Struggling, striving, to be one too. I love this day. Why do
I feel All Saints so deeply? I don’t think it’s because of sainthood, or
perfection. I think it’s because I want to be among those who follow Jesus, I
want to be among those who stand up for love, and compassion, and mercy, and I
know I cannot do that alone. I listen to these names, names of the long dead
and names of the recently dead, and I wonder, do I measure up? Do I act justly
when the time comes, am I merciful in judgment, can I be compassionate when I
vehemently disagree with another?
This cloud of witnesses helps me along, holds me up, keeps
me accountable, makes me want to do better. Each one of these in this cloud of
witnesses changed their particular piece of the world, not necessarily by doing
fabulous, extravagant things, but by stepping into the space when called. By
stepping up to love. By using their voice and being brave. Not heroic, but
faithful.
Do you have saints in your life? Not perfect people, people
perfectly loved. I posted a piece on Facebook on All Saints Day, that some of
you saw. “Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. ‘Be still’ they say. ‘Watch
and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.’” Linda
Hogan....indigenous writer, who is currently the Chickasaw Nation's Writer in
Residence.
That empowers me, emboldens me to put one foot in front of
the other, each day, and speak love into dark and lonely spaces. It feels like
my voice joins all the voices before me, and together we sing a song of the
saints of God. Because being a saint is not about being superhuman. It may be
about having a super power though. The super power of love, the super power of
the love of all those who have gone before us to show us the way, and those who
will come after us to carry on.
I wonder about the saints we named today, and so many others
whom we did not name. I wonder if they knew they were a saint, or if all they
knew was God’s love for them and for others. I think they didn’t know they were
saints. I think they were just like you and me. I think they took seriously the
call to love God, and to love one another. I think they woke up in the morning,
just like you and me, and asked God to help them carry Jesus’ light into all
the dark places of their lives.
Who are the saints you know, and have known? Not perfect
people. But people putting one foot in front of the other and stepping into the
space of love, and bringing the light of Jesus with them. I think a lot about
my mom who died nearly three years ago now. My mom wasn’t perfect, she was as
ornery as an Irish woman comes. There was always room at my mother’s table.
Even if she didn’t like you, you got fed. She prepared meals at church, and put
on quite a spread for funeral luncheons. And for years she was in charge of the
Loaves and Fishes meal once a month. Mom would never consider herself any more
than a person that said yes to pitching in and helping. She never thought of
herself as brave or courageous, or particularly compassionate. But she stepped
up when she heard the call, often it was the call on the telephone… we need you
to….bring a hotdish, we need you to… be in be president of the women’s club…we
need you.
I think what’s really true is that the phone call, or these
days the email, is much louder than God’s still, small voice. And stepping into
the space of love and compassion, responding to God’s call, is much more like
providing a meal than it is about saving the world.
If we are indeed the result of the love of thousands, which
I believe we are, then what is the task we bear today? It’s not about heroics,
but definitely super powers, love and compassion. We are the saints of God, we
are the ones who give rise to the thousands who come after us. Our task today
is to follow Jesus. Our call is to Love God, love others, show it. Getting up
every morning, giving thanks for the day, putting one foot in front of the
other, and shining the Christ light into all of the dark places, makes a
difference. We are joined together, we are joined with the cloud of witnesses,
and our witness matters, our actions matter. They lived not only in ages past; there
are hundreds of thousands still; the world is bright with the joyous saints who
love to do Jesus’ will. You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea, in
church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea; for the saints of God are just
folk like me, and I mean to be one too.
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