Our Saints

November 1 is All Saints Day in the Christian calendar. This day is the day we (the Church) remember all the saints throughout church history.

Frederick Buechner says,
“It’s in God’s holy flirtation with the world where we occasionally see God drop a pocket handkerchief. These handkerchiefs are called saints.”

Many people think of saints as plaster saints or moral exemplars, men and women of such paralyzing virtue that they never thought a nasty thought or did an evil deed their whole lives long. As far as I know, real saints never even come close to characterizing themselves that way. On the contrary, no less a saint than Saint Paul wrote to Timothy, “I am foremost among sinners.”

In other words, the feet of saints are as much of clay as everybody else’s, and their sainthood consists less of what they have done than of what God has for some reason chosen to do through them. Did you know Saint Mary Magdalene was possessed by seven demons at one point (so says Catholic tradition)? St. Augustine prayed, “God give me chastity and continence – but not now!” Saint Francis of Assisi, the founder of Franciscan monks, lived a high-rollers life the majority of his adult career before surrendering to God’s call on his life.
I guess if God can use these people then there is no one God can’t use as a means of grace.

What some people don’t realize is that All Saints Day also celebrates the lives of loved one’s who have passed away during our lifetime.

Memories can be vessels for God’s assurance. These cherished memories of loved ones that live on inside of us is God’s way of reminding us that God is in control.

I’m learning that no one earns their way into heaven. No one deserves to climb Mt. Zion to worship God in the temple. But in Psalm 24, in a moment of true confession and honesty, we hear the cries of the Israelites saying that for those who seek after God – God shows mercy. God shows favor. God gives salvation. In other words, we can carry with our memories of our loved ones assurance that God is taking care of them.

The story of our faith is that God looks out at all that God created and says – “this is good, I’m well pleased.”

I truly believe you can know that your loved ones are being taken care of by God, and they are resting with the one who makes all things new. God doesn’t destroy but instead -- redeems. God doesn’t condemn but instead -- saves. God doesn’t punish but instead -- shows grace. God loves. God forgives. God redeems. Especially those we have lost this day.

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