Meditation for November 1 (All Saints' Day)

From Peter Munson

Matthew 5:1-12

 

Are You A Saint?

 

"Then he began to speak, and taught them saying:

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven..."

(Matthew 5:2-10)

 

Today is All Saints' Day, a day when we celebrate all faithful people.  Not "all faithful departed" - those who have gone before us in the faith, who have died and are now with God - they are especially remembered tomorrow, on November 2.  Today is a day to celebrate all who are being faithful to God today, all who have been faithful, and all who will be.  Think about those who are most often celebrated on the covers of the magazines that you see as you check out at the grocery store - the very rich (remember: we are rich!), the beautiful, the famous, the entertainers.  This day is sort of the antithesis of that.

 

The word "Saint" - with a capital S - is used to denote someone who is officially recognized by the Church as having lived an exceptionally holy life.  Think about the names of most of our churches - St. Mark, St. Paul, St. Mary Magdalene, St. John, St. Ambrose, etc.  In the Catholic Church, there is the kind of Saint who has been canonized - one whom you could pray to, someone who is capable of interceding for sinners.  In the New Testament, however, the word is used to denote anyone who is a faithful follower of Christ, anyone who is a believer.  That is why Paul begins just about every one of his letters with the phrase:  "to the saints in __________."

 

If you are someone who professes faith in Christ, and strives to follow Jesus' ways, then you are a saint.  I would take it a step further than that.  If you are someone who professes faith in God, and seeks to do the will of God, then you are a saint.

 

On this All Saints' Day, the Gospel points us to The Beatitudes - the "Blessed" sayings that Jesus said at the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount.  The message, in effect, is: the Beatitudes have a lot to do with being a saint.

 

Are you aware of being poor in spirit?  That is, are you aware of your deep need for God?

Are there things about your life and the state of the world that make you mourn?

Are you meek?  That is, do you have a gentle, patient spirit, where you are not easily angered, and not inclined to be resentful?

Do you hunger and thirst for justice?

Are you merciful?  That is, are you kind, loving, and forgiving, in the same way that God is kind and loving and forgiving towards you?

Are you pure in heart?  Do you want what is best for yourself, and for others, too?  And do you love God?

Are you a peacemaker?  Are you more about building up then tearing down, encouraging than discouraging, working for healing and deepening relationships than doing things that bring division and pain?

Are you sometimes attacked or persecuted or made fun of for doing the right thing?

 

I suppose we all fall short of doing all these things, all the time.  But Jesus says if we are hanging in there, if we are striving to do these things, if our heart is in the right place and we are trying to follow our heart's desire to walk in Jesus' steps, and have this kind of approach to life, then we are blessed.  Not - we will be blessed.  We are blessed.  And if you are striving to live into the challenge of the Beatitudes, if you are striving to follow Jesus' teachings and loving actions, then one more thing is true.  You are a saint.

 

To the saints who are in Boulder and Louisville and Lafayette and Superior and Longmont and Golden and Erie and Arvada and Broomfield and Westminster and Denver - did I miss anyone? - grace and peace to you, in Christ Jesus our Lord.