This weekend we celebrate All Saints Sunday. What saints do you know about? The 13th century mystic St. Francis of Assisi? The 3rd century bishop St Nicholas we know in America at Santa Claus? Is it someone pictured in stained glass? A “patron” of a particular group of people?

What saint do you know personally? Is that a little more difficult to name? Well, just what constitutes a “saint”? Is it someone who is perfect, exceptionally holy and good, a great role model, and someone whose prayers are answered? Is it someone recognized by the Church and singled out for healing powers? 

What if it wasn’t necessarily any of those things?

(Of course, in the South especially, we refer to a kind, enduring, and helpful person that way: “Margaret is such a saint.”)

In a similar way to the term “holy” in the Bible, a saint is simply someone set apart for God’s use. In the way that Paul uses the term in his letters, it includes YOU… and ALL other followers of Jesus Christ. 

If the saints of the past can see us today, what hope would they have for us to fulfill? Are we living out lives in such a way so as to lean forward into hope? Invest in hope? What hopes do we have for the saints of the future?

Ephesians 1:17-23 is a prayer for us to be able to discern a future with hope. The life-changing visit by Jesus to Zacchaeus [Luke 19:1-10] demonstrates the power of inclusion for the future for this one man and the community. 

As always, I would really love to get your comments or questions — ahead of time or afterwards. Just click here.