The Great Cloud of Witnesses

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Beloved in Christ,

Today’s Collect asks for grace to follow the Saints in godly living. God has already knit his people together in Christ; our holiness begins with his gift of communion, and grows as we answer that gift with love.

We began our worship this morning with that wonderful hymn, “For All the Saints.”

“For all the saints, who from their labours rest, Who thee by faith before the world confessed.”

I wonder how many faces came to mind as we sang those words? Parents and grandparents, old friends, faithful priests and teachers, and perhaps someone whose quiet goodness touched our lives in a way we have never forgotten.

All Saints’ Day is a time to remember them with gratitude, and perhaps with a little longing. We miss them, but we rejoice that they are held in the love of God.

A Great Multitude

In our first lesson, the reading from the Revelation, Saint John gives us a glimpse of heaven: a great multitude standing before the throne of God, clothed in white robes, praising him together. What a wonderful picture of the family of God, gathered at last in his presence.

And just before this homily, we sang a rather different hymn, “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God.” It was written for children, but I have always thought it contains a truth that grown-ups sometimes forget.

Saints are not necessarily extraordinary people. They are ordinary people who have learned, often slowly and imperfectly, to love God and their neighbours.

No Ordinary People

You may remember David Bowie singing that “we can be heroes, just for one day.” There is something rather appealing about that thought. Sometimes a single act of kindness, a moment of courage, or a word of forgiveness can make all the difference to someone.

Our old friend “Jack” Lewis, properly referred to as C. S. Lewis, once wrote, “There are no ordinary people.” He went on to say that we have never met a mere mortal, and that every person we meet is destined for glory or ruin. That is a sobering and wonderful thought. It means that the person beside us in the pew, the stranger in the queue, and the colleague who irritates us are all, in some sense, already on holy ground. That is why the small, unnoticed acts of faithfulness matter so much more than we imagine. That is a challenging standard, and yet it is the one the Gospel sets before us: to see Christ himself in the least of our brothers and sisters.

Let Your Light Shine

Our Lord tells us in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the merciful” and “Blessed are the pure in heart.” He does not speak of fame or worldly achievement. He speaks of the qualities of a heart turned toward God.

Jesus teaches his disciples with the multitudes before him. His promise challenges familiar measures of success: the meek and persecuted belong to his kingdom. Matthew does not tell us how each hearer received these words. They call us, too, to trust Christ when mercy seems costly. Revelation shows where this trust leads: the multitude praises God and the Lamb for salvation, and God wipes away their tears.

I believe God sees those little acts of courage that the world overlooks. The kindness offered when we are weary, the patience we struggle to maintain, the prayer whispered in the middle of a difficult night. None of these is lost to him.

And there is comfort in knowing that our usefulness to God is not measured by what we can still accomplish. Even when age or illness takes away much that we once enjoyed, we remain his beloved children.

A dear friend of mine, Tom Brooks, often closed his sermons with Our Lord’s words:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Those words have stayed with me. We may never know how much light a small kindness has brought into another person’s life. But God knows.

The Faith Handed Down

At the close of our service, we shall sing “Faith of Our Fathers.” That hymn brings us back to where we are today. We have received a precious inheritance. The faith we profess was handed down to us by generations of Christians, many of whom we knew and loved. We remember them, we give thanks for them, and now it is our turn to carry that faith forward.

We are still the Church Militant, still making our pilgrimage through this world. Our journey is not yet finished, and there is still good to be done, love to be shared, and light to be given. The saints have gone before us. One day, by God’s grace, we shall join them. Until then, may we walk faithfully, love generously, and let the light of Christ shine through our lives.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

We can honour the Saints while excusing our own resentment or withholding forgiveness. Let us repent, trusting Christ’s mercy, and ask for a heart willing to make peace. At Holy Communion, the Lord who unites his people feeds us for that life of love. Let us pray together the Collect for this feast.

O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.