All Saints Sunday, Morning Worship, November 2, 2025
Sermon: Saints Alive
Accompanying Scripture: Luke 6 : 20-31

Saints Alive

Funerals are interesting. People arrive in my office grieving their
loss in many ways. Some are teary and can hardly share a
memory without shedding tears. Some arrive with dry eyes,
expressing deep love for the deceased, but unable to articulate
why.
Then there are the angry grievers. They experienced hurt and
even abuse from their so-called dearly departed. One such
woman said in a no-nonsense tone of voice, “Don’t you dare
whitewash grandma. Speak the truth about her.”
It probably comes as no surprise that this morning’s scripture is
challenging. Jesus’ teachings are challenging and the deeper I
study them, the more challenging they become. This morning is
no exception, and once again, I feel in the deepest part of my
being the extravagant love of God.
Jesus offers blessings for the poor, the hungry, the teary-eyed,
and the despised. Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes is softer:
poor in spirit. Luke’s version speaks directly to those who live on
the edges of society, trying to eke out a living and a life.
Then we have the woes, and we cringe. Woe to the rich, the full,
the laughing, and the respected.
As if that isn’t enough, he tells us to love our enemies. We’re
doing our best to love our neighbors. Isn’t that enough? Do

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good to those who hate us, turn the other cheek, and give up
your shirt along with your coat. Give to everyone.
And the most difficult of all, “Do to others as you would have
them do to you.”
When Jesus speaks the woes to the rich, he is warning them that
if they choose to follow him, they will experience significant
changes in their lives.
The world of the Roman Empire was one of quid pro quo. You
scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. Jesus’ kingdom values
promises that your friends will draw away from you when your
behavior as a Christian doesn’t profess this quid pro quo.
Do to others as you would have them do to you means that we
treat others the way we would want to be treated, with no
expectation that they will “pay you back.” We love our enemies,
even though they may never reciprocate our love. We give to
others with no expectation of being paid back.
The values of our world don’t respond well to kingdom values.
We require a return on our investment. We expect tit for tat.
When the wealthy in the first century joined Jesus’ movement,
they experienced social ostracism. They hung out with the poor
instead of keeping up with the Joneses. That’s a good way to lose
friends.

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Jesus’ message: don’t expect reciprocity. Gird your loins for a
rough ride as you turn away from the values of the world and
toward Jesus, who offers us something so much better.
How then should we behave? Perhaps we could turn to the saints
of the Catholic Church for examples. For example, Mother Teresa
spent her life serving the poorest of the poor on the streets of
Calcutta. Her ministry turned worldwide. Teresa of Avila
dedicated her life to an ascetic lifestyle while offering spiritual
guidance to one and all.
There are plenty more. Their lives offer us inspiration. We are
moved by their actions and life choices. They are exemplars of
the faith.
This morning, we honor the Saints who have gone before us.
They were flesh-and-blood people, like the Saints we’ve
mentioned and like you and me. We are comforted that their
baptism is completed in their death. Their death completes their
story.
And those are the people we can turn to today. As we hear their
names, or remember others in our hearts, we can describe them
better in death than we could in life.
Saints are Christians. We are all Saints. Our lives and our baptism
will be completed one day. Your story will be remembered. Just
as you remember the stories of friends and loved ones who have
gone before you.

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The abuser, who often offered surprisingly good advice. The
stoic father who developed a great sense of humor. The strict
mother who instilled Christian values into her children.
There are those we’re still trying to forgive and those who died
too soon. There are some who made a huge difference, and
some who lived on reduced provisions but gave what they could.
They were flawed sinners. They were loved by God beyond their
greatest imaginations.
They share with us their attempts to live out kingdom values and
suggest to us a better way to be.
God loves the world so much. Jesus gives his all to the world.
When we remember that, we become emulators of the kingdom
values Jesus taught us. And we faithfully and joyfully follow in
the path of the saints who have gone before us.
All glory and honor be to God. Amen.