It is that sense of present and future which is a useful way of thinking about the saints. We so often think of All Saints only in terms of the past: all those good people that have died – period. As if they do not have a great deal of connection with us. Rather they are like stained glass images or statues which we look at and admire. We may give thanks for those we know something about but all in a distant rather objective way. But to think of the saints, or All Saints, in this way is to miss out on so much of their relevance and importance to the church today of which we and they are a living part.

The first clue in the readings comes in the Ephesians passage where the writer, thought to be a disciple of Paul rather that Paul himself, speaks of the faith of the Ephesian Christians in the Lord Jesus and “their love toward all the saints”. Meaning of course not the saints as in St Paul or St Peter or Our Lady, but rather their Christian sisters and brothers in the Ephesian Church. The saints are all the baptized, all those who have faith in the Lord Jesus. Therefore it is true to say we are the saints of God here at Transfiguration. You may respond and say “ I am not quite ready for that yet; just let me do a bit more sinning”. But quite seriously it is correct to say that we are all ready sharing in the life of the saints in our faith, our worship, our prayer, and our service or ministry. When Paul writes to a particular church as the “saints in that place” he is not just referring to a group of the congregation, those who have made it as it were. But rather he is referring to all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus. The use of “saints” is an inclusive one rather than an exclusive one. That may sound novel to our ears and may take a bit of adjusting to. But when you start to think about it a whole new dimension of Christian living opens up for us.

The second clue in the Ephesians reading comes when the writer in addressing the present community of the church relates their status to the future, God’s future, which has been brought about by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He says to Ephesians the “you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe” and so forth. He adds “God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but in the age to come.” What the writer is saying is that in the Christian dispensation present and future are interrelated. As we live the present as people of faith there is always a future dimension at play. Or to put in an entirely different way by baptism we are people with our feet in two worlds: this world; the present; now as well as in the world to come; the future; tomorrow. As Ephesians says we belong to two worlds through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus has opened up for us a whole new future dimension to our existence one which has both present relevance and future promise.

How does that play out in our life? It is a nice idea but does it have any relevance to our day to day existence simply as human beings let alone as men and women of faith?

Take for example the issue of saints which is after all the reason for our celebration today. In celebrating All Saints we are remembering our participation in the Communion of Saints now, today. We, the contemporary saints, join with all the saints of God throughout time because together we are all heirs to God’s promised blessedness, to the glorious inheritance among the saints, to heaven itself. The lives of the historic saints, those we have known as well as those we have heard and read about, impinge on our own for good. They are a source of inspiration and encouragement to us as we journey towards our heavenly home. They help us to keep going when things get rough. They help us to keep our self-esteem as contemporary saints when the world seems to devalue or disregard our humble efforts and commitments. As I look back over my own life I see some wonderful people who have contributed in a host of ways to my present faith. It has been interesting recently unpacking boxes I shipped from Australia to discover all sorts of reminders of my past and especially of my personal saints. As I come across some keepsake or book with a special association I smile to myself giving thanks for a special life that has touched my own for love and faith and good.

The saints, those living and those departed, journey with us and help us in the way. The Christian journey at times can seem difficult but thank God for our companions in the way. That is why the community of faith, this community at Transfiguration for instance, is so valuable to us. In an important way this community is a present reminder of the wider communion of saints.

At every eucharist we remember the presence of all God’s saints as we join “with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven” to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy”. The saints of God, living and departed, are all together in the worship of God, as they are in our prayer. We never pray alone; we pray as part of a church at prayer. Whether we are at home in our room alone or in a church full of people, we are at prayer with the church, with all God’s saints.

But in case you thought that I had forgotten today is also Stewardship Sunday when we offer our pledges to God for the year ahead. We have been focusing on this important dimension of our life for the past month. I gave the whole month program the title “Celebrating with the Saints” quite deliberately. For not only does the understanding of the saints affect our worship and prayer and our journey of faith but it also has very practical consequences in terms of Christian living and practice. We honor the historic saints because they gave of their all: their energies, their wealth, their time, and in some cases their very lives. We honor those saints of this parish who over the years have given towards the maintenance and enrichment, the ministry and the outreach of this parish. We give thanks for all that they contributed to the life of the contemporary saints of their time and seek to likewise commit ourselves to that ongoing task. I have said numerous times in this past few weeks that our financial commitment to God and his church is above all a spiritual matter, albeit one with important practical consequences. Today we rejoice in our participation with all God’s saints in the life of faith and seek to honor that with our love, our faith, and our gifts. May your pledge today or in the near future be a sign of both your thankfulness for and your participation in the Communion of Saints.   Amen

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