Sunday was All Saints Day, a day to remember all the saints who have gone before us.
In church, the color of the day was white. So, I put on my white shoes—but before leaving my apartment, I took them off. I was just too conflicted about what to do! My mom always said never to wear white after Labor Day. In the end, Mom won, and I wore my black shoes. 😊
A few years ago, at Messiah Lutheran Church in Brownsburg, Indiana, I started a monthly labyrinth walk. One of those walks was held on All Saints Day, after dark, with luminaries lighting the way. Each luminary bag bore the name of someone who had died and whom someone wanted to remember. The bags were placed along the labyrinth path, with candles glowing inside them. It was a beautiful and moving way to remember those we love who have gone before us. Tonight, they held the walk again, and I was able to attend as a participant rather than an organizer. It was a very touching experience. I hope that next year, more churches and other places with labyrinths will offer an All Saints Day walk like this. Perhaps I can spread the word early enough to encourage others to participate.
But as we remember the saints who have gone before us, we also need to remember something important: We are saints, too!
In the Lutheran tradition, we understand that we are simultaneously saints and sinners. We are sinners because we continue to fall short, make mistakes, and hurt one another. Yet, through Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made righteous in God's eyes. In other words, we are forgiven sinners—and that makes us saints!
Martin Luther described this with the Latin phrase simul justus et peccator, which means “at the same time righteous and a sinner.” We don't become saints because we are perfect or because we have somehow managed to get our lives together. We are saints because of what Christ has done for us. God's grace, not our own goodness, is what makes the difference. And isn't that a beautiful thing? We don't have to earn God's love. We don't have to be perfect to receive God's forgiveness. We can bring God our whole, messy selves, trusting that God's love for us is greater than our failures.
So, my dear saints, rejoice in your forgiveness!
And because we have been forgiven, we are called to forgive others. But here's something important to remember: Forgiving someone doesn't mean we have to be best friends with them. Sometimes people hurt us, and their behavior may continue to be harmful. We can forgive them without allowing them to keep hurting us. It may be necessary to put some distance between ourselves and them. We can wish them well, pray for them, and still establish healthy boundaries. Forgiveness and boundaries can coexist. We can love others without giving them unlimited access to our lives.
So today, as we remember the saints who have gone before us, let's give thanks for God's grace that surrounds us all. Let's rejoice in the forgiveness we've received, extend that forgiveness to others, and remember that we don't have to be perfect to be loved by God.
After all, we are saints—not because we've earned the title, but because God's grace is that good!
I hope today was a good day for you. And if it wasn't, remember that there is always hope for tomorrow.
God loves you, and so do I!
Hope
