All (Kinds of) Saints

November 2, 2003 - Sunday after All Saints Day (Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost; Proper 26B)

By The Rev. Benjamin J. Newland

 -Ecclesiasticus 44:1-10,13-14
- Psalm 149
- Revelation 7:2-4,9-17
- Matthew 5:1-12

The summer after I left the sixth grade I made friends with Brian O’Callaghan. I had known him since we were in Kindergarten together, but up until the summer after I left the sixth grade we had been mortal enemies. The reason for this about face in relations was the simple fact that Brian’s parents had just installed a pool in their backyard and the summer was heating up. I decided that my need for an Elementary School nemesis was less than my need for a refreshing splash in a pool close at hand. The story of Brian and my friendship is a good one, and I could probably write a sermon centered around the moral implications of basing a friendship on a swimming pool. However, that sermon will have to wait, as today’s topic is not friendship but role models.

Brian’s father, Pat O’Callaghan, has been a role model for me ever since that summer when I first went swimming in his backyard. Pat always spoke to me as if I were an adult. More importantly, he always listened to me as if I were an adult as well. Pat taught me to ski, and on the dark four hour drive to the ski hill he used his tape player and taught me to appreciate classical music. In return, I used the tape player and taught him to appreciate DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Well, maybe appreciate is too strong a word. Pat was also my first exposure to the Episcopal church, dragging Brian and I out of bed on the Sunday morning after a late night sleep-over. He was that all important person for a new Episcopalian: he was the one who deciphered the bulletin and turned pages in the various books and hand-outs so I could follow along. Pat was my first Episcopal role model.

The author of Ecclesiastics encourages us to sing the praises of famous men. He lists twelve categories into which our ancestor might fall if they are to be remembered. Those who ruled well, and those who showed valor. Those who gave intelligent counsel or spoke prophetically. Those who gave wise instruction, those who wrote music, and those who lived peacefully. For any of these things a person might be remembered. For Ben Sira, as the author of this book is called, famous ancestors would have included many of the people from the Hebrew Scriptures. Moses and Aaron, Abraham and Sarah, Ruth and Naomi, Joshua and Joseph, Noah, David, Sampson, and many others. The great figures of the Hebrew tradition are our famous ancestors too, and we have much to learn from them. In addition to these scriptural giants, the Church has recognized throughout history individuals who through their lives encourage us to walk the Christian path more boldly. Saints, they are called, and they are the famous ancestors of our Christian heritage.

Of course you knew I was going to mention saints as this is All Saints’ Sunday. In addition to acknowledging the canonized saints of our tradition however, I would like to propose an enlarging of the term saints. This move is not without precedent, as Paul always addressed the recipients of his letters as saints, even the Corinthians, with whom he had a fairly rocky relationship. Also, in our reading from the Revelation to John, a similarly shocking inclusivity is demonstrated. After the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel arrive, John sees “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages…” Right there in the middle of a book that is most often used to describe exactly who is not going to make it into the kingdom of heaven is a vision of radical inclusivity. Not only are Christians being included with the Jews who will see heaven, but non-Christians too. Anyone who by their life seeks to forward the work of The Lamb will have the opportunity be with him in John’s vision of heaven.

Jesus too is not picky about who he blesses in this famous reading from the Gospel of Matthew. No doctrinal confession is required, just a certain poorness of spirit or meekness of heart. Blessed are those who mourn, those who hunger for righteousness, and those who are pure in heart. Blessed also are all those who make peace and those who are merciful. Somewhat ominously, also blessed are those who are persecuted. This is ominous, because like Revelation there is a definite now and later thing going on in the Beatitudes of Jesus. Blessed are those who mourn now, for they will be comforted later. Those whom Jesus names, whom I would call saints, are blessed now, and will receive the results of their blessing later.

Which brings me back to Pat O’Callaghan. In my opinion, Pat is a saint. The Pope probably won’t back me up on this. Pat hasn’t been martyred for refusing to renounce his Christianity, he hasn’t cured anyone of leprosy, and since he’s still living he hasn’t had the opportunity to perform and post-humos miracles. Also, there are no relics of Pat in any churches. And yet, He clearly fits into a couple of the categories recommended by Ben Sira for famous ancestors. As an Air Force pilot trainer Pat had opportunity to exhibit valor, he was wise in his words of instruction, and for the most part he lives peacefully in his home. Jumping forward to the gospel again, I think Pat is in for blessedness under the “poor in spirit” as well as “pure in heart” categories.

I’m sure you know someone like Pat O’Callaghan too. I’m using him as an example not because I think he’s Mother Theresa, he’s not. Then again, King David was no Mother Theresa either, and he’s in the Bible. Perfection of morality or endlessness of patience is not required for sainthood under my definition. Rather, worthiness of life, overall, to serve as example to others is.

The people whom we hold up as examples say a lot about who we are. The people whom our society holds up as examples say a lot about who we are as a society. On this day of remembrance, on this day of celebration, let us recall all of our famous ancestors, all of the saints in our lives, and all those whom Jesus has decreed worthy of blessing. Let us praise them, each in our own voice, each in our own hearts. When I pray today for the saints of God, I’ll be thinking of Pat O’Callaghan, among others. Who will you be thinking of?