Human Story: Mary McCloud Bethune (1875-1955)

In each experience of my life, I have had to step out of one little space of the known light, into a large area of darkness. I had to stand awhile in the darkness, and then gradually God has given me light. But not to linger in. For as soon as that light has felt familiar, then the call has always come to step out ahead again into new darkness…. I had faith in a living God, faith in myself, and a desire to serve.

- Mary McLeod Bethune

Born in a simple cabin in South Carolina only a decade after a war fought by a divided nation, Mary McLeod Bethune was the fifteenth child of parents who were former slaves. With their newfound freedom, Mary’s mother earned pay by washing clothes of former slaveholders while her father farmed. When accompanying her mother to deliver the washed clothing, Mary often visited the children her age and saw their toys. Once she picked up a book only to have it snatched away by a little girl who suggested it was not for Mary since she could not read. It pierced Mary’s childhood spirit, but she determined within herself to learn how to read.

Soon Mary attended a one-room school taught by Presbyterian freedmen, and at home she taught her family what she learned each day. Mary was diligent in learning to read and advancing in her studies. She eventually attended Scotia Seminary for five years before enrolling in what is now Moody Bible Institute with the hope of becoming a missionary to Africa, but she was rejected by the mission board. Mary did not lose heart. Instead, she refocused her efforts as an educator.

Teaching at various mission schools in the U.S., Mary eventually settled in Florida with her husband, who abandoned the family a few years later. With $1.50, Mary opened a “Literary and Industrial Training School” for African American girls in 1904 and even made the desks and seating herself using discarded crates. In time the school grew, eventually merging with an African American boys’ school and renamed Bethune-Cookman College. Mary was one of the earliest black women to serve as a college president.

Not only was she diligent in her efforts to improve life for African American children, she expanded her vision to provide opportunities for all African Americans. She actively helped register black voters, even when her life was threatened by those who opposed her cause. Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin Roosevelt each noticed her efforts and sought her advice and collaboration. Mary formed a national women’s council in 1935 and helped form an advisory board for the Roosevelt administration that served as “the first collective of black people working in higher positions in government.” For these efforts to improve civil rights she became known as "The First Lady of the Struggle."

Throughout her life Mary exhibited diligence in learning, overcoming difficulties, and using her voice and energy to enact change for the marginalized, which she understood as God’s calling for her. She later reflected, “The whole world opened to me when I learned to read.” And when the world opened to her, she helped change it for the better.

References:

McCluskey, Audrey Thomas, and Elaine M. Smith. (1999). Mary McLeod Bethune: Building a Better World: Essays and Selected Documents. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

"Mary McLeod Bethune." Great Lives from History: The Twentieth Century (Online Edition). Salem Press. 2013.

Lesson: Galations 6:9 (NRSV)

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.

In our culture today, we tend to desire immediate gratification for the “good” things we do. When we work hard, do right by someone, serve another, etc., it only seems right that there would be positive results. However, these results may look differently than we might expect and may come at a different time than anticipated. Our diligence to continue “doing what is right” regardless of the immediate outcome is the key here.

The word “reap” reveals some farming connotations; if one reaps, then there had to have been a time of sowing. Some crops naturally yield their return quickly, while others require a time of waiting. Regardless, the farmer has to diligently and persistently tend to the crops in order to support their growth. In this particular verse, Paul is speaking to the Galatian Christians, a network of churches Paul had helped nurture in the faith. Paul has chided them at length for adding on to the simple gospel he preached, reiterating the fact that Christianity is a multi-ethnic faith, and one does not have to follow the old Jewish customs in order to be a part of this new movement (Gal 1-4). Paul is giving advice for Christian ethics, answering the question “how do I live as a member of the family of God?” The answer is through living by the Spirit, and he goes on to show how that happens, using gardening metaphors to make his point. Here Paul urges them to “do good” among one another and those they encounter in the world with the hope that eternal life will be what they ultimately “reap”. Because life can be arduous, circumstances overwhelming, and everyday tasks mundane, consistent diligence is of utmost importance due to the rewards to come, even if it does require a taxing time of waiting in the process.

Remembrance: “O Spirit, Come…” -Macrina Weiderkehr in Seven Sacred Pauses

Come with your transforming power. Breathe upon and into my thoughts and actions this day. Let my work be a labor of love. May those who come in contact with me feel sheltered and cared for. May I do or say some small piece of goodness that will help others feel affirmed and supported. Let your wind and fire move me into the places where I am needed. Let me become your breath so that I may assist you in breathing new life into places that are stale and unfruitful. Make me forceful and gentle, powerful and humble. O Spirit, Come!

Challenge

Breath prayer is an ancient Christian prayer practice dating back to at least the sixth century. Historically, it is associated with the Eastern Church, particularly Greek and Russian Orthodox churches. Breath prayer is a good example of “praying without ceasing” as St. Paul admonished us to do and has the potential to become as natural as breathing. It is intended to be a very short prayer of praise or petition, just six to eight syllables. The words of the prayer can be easily adjusted to your heart’s desire.

“O Spirit, Come…” is a powerful phrase that can be recited with one’s breath to bring openness to transformation and the awareness of the Spirit in your life. Find a quiet place, and in a comfortable seated position, close your eyes and with the rhythm of your breath recite this prayer aloud or silently. The diligent practice of “praying without ceasing” draws you into a closer relationship with Christ.

Reference: https://gravitycenter.com/practice/breath-prayer/

Reflection

Consider again the life of Mary McCloud Bethune and her words, “I had to stand awhile in the darkness, and then gradually God has given me light. But not to linger in. For as soon as that light has felt familiar, then the call has always come to step out ahead again into new darkness…” To most people, Ms. Bethune had every right to grow weary in doing well. What elements of her story might inspire you to continue sowing good work, kindness, and hope even if the harvest is not immediately obvious?

Further Growth: 2nd Sunday of Epiphany

2021
Old Testament: 1 Samuel 3:1-20
Psalm: Psalm 63
New Testament: I Corinthians 6:9-20
Gospel: John 1:43-51

2020
Old Testament: Exodus 12:21-28
Psalm: Psalm 40:1-11
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Gospel: John 1:29-42