First Presbyterian Church- Lynchburg, VA November 1, 2020

“A Celebration of Life- All Saints’ Day” NT: Colossians 1:9-14 Revelation 7:9-17

Read Revelation 7:9-17

Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the Celts, inhabitants of Britain and Ireland, observed a festival on October 31. The festival was called Samhain. It marked the eve of the Celtic New Year which began on Nov. 1. By November 1, the fall harvest was complete. Winter loomed ahead. The Celts believed that the power of the sun was fading. For the next several months, darkness would prevail. They believed that the veil separating the living from the dead was at its thinnest during Samhain, so that evil spirits and the souls of the dead could more easily pass through the barrier to enter the world of the living. Departed family members could revisit their earthly homes. It was a frightening time because the Celts believed these spirits and dead souls could torment the living: crops might be destroyed, babies stolen, farm animals killed. While the Devil was ordinarily feared as the lord of darkness, this was an opportunity to commune with the spirits and maybe even see into the future!

The priests of the Celts were called Druids. They were charged with appeasing the goblins and preventing harm to the people. Huge Samhain bonfires were lit to guide the way of the spirits. Various sacrifices- including human- were performed to assure a good year. The humans who might be killed for this purpose were murderers or others who had committed crimes against society. The Celts were like many pagan cultures around the world. They often put out food for the spirits as a “treat” with hope to prevent an evil “trick.” Centuries later, descendants of the Celts continued to observe the Samhain festival by dressing as evil spirits. They roamed from house to house demanding food in exchange for the “spirits” to leave their home unharmed. Demon faces were carved in hollowed-out turnips and candles were inserted for light. On October 31, they would practice customs designed to look into the future. Young people roasted nuts in Samhain fires to see which nut might crack first to tell them who they would marry. The person who retrieved an apple with his/her mouth from a tub of water was assured to have a lucky year. We still have some of these customs today, but strictly for amusement.

As faith in Jesus as the Messiah began to spread through Europe in the 3rd and 4th centuries, pagan practices began to disappear, but Samhain survived. Though the belief in spirits declined, the idea of dressing up as a spirit and going house to house to demand a treat became a children’s time to play and act. Not until the seven hundreds did the church decide to combat the festival of Samhain with a celebration of the Lord of Life. Instead of honoring evil spirits and souls of the dead, the church chose to recognize those who had lived godly lives. These folks were called saints or hallowed ones and November 1 became known as All Saints’ Day or All Hallows’ Day. The night before was called All Hallows’ Evening from which we get “Halloween.” As time marched on some pagan practices added new symbols to the Halloween parade, such as black cats, witches, bats, and skulls. In the mid eighteen hundreds, Irish immigrants brought their customs to America. Halloween costumes, trick-or-treat, carved Jack-o-lanterns, etc. became part of our culture. Carving pumpkins, a crop not known to the Irish or the Brits, took the place of hollowed-out turnips. These immigrants also brought the practice of All Saints’ Day.

A man tells the story of a friend of his who explained to a Protestant class about the meaning of All Saints Day. A student abruptly stood up and replied, “Protestants don’t have saints!” The professor, in a moment of quick wit, ran to his office to grab a phonebook (that tells us the age of the story), and he asked the student to read the names of all the churches in the area. The student read, “St. James Baptist, St. John’s Lutheran, John Knox Presbyterian,” until he gave up and said, “I get it… I am wrong!”

It became obvious to the student, and to the whole class, that we all have saints; those who are deceased, and those who are living and walking among us, and if we think along with the apostle Paul, perhaps even we ourselves are saints.

All Saints Day reminds us that a saint is not reserved for the greats of history. Paul uses the term saint synonymously with Christian or believer, suggesting that we too are members of a great cloud of witnesses from every generation who have acted in great and small ways to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven. The “saints of God” are those who have led particularly holy lives. The Greek word translated as “saints” means “holy” or “set apart” for God’s use. It is not a designation one can earn but is a gift from God to those who follow Jesus as the Christ.

The text we read a moment ago from Revelation is a text with broad implications. In contrast to the first eight verses in the seventh chapter which depict a specific number of worshipers (144,000), verses nine casts a larger and more general vision for those who are able to worship around the throne of the Lamb. (That is be at God’s feet in heaven). Here we encounter a great multitude that is countless, numbering those from every tribe and people and language. There is no limit to the scope of this multitude, be it geographic, ethnic, numeric, linguistic, economic, and on and on the list goes. As Paul says to the Galatians, “there is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for you all are one in Jesus Christ.” This multitude is one no one can fully grasp.

The Revelation text goes on to describe that this multitude is seen and heard. They are clad in white (pure and washed clean), waving palm branches (honorably dedicated to preparing the way), and crying hymns of praise in a loud voice (an emotional outpouring of the soul). Sounds like the triumphal entry story we read in the gospels as Jesus enters Jerusalem with his death looming ahead. Unlike that story, the multitude referred to in Revelation will remain faithful to the Lamb forever and ever and not turn their back.

Not only is this multitude known for their loyalty, but they are also an active group. This multitude is comprised of those who wash their robes and worship in the temple. As a result, they are sheltered, fed, quenched, and protected. In total, this multitude has found freedom in the One they worship.

An important acknowledgement for All Saints Day to note is that we are referring to saints in the plural and not a singular saint. This is purposeful. There are 62 references to “saints” in the New Testament, but only one reference for “saint.” The reason for this is that an isolated saint in the Early Church was unthinkable. There could not be individual saints because the whole idea of saintliness went hand-in-hand with the fellowship of believers who shared the grace and the power of God. It was believed, and I wholeheartedly agree today, that a person cannot learn the faith in isolation or practice the faith without being in communion with other people. It was always in the community of faith that a person first heard the good news, responded to that good news, and then began to grow in understanding of that good news as they applied it to their lives and began to practice it. Therefore, “Saints” refers to the whole community of Christian believers.

The Apostle’s Creed, we often site when we are together in worship as an affirmation of our faith, claims “I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, and so on.” Communion means the meeting of spirits or the meeting of persons- “to have in common with, to share in, to partake of.” When we affirm our faith in the “Communion of Saints” we proclaim that we are committed to filling our lives with the Love of God in order to appreciate and participate in a meeting of spirits that includes a great unseen society of past, present, and future folks who are joined together by sharing in Christ’s spirit and love. This unseen society includes the Abrahams, Joshuas, Sarahs, Ruths, Peters, Pauls, Marys, Marthas, St. Francises, St. Johns, Martin Luthers, and John Calvins; Gordans, Brendas, Grahams, Normas, JPs, Reds, Jacks, Brits, Violets, Carolyns, Judiths, Elizabeths, and Noras; and millions of other holy ones who have participated, participate now (like you) and will participate in the great fellowship of the church with Jesus.

Now, to claim communion with one another does not eliminate our individual uniqueness. Paul declares “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Cor. 12:27 Together we make up one body, and we acknowledge that body as being a tapestry of God’s beloved creation of humanity, made up of a variety of gifts and skills and personalities uniquely designated and fostered within each of us. There is not one individual who can do it all so God blessed us with others to help us in the things we need help and to help them in the things they need help.

“I have sung Lesbia Scott’s hymn, I Sing a Song of the Saints of God, all my life. From childhood, the idea that “the saints of God” are just folk like us and can show up anywhere stuck with me. And one was a doctor… a queen, a shepherdess on the green, a soldier, a priest, and more; we meet them in school, in lanes, at sea, in church, in trains, in shops, at tea. A saint is someone who has demonstrated mighty deeds of God, … those who live out kindness and compassion in daily life.” Elizabeth Ring, Building Faith, “We Sing a Song of the Saints of God: Teaching All Saints and All Souls”, October 2013

o Can you think of a doctor or nurse that has been especially kind and helpful? o How about a public figure that has stood out as particularly understanding and important? o Who do you know that is a “shepherdess”? This could lead to conversations about animal caretakers and caregivers of all kinds. o Have you ever heard stories about soldiers who have served or serve actively? o Have any church leaders ever shown compassion? o Are there particular people in the news who have acted courageously on behalf of others? o Have your parents, and other relatives, teachers, babysitters, and anyone else been just the right person in a particular moment?

Saints are those who pledge their allegiance to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Saints are those who join in fellowship with others to share the power and grace of God to face the temptations of malice, hatred, envy, jealousy, and greed. Being a part of the fellowship of saints means seeking help to deal with the shortcomings, failings, and weaknesses in life. Saints are not people who are removed or exempt from the ordinary routines of life. They are not some different order of being like angels. Saints are the ordinary garden variety of human beings who are not perfect but recognize their sinful nature and open themselves up to receive the guidance of God’s Spirit to deal with that less-than-perfect sinfulness. Saints are faithful people who live into and out of their baptismal covenant.

My dad has shared several times the story of a class of elementary students who were taken into the sanctuary of their church to look at the beautiful stained glass windows depicting scenes from the Bible and church history. We have those stained glass windows in our sanctuary and our Confirmation class does this. We even have a book describing them all. Anyway, the teacher asked the students who a saint was. At that moment a beam of sun light shone through one of the windows and a student responded: “A saint is one through whom the light of God shines.”

Yes. Yes. Yes. That is Awesome! Saints are those who let the light of God’s love, grace, and mercy shine through their lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, when we live out our Christian vocation of being a child of God, an instrument, prism, and vessel of God’s love, joy, and peace to the world, we too, will find freedom in the Lamb of God who sustains us all.

Let all God’s people say… Amen.

Necrology All Saints Day marks the time of year when we remember all those who have entered into the fullness of time, which we call eternal life. The veil between heaven and earth is transparent as we participate in the act of remembering. We remember with our voices, hands, and hearts.

We lift our voices to God in the singing of hymns that bring us closer to our loved ones. We open our hands in prayer to give thanks for our beloved ones whose life and spirit continues to touch us in our pilgrimage here on earth. We use our hands to light a candle to remember their light in our lives and the ever-present light of Jesus that shines in the midst of darkness. We remember, with our hearts breaking open, that we belong to God in life and in death. Deep in our hearts and down in our guts there is the hope that nothing in all of creation will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God for the gift of remembering: God remembering us, and the blessed memory of our loved ones. Sharon Ely Pearson, Building Faith, “All Saints Day: How do We Remember God’s Faithful?”, October 2011

Bell: (3x)

Peter: Almighty God, we remember before you those who have lived among us. We rejoice in their lives dedicated to your service. We honor them in their death and pray that we may be united with them in the glory of Christ’s resurrection. Today we remember…

P: B. Gordon Watkins, Jr. (1x) C: Walter Brinton LeCompte- Brit (1x) Ch: Brenda Dunn Hobbs (1x) P : Violet W. Kariuki (1x) K: Graham Gilmer, III (1x) Ch: Carolyn Carroll Sparks (1x) C: Norma Hassel Light (1x) K: Judith Ann Martin Bordeaux (1x) P: Joseph Paul Vaughan- J.P. (1x) C: Elizabeth B. Robertson (1x) Ch: Captain Robert Tolbert- Red (1x) P: Nora Lou Gibson Murphy (1x) K: John McNeil Plank, Jr.- Jack (1x)

Kathleen: We also remember those who grieve the loss of someone at any time… silence (1x) Catherine: In the communion of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ our Lord… (3x)… Chad: Hear our prayers. Amen.