All Saints' Day

ALL SAINTS’ DAY

1 November 2013

Readings:

Revelation 7:9-17

Matthew 5:1-12

Key Verses (using the World English Bible):

Rev. 7:13, 14, 15: “These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they?… These are those who came out of the great tribulation… Therefore they are before the throne of God.”

Matt. 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Reflection

The concept of saints and sainthood has been a major source of disagreement within Christianity.  Some denominations, like Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and, to a lesser extent, Lutheranism follow an extensive “calendar of saints”, wherein most calendar days are set aside as feast days to honor one or more saints.  Other Christian branches have no such observances.  Some people invoke saints directly in prayer; others feel very uncomfortable with such a practice.

Just what exactly is a saint?  There’s a popular misconception that the church, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, “makes” saints, which is understandable, given recent petitions to “make” Pope John Paul II a saint.  As I understand it, the official teaching is that the church simply acknowledges individuals already made holy, or sainted, by God after their death.  This evolved from the custom of the early church, which declared that martyrs for the faith entered heaven directly as saints (cf. Matt. 5:10).  Today, church officials confirm sainthood a number of ways, for example, by investigating a healing that occurred when someone prayed in the name of the candidate for sainthood.  In some cases, absence of bodily decomposition after death is presented as evidence, for God will not “allow [his] holy one to see corruption” (Ps. 16:10).

Sainthood, however, can also be a tricky idea because it implies that there is such a thing as “better Christians”, or even “better people”.  This contradicts what we’ve been talking about this week, namely the Reformation teaching that we are all on equal standing before God because we’re all imperfect.  So here’s the simplest and most profound answer I’ve ever gotten to “What is saint?”: “They are people who just ‘got it’.”  What exactly did they ‘get’?  The love of God?  The meaning of life?  Their purpose in the world?  I would say it’s all of these and more.

We’ve all encountered people who, despite their shortcomings, exude such warmth and kindness, such humility and selflessness, such faith, that is—in the truest sense of the word—extraordinary, maybe even otherworldly.  They are somehow in tune with themselves, their surroundings, and with a reality that transcends the day-to-day.  These are they whom we look and cling to for inspiration, for solace, for guidance, not too different, perhaps, from those who pray in the name of a saint.

On this All Saints’ Day, I encourage you to look for these people everywhere you can.  Spend time with those who are alive; spend time in your heart with those who have died.  Look for saints among the living and the dead, for God’s “great cloud of witnesses” surrounds both earth and heaven.  Find out what saint is celebrated on your birthday, read about how this individual lived, struggled, and prayed, and then join that saint in the mutual and unbroken prayer and praise to God that knows no end.

Prayer of the Day

Almighty God,

you have knit together your elect

in one communion and fellowship

in the mystical body of your Son, Christ our Lord.

Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints

in all virtuous and godly living,

that we may come to those ineffable joys

that you have prepared for those who truly love you;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,

one God, in glory everlasting.

Amen.

—Collect for All Saints’ Day, the Book of Common Prayer, p. 245.

Hymn: “Who are these like stars appearing”

(Words: “Wer sind die vor Gottes Throne” by Theobald Heinrich Schenck, 1656-1727; translation by Frances Elizabeth Cox, 1812-1897; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero, 2013

Tune: ‘Zeuch mich, zeuch mich’, from Geistreiches Gesang-buch, 1698; harmony by William Henry Monk, 1823-1889)

Who are these like stars appearing,
These before God’s throne who stand?
Each a golden crown is wearing;
Who are all this glorious band?
Alleluia! Hark, they sing,
Praising loud their heav’nly King.

Who are these of dazzling brightness,
These in God’s own truth arrayed,
Clad in robes of purest whiteness,
Robes whose luster ne’er shall fade,
Ne’er be touched by time’s rude hand?
Whence come all this glorious band?

These are they who have contended
For their Savior’s honor long,
Wrestling on till life was ended,
Following not the sinful throng;
These who well the fight sustained,
Triumph through the Lamb have gained.

These are they whose hearts were riven,
Sore with woe and anguish tried,
Who in prayer have often striven
With the God they glorified;
Now, their painful conflict o’er,
God has bid them weep no more.

These, like priests, have watched and waited,
Off’ring up to Christ their will;

Soul and body consecrated,
Day and night to serve Him still.
Now in God’s most holy place
Blest they stand before His face.