Now it was (foretold) in type and prophecy that there would come a high saint, noble and honourable, to rescue and repel men from paganism by the preaching of the Word of God, for the healing of lepers, and blind, and deaf, and lame, and all kinds of sick folk, to raise the dead, to put down the mighty and lift up the wretched, and to drive away plagues and pestilences, to check thieves and crimes and strange monsters, and to instruct all kinds of perverted folk who opposed the will of God.
– Anonymous, Life of Coemgen
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
– John 14.12-14
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
– Ephesians 1.1, 2
Coemgen
Coemgen, or Kevin, was, with Brigit, one of the “high” saints of Ireland in the generation after Patrick. Three accounts of his life and work have come down to us, each in traditional hagiographical form, and therefore each of them requiring a bit of sifting to get at the kernel of truth that can nourish our faith.
We look first at some excerpts from the anonymous summary of the two other accounts, which, because it is a summary is much shorter. In a colophon, Michael O’Clery—to whom we owe a debt of gratitude for his work on the saints of ancient Ireland—tells us that he copied this version down twice in September of 1629, from “the book of the priest, Roibned Purcell”. He describes it as a “fragment of the life of Coemgen” because it is short, and O’Clery had access to the other two versions, so he would have known.
As in so many of these hagiographies, the opening paragraphs are meant to connect the “high saint” to Jesus, especially by the kinds of works he did, including raising the dead and healing lepers. Did these saints do all these works their hagiographers report? It is not likely. But it is not unlikely, either. The power of God was at work in Ireland during these years in extraordinary ways. Beginning with Palladius, at the end of the fourth century, then accelerating with the work of Patrick through the middle of the fifth century, the Gospel spread like the light of a new day, overthrowing ancient religions and practices, overhauling Irish culture, and raising three generations of preachers, scholars, missionaries, and “high” saints whom God used in exceptional ways to bring revival, renewal, and awakening to Ireland and beyond.
Coemgen’s story is memorable for his character and work at the monastery he founded in Glendalough, as well as for the fact that two versions of his story have come down to us from the same pen. And it’s quite likely that many of the accomplishments and virtues attributed to Coemgen have a historical basis, as we shall see.
High saints?
But I think we should not accept the attribution “high saint” to Coemgen or Brigit or any of those gifted, determined, courageous Christian men and women who contributed in a conspicuous way to the progress of the Celtic Revival.
There were no “high saints” then and there are none today.
In the New Testament, there were no “higher saints” than the apostle Paul, and he referred to himself as the chief of sinners. All saints are equal before the eyes of the Lord. He looks on all who believe in Him as His children; and He has appointed us all as ambassadors of His Kingdom, to serve in a myriad of callings and places day by day. We have different gifts, opportunities, and skills, but we are all saints—set apart in the holiness of Jesus unto holiness before the Lord.
In the Kingdom of God there are no high saints or low saints. Only saints. And all true saints want to serve Jesus as completely as they can, as Brigit and Coemgen did. It pleases God to allow some of His saints to be remembered in perpetuity because of their character and work. But as many as there are of these, multitudes more remain uncelebrated, unacknowledged, and unrecognized for their achievements.
We are all saints. We do not aspire to anything other than to know, love, and serve the Lord, for in Him we find all our pleasure, satisfaction, joy, and peace. But we are happy to be instructed by prominent saints from the past, thanking and rejoicing in the Lord in everything we learn from the likes of Brigit and Coemgen.
High saints? No. Only a fellowship of true saints that spans the ages and globe, set apart by God together for His honor and glory.
For Reflection
1. How would you explain to a new believer what it means to be a saint?
2. Whom will you encourage today with a reminder that they are saints of the Lord?
Psalm 8.3-6
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
When I regard the heavens, the work of Your own hand,
the moon and stars which all in their courses You command,
then what am I, O Savior, that You take thought of me,
or I should know Your favor and thus delivered be?
Yet we in Your own image with glory have been crowned,
to worship and to serve You throughout creation ‘round.
These works that sing Your glory in our poor hands are placed,
that we may rule before You to magnify Your grace.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we are investigating the role of culture in God’s Kingdom. Our Read Moore podcast continues working through The Gospel of the Kingdom, working to understand the true Gospel of the Lord. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
