All Saints Day

I sing a song of the saints of God,

patient and brave and true,

who toiled and fought and lived and died

for the Lord they loved and knew.

And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,

and one was a shepherdess on the green:

they were all of them saints of God, and I mean,

God help me to be one too.

Today is All Saints Day.  The above photo (while not take by me) comes from The Dancing Saints painting at St. Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco.  You can watch a video about this sacred space by clicking here.  

On this coming Sunday, our church will name our saints and light a candle.  For me this is such a holy, bittersweet moment.  On the one hand, I am so grateful for the light and love each person shared.  On the other hand, I miss these folks.  We are forever shaped in our hearts and minds because of the people we know and love.  Science tells us that the synapses of our minds are re-wired because of our encounters and interactions.  Saints are those who surge through us and we can even hear the sound of their voices in the back of our minds.

Who is a saint to you?

Not necessarily someone who was perfect.  As a matter of fact, the more you learn about saints, the more you start to see just how human each was.  Saints had doubts - major!  Saints struggled with temptations and trials - there is no get out of struggle/pain/suffering card given to faithful people.  Saints were beautifully and broken human beings...just like you and me.

So, I ask you again, who is a saint to you?

For me, it is pastors who planted seeds of serving the church.

For me, it is family whose teach me again and again about unconditional love.

For me, it is friends who call me back to who and whose I am.

I could fill a wall with the saints of God who have entered my life.

And I pray on this day, you will light a candle and name your saints who nourish/nurture you faith still to this day.

Amen.