures of history are also figurative symbols of the ins and outs of the tribes of ancient Israel.

I scribbled alongside that column the names of the Twelve Apostles since their list figures prominently in the Christian fabric of faith. You know these guys:  Andrew, Simon Peter, James, John, Matthew (Levi), Nathaniel (Bartholomew), James the Less, Thaddeus (Judas, Son of James), Thomas, Philip, and Matthias. Even this list might cause us to look things up in review.

I got to thinking after that, “Hey, there were women with diligence, perceptiveness, and courage among the disciples that count just as much. This devout dozen came to mind: Mary of Nazareth, (Mother of our Lord), Mary Magdalene, Martha and Mary of Bethany, Lydia, Phoebe, Tabitha, Joanna, Prisca, Susanna, Salome, and Mary of Cleophas. This list too might prompt us to do some research.

I then thought, “What would be my list of other New Testament figures worthy of note” One of them has a Saint’s Feast Day today, June 11th: Barnabas. I give you twelve: Barnabas, Paul, James of Jerusalem, Luke, Mark, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Joseph of Nazareth, Stephen, Timothy Titus, and Silas. The list could expand past twelve. Philip, the deacon, from the Acts of the Apostles would make it a baker’s dozen.

My last list that popped out that day was a dozen Celtic saints. When I went through this exercise, I had recently been on sabbatical in Great Britain, and people that influenced Celtic spirituality and missionary work were on my mind. Not all Celts, per se, but they make their mark. Difficult to keep it to a dozen, but I thought of Patrick of Ireland, David of Wales, Columba of Iona, Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, Cedd of Lastingham, Chad of Lichfield, Non of Ty Gwyn, Hilda of Whitby, Brigid of Kildare, Aiden of Lindisfarne, Theodore of Tarsus (and Canterbury), Justinian of Ramsey Island. Other people would build a different list.

You might not be interested in all of these bundles of twelve, but I would love for you to build a list of your own. Are there twelve people you could name who were key in your development as a Christian and as a person? Again, the number, twelve, is probably insufficient. Right off the top of my head, it would be priests, parishioners, and others who influenced me tremendously: Bill Weeks, Glenn Jenks, Susan Aiken, Jim Hudson, Will Spong, Alan Whitman, Jim Liberatore, Josie Maxwell, June Holly, Beth Chandler. The last two I will not name, to avoid embarrassing them, for they might read this. Now it is your turn.

Get a pad and pencil, or the digital device of your choice, and get your notable dozen noted. When you get started you may wish for slots numbering twelve times twelve. Don’t you love saints? Give thanks for them all; God bless them! And know you are a saint to others too.