For most of my life, I have served as a lector in church. That is, I am one of those who regularly reads the holy scriptures assigned for the day during our weekly worship services. On 9 February 2025 at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, I read the Old Testament passage, Isaiah 6:1-8, which includes a memorable description of angels (“each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew”) and concludes with, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” I love this passage because it is both a fascinating vision and a statement of vocation.
Variants of the phrase “Here am I; send me!” is in many places in the Bible, including, Genesis 22 (3 times), Genesis 27, Genesis 31, Genesis 37, Genesis 46, 1 Samuel 3 (5 times), 1 Samuel 12, 1 Samuel 14, 1 Samuel 22, 2 Samuel 15, Psalm 40, Isaiah 58, Isaiah 65 (twice), Jeremiah 26, Luke 1, Acts 9, 2 Corinthians 12, Tobit 2, Tobit 6, 1 Maccabees 6, and 2 Esdras 14. It is also the refrain of one of my favorite hymns, “Here I Am, Lord,” by Dan Schutte and St. Louis Jesuits (1981),
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I think of Isaiah 6:1-8 whenever I am lucky enough to visit the magnificent Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Under the dome are four large paintings of six winged angels soaring over the immense and ancient worship space. When I was there last in 2024, I bought a scarf featuring an abstract painting of the dome and angels.
Last night in Elmwood jail, John Plocher and I were discussing the concept of vocation with our weekly class – and of course we discussed Isaiah 6:1-8. Some of the inmates felt a vocation for art or music or sports but many of them are still considering what God is calling them to do in their lives. John and I have just finished a four month term using the “Transforming Literature of the Bible” course on the Christian Testament. Next week is movie night and the guys voted to watch “War Horse.” In two weeks, we will start the next Hebrew Bible term and I will be asking them to notice every time someone says, “Here am I; send me!”
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