Everyday Saints

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This year I think there is value in reflecting on what the path to everyday sainthood (quaint notion that it is) looks like as many of us feel deeply challenged by the call to become peacemakers and children of God in what seems an increasingly hostile environment. (All Saints. Matthew 5:1-12.) My interest in sainthood is not to earn a place in heaven but to become more fully an expression of God’s grace and mercy in a world so lacking in both.

Sentence:

“Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

Collect:

Creator God, source of all being,

You have declared us Beloved

and call us to be expressions of love in your world.

Help us to attend, desire, grow and become revelations of love as we entrust ourselves and our lives to you and your good purposes.

Amen.

Reflection:

Sometimes the church celebrates the “Saints” separately from All Souls. Usually, I do not presume to separate saints from the “all” of us as I don’t really feel qualified to make that distinction. (You may wish to follow the link to previous All Souls reflections.)

All Saints

But this year I wondered if there was value in reflecting on what the path to everyday sainthood (quaint notion that it is) as many of us feel deeply challenged by the call to become peacemakers and children of God in what seems an increasingly hostile environment. My interest in sainthood is not to earn a place in heaven but to become more fully an expression of God’s grace and mercy in a world so lacking in both.

Jesus’ teachings in the Beatitudes makes it painfully clear that the path to sainthood, or mature faith, is a path that leads into and through poverty of spirit, mourning, hunger, persecution and all the places we do not want to be! And the way through is mercy, purity of heart, and to be seekers and makers of peace. None of these qualities come with much, if any, power. Rather these qualities are expressions of trust, vulnerability, and a lack of personal power – or the use of whatever personal power we have for the sake of others.

The author of 1 John expresses it beautifully “ … what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” The path for the followers of Jesus is to follow Jesus! To walk where the powerful do not wish to go; to keep company with those the respectable are not comfortable with; and to give ourselves over to a process of formation, disintegration and reformation - the final outcome of which we do not know fully! Everyday sainthood – so desperately needed in our world – is less about moral or creedal purity than about humble kind-hearted mercy and hope for those we share our world with. Which makes it closer and as challenging as some of the lives of the saints we have read about! May God grant us the courage and wisdom, Jesus show us the way, and the Spirit sustain us.

Intercessions:

Gracious God, our maker and our judge,

Call us into our fullness of being,

so that we with all your beloved ones may desire peace, mercy and abundance for all, until your will be done.

We particularly pray for those who live in fear of violence and isolation and hunger … fill us with desire, hunger, wisdom and courage.

Strengthen all agencies of care and protection …

Gracious God, our maker and our judge,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus, our teacher and our companion.

Inspire, guide and lead us in the ways of truth, love and peace.

Help us as individual persons of faith, and as a people of faith,

bear witness to your redeeming love in this broken world.

Help us to proclaim and to live your gospel of love until we and our neighbours are made new by loving action.

We particularly pray for our leaders and all of us known as your followers that we may proclaim love with our lips and our actions … we pray for all church communities and programs that we might make known a new way.

We pray for all who turn to the church in their time of need,

may we respond with generosity, respect and mercy and they feel seen and valued.

Jesus, our teacher and our companion,

Hear our prayer.

Spirit of the living God,

Sustain and enliven us as give ourselves to the call to become fully alive and faithful followers.

When we and other beloveds are weary fill us with desire and hope until we revive;

when we are disheartened stir up the gift of your spirit in us that we lean into love for our sustenance;

and when our time draws near remind us whose we are and fill us gratitude and trust.

We particularly pray for those who suffer in war in the community or home, those who have lost their home and homeland, and those who fear the future. May you bring comfort and hope.

Spirit of the living God,

Hear our prayer.

Gracious God,

Loving Creator, Jesus Teacher and Companion, and Spirit of the Living God,

Guide us on the pathways of fullness of life.

Amen.