Blessings to you on this All Saints day. Did you know that the church has been celebrating All Saints day since the year 75? That’s over 1900 years ago. The pope of that time, Pope Gregory, declared it to be a festival day for saints and martyrs. Thankfully, it is a festival that got carried over to us in the Reformation – with some revisions. While we often think of “Saints” as “Super Hero” Christians who were disciples, like St. John or St. Matthew or St. Peter OR we think of people who have miracles attributed to them or people who were just really close to God – like St. Francis, for example.
But in the Reformation, Martin Luther declared that all Christians are both Saints and Sinners. We are made Saints in our baptism by Christ – and, at the same time – we acknowledge that we are not perfect, that is, we sin, every day we fall short of being the people God made us to be and are in need of God’s grace and mercy. Thankfully, this is exactly what God gives to us, again and again and again until that day that Christ calls us home, forgiving our sins one last time and making a place for us to join with that great multitude of the hosts of heaven.
Today we give special thanks for those who have died in the past year. Those listed in your bulletin have been in or connected to our congregation. It was my good pleasure to have known each of them. They were not known as being Saints – they weren’t called St. Helen, St. Bob, St. Betty, St. Sandy, St. Shirley, St. Larry or St. Jackie. But they, like you and I, are called beloved children of God because of God’s great love for us. They and we are “ordinary saints and sinners.” Some of them, like Bob and Larry, grew up in the church and were active when they were here. Larry came back after 30 some years and informed me, he had just been out of town for a bit and he still considered himself a member. Betty and Helen were part of the choir, lending their voices in praise of God. Sandy and Jackie had a heart for service. Sandy loved to make things and brought her sorority here to do good work in the community. Jackie served with the Near Food Shelf as long as she was able. Shirley took in adolescent neighborhood kids as her foster kids – and they still call her mom. There is so much more to say about each of them.
But they are a part of the Host of Heaven - not because of what they have done, or even because they were so lovable. Well – most of the time they were lovable - they were sinners as well as saints after all. But they are part of the Host of Heaven because God has loved them and claimed them as God’s own beloved children. And – that is who they are – and that is who we are. As we read in 1 John, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are.”
God chooses ordinary people like Helen, Bob, Betty, Sandy, Shirley, Larry and Jackie and the beloved person that you lit a candle for… and like you to be God’s beloved children.
Before Jesus proclaims the beatitudes, the blessings, he walks from town to town throughout Galilee, teaching and curing “every disease and every sickness among the people.” Seeing what he has done, other people, from other lands come, and bring to Jesus those who are vulnerable, those who were considered hopelessly sick or wounded in body, mind or spirit and Jesus cures them.
It is only after healing this crowd of vulnerable ordinary people that Jesus goes up the mountain and begins to start issuing blessings and proclaiming promises.
And who does Jesus bless? The poor in Spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted. But Jesus does not leave them there with simply nice words. Instead, Jesus declares and creates a future that is different – a future with hope, comfort, and the inbreaking of the kingdom of God.
If you have ever mourned the loss of a loved one, or felt downtrodden or frustrated at the way of the world, Jesus is talking to you here. You will be comforted, your hunger and thirst for righteousness and justice will be filled. You will be called children of God.
All of the blessings that Jesus gives are declarations of what is and what is to be – except one. The last verse is a command: Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven.”
Despite all of the challenges of this world, and everything that may befall you, Jesus has a blessing for you, a word of hope and promise for the future and one more thing: the promise of Resurrection. And this is why, despite the challenges that we face in this world, we can rejoice.
The Beatitudes are a preview of the world to come and the hope and joy of new life. And so we can rejoice and be glad. For we know the end of the story. 6 months after Easter and 6 months before the next Easter, on All Saints Sunday we can proclaim a little Easter. For day and any Sunday we can proclaim, “Christ is Risen! And you respond: “Christ is Risen Indeed!
This is why we can rejoice and this is why we can be glad. The Psalmist knew this. Despite the challenges and trials of his day – and there were many – the psalmist declares, “ I will bless the Lord at all times; the praise of God shall ever be in my mouth. I will glory in the Lord; let the lowly hear and rejoice.” And then, invites you to “Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord; let us exalt God’s name together.”
Sisters, brothers, friends in Christ, let us rejoice and bless the Lord together! For Christ has blessed us not only with the blessings and hope of transformation but also of resurrection. Thanks be to God! Amen.