11-2-25     All Saints           Luke 6:20-31

20 Then [Jesus] looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.  “Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
  27 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; 28 bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Our Lord created and gifted you and each of his children with dignity and worth. In abundance and generosity God’s grace is meant to be spread to all.

On this All Saints, we think about those we have lost to death, naturally that can bring up a sadness we have tried to lay aside. Even as we may miss those individuals, there is also reason to rejoice as we consider what Jesus has done for them and for us. Looking at death from a Christian perspective allows us to give thanks for God’s love for humanity in offering us the life lived and a future that takes us into his divine presence. We are to be inspired by those we have known who showed us the good they did in their time here among us and to realize that good can live on, in and through us. A seventh century English theologian and historian, St. Bede, composed this prayer which reveals the hope which is ours in faith. (I have updated the English slightly.)  This was written with the loss of a dear friend in mind.

We seem to give him back to you, dear Lord,

who gave him to us.

Yet as You did not lose him in the giving,

so likewise, we have not lost him

by his return to you.

Not as the world gives do you give, O God.

What you give you do not take away.

For what is yours is also ours.

We are yours and life is eternal,

And love is immortal.

Death is only a horizon,

and a horizon is but the limit of our sight.

We have been given very little specific information about what lies beyond that horizon of death. The reading from Ephesians alludes to that life we will inherit in Christ, in which is our hope. There is given this strong assurance that it is ours. “In (Christ) you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people.” So then we too follow in Christ’s footsteps; as we shall be raised as he was and will join him in the kingdom of his reign.  “God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.” (Eph 1:13, 20-21) It will be our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who is sovereign overall. That assurance is given here so we may rest in comfort, knowing those saints who have preceded us are in good company and live in the realm overseen by Jesus. You are to trust that the future is well in hand and about that you need have nothing to fear. 

There is today, however. For the concerns of this time and place we do need to give our attention. The gospel speaks very clearly there are expectations for us now. God designed this world making humanity its crown. We are intended to live in harmony with each other, to provide for one another, and also to lean on each other for support. Together, in community, we can manage and accomplish so much more than on our own. Saints share! 

In all honesty, we realize that those saints we have known and the saint we are personally made to be, do have some challenges with fulfilling that originally designed model. Before we get very far in our saintly role, we fall into our more natural role as a sinner. The duality of our nature is always contending with each aspect of who we are and who gets to lead. When we take up the sinner phase, we become dependent on Christ for forgiveness. In fact, it is only in Jesus that we can take up the saintly aspect. In our baptism we have been made a saint. Yet the potential for saintliness does not guarantee that our sainthood gets lived out fully each day. We are perpetually enticed by sin. It is sin that separates us from our saintly self and also separates us from God and one another. Yet having been marked with the cross of Christ, we have received His very Spirit, which enables us to do a saint’s work. 

Jesus explains how that looks and works its way out. “I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; 28 bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Jesus pushes the saint in the direction he wants us to go. Saints share! 

So today we want to honor the saints who have come before us. As we think about these for whom we will light candles; you may recall the memories that are most special. Perhaps you will remember what kindness they showed you or gave to others. You may envision the times of hospitality that they offered to those who happened by or when they reached out to their neighbor, doing tasks that were beyond their energy or skills. You saw the light of the caring they gave, even when it was not convenient or easy.  In many European countries on All Saints, the cemeteries are filled with glowing candles, placed by each headstone. People go to the cemetery to soak up that light for it reminds them of those who have gone before. They can see again the good which was provided. We too need to soak up the light from the saints who have been among us. So, we light candles today. We take that light from the altar, where those candles symbolize the One who is the Light of the World. The light exposes the need within each of us for the changes which are most important to make so our saintly side can emerge triumphant. That light can point the way for us and expose the objective that Saints share!  

The light can reveal the needs of others so we realize what we can do and where we can join with others to accomplish that which is Christ-like. Be prepared that the light might also expose that selfish lapse within. Then we can seek forgiveness and move ahead, changing our direction.  We join together in the meal of bread and wine for that very reason and recall that we are one, with all the saints from all times, as we partake of that same meal. Be reminded again that Saints share; they share with each other in the work, for no one can do what is needed all alone.  We rely on our Lord and on each other, trusting what Jesus taught, that we do to others as we want done to us. That is why the saints of light share!