In Memoriam - Madeleine L'Engle

Dear Friends in Christ -

On Thursday last week, Madeleine L'Engle passed from this life to meet her Lord in heaven. She was 88.

I got to know Madeleine a bit through the Episcopal women's prayer group that I'm a part of, the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross. She was really something - a woman with boundless energy and a magnificent sense of humor and a keen mind. She was a perfectly brilliant writer, authoring over 60 books during her lifetime. You might know her as the author of the award-winning children's book A Wrinkle in Time.

Madeleine wrote books for adults, too. Among my favorites are her Crosswicks Journals, the first of which is A Circle of Quiet. I was also inspired and touched by a book that she wrote about marriage, A Two-Part Invention. She captured gently and honestly both the real-life struggles and wonders of married life.

One of the things that I most admired about Madeleine was her steady faithfulness. Though she sometimes got discouraged - in her 30s she couldn't seem to get anything published and was tempted to quit writing altogether at 40 - she never lost faith, in her God or in herself. She didn't let the critics get to her, even when her award-winning book A Wrinkle in Time was banned by some churches and libraries.

I last saw Madeleine at a special event at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Her body was failing, and she was in a wheelchair. But her spirit was radiant, and she reached out a strong, warm hand to all those around her.

Today I give thanks for her work and for her life.
Faithfully yours,
Janet+