All Saints 2025

It was almost twenty years ago that this sermon was preached. My husband was a manuscript writing preacher. In this post I am sharing with you the gift of the words he wrote and then preached five days before his unexpected death. On November 11, 2025 it will be twenty years since he died. To remember is holy and can be part of our healing. May some of these words speak to your own remembering on this All Saints Sunday.

“What’s A Saint?”

A sermon by Pastor Steve Cox (1957-2005)

(preached at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, Louisville, Colorado in worship on November 5/6, 2005)

An elderly man walks down the street; shuffling, perhaps more aptly describes his walk than walking. His face shows the wisdom of the years. It could not be called a happy face; he’s seen too much. But it could be called a content face. The man is obviously at peace with the world, with himself.

He walks by the school yard. A number of children come running over to greet him. Now that would normally make some parents nervous, but the children obviously know who he is. He spends time telling them a story, and listening to what they say. Just enjoying them, as much as they enjoy him. We don’t know how he struck a relationship with them in the first place, but it’s obvious he’s touched their lives.

The man continues walking down the street. Along the way, he tips his hat to a lady, helps a man start his car. And greets everyone with a smile, brightening their day. The man has known pain in his life, just as all of us have. But it doesn’t seem to show in his reactions to others. I suppose if you followed this guy for very much time, your reaction to him probably would be, “what a saint he is”. A saint? What is a Saint? What does it mean, to you?

Today is the Sunday in our church year known as All Saints’ Sunday. Traditionally, it is a time when we remember all those who have passed away before us. But I think for many of us, it isn’t limited to those who have died.

A Saint is someone different for each of us individually. We know who they are, to us. We know who it is among them who have touched our lives. Perhaps it was someone in our recent past who has touched us; someone who shaped our life. Who picked us up when we were down. Who carried us, when we couldn’t walk ourselves. These are the people we choose to remember on All Saint’s Sunday. And it’s been celebrated in the Christian Church since the year 359. So it has been celebrated by Christians about as long as we’ve celebrated Christmas, which also began to be celebrated in the 4th century.

But whatever the time period the person who was a Saint to us comes from, the simple fact is, life goes on. And those of us who are left behind, need to turn our attention to how best to live that life without that person’s involvement. This is not disrespect for those who have affected us and gone on before, and it’s certainly not an attempt to limit or shun the grief process. But it is an attempt to deal with the reality of our lives here on earth. And the truth is, what better way is there to honor someone who has influenced your life, than to go on living your life in the way their influence taught you?

I really believe that’s why our Gospel lesson for All Saints Sunday is the Beatitudes. Sometimes it’s really tough to figure out why a particular lesson would be chosen for a particular day, but not so with today. Because in essence, a Saint is a baptized Christian who has made a commitment, and who is working hard on that commitment. Who has said, God loves me. I accept that. Now what do I do about it?

The Beatitudes are more than somewhat confusing. While we have all of it’s words in English, the translated words are not real familiar to us. And sometimes they are the victims of being taken too literally, while not getting the feeling or intent of the message.

All the Beatitudes begin with “Blessed”. So when was the last time you said somebody was blessed? It’s probably been awhile, right? All blessed means is a God-like joy, independent of outside forces. But a joy which is not fleeting, which can endure through difficult times. Now we all know what joy is. I feel joyful lots of times. Every time the Colorado Avalanche win a hockey game, I feel joyful. Which of course means, I wasn’t very joyful last year. Just ask my wife. But that is a joy that, even when it’s here, soon goes away.

The joy that’s talked about in the Beatitudes is not influenced by the things which can go wrong with life. It survives all the tragedies which are a part of every day existence. All those things which leave us wondering, “How could God let this happen?” and “Why me, Lord?” It survives, because it is a gift from God, not something which we’ve created in ourselves. And as such, it is a wonderful gift. So what are these items which are talked about being “blessed?”

Blessed are the poor in spirit doesn’t mean blessed is the guy who’s down in the dumps all the time. It means, blessed is the one who has realized his or her own utter helplessness, and who has therefore put their whole trust in God. The God-like joy this person will have is not to be owned by their possessions, but to be owned by God.

Blessed are the meek is another one that gives us difficulty. Does that mean we’re supposed to go around like a bunch of wimps, letting people stomp all over us? No; it means not being angry at the wrong time; but being angry at the right time, when the anger is called for. Being merciful means forgiveness, but also caring enough to know when to say, “No.”

In trying to understand all this, we need to remember that the Beatitudes, a part of the sermon on the mount, was not a regular sermon of Jesus to any group who might hear it. It had a very specific audience... Those who were already his followers. Those who were ready to make the commitment beyond just believing. Believing was enough because of what Jesus did for us. But to carry on the message, required more commitment.

The Beatitudes leave us with the concept that Christianity is a religion of caring. It’s a religion of the heart, but which is responded to in our words and actions.

The saints that went before us, whoever that is for you, have affected our lives. Perhaps the best way to remember them this All Saints Sunday, is to affect other lives in the same way. How will you do that, this week, this month, this year?

Amen.