Saints Alive!

Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. ¹⁴ Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. ¹⁵ Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, ¹⁶ for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:13-16 (NRSVUE)

Pursue peace with everyone and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14 (NRSVUE)

…for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13 (NRSVUE)

Hello everyone!

This past Sunday was All Saints Sunday. As our pastor said, it is a “thin” day, a day when the veil separating this world from the next is not very thick. And as we worshipped, I felt that we were surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us (Hebrews 12:1). It was truly an extraordinary experience.

Question is, what makes someone a saint?

The answer depends on who you ask. My guess is that most people would define a saint as someone of uncommon faith, someone who lived a “heroically virtuous” life, as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops put it (usccb.org>offices>public-affairs>saints).

According to the Bible, a saint is someone who has been set apart. This is the biblical meaning of the word “holy.” As a Lutheran, I believe that all followers of Christ are saints. It doesn’t mean they are perfect, or even exceptionally good. It means that they trust in the love and saving actions of God. And because of that trust, that faith, they try to conform their lives to Christ’s.

This brings us to sanctification, a topic my friend Eric and I discuss quite often. Sanctification, or theosis as the Eastern Church terms it, is the process of growing into holiness. As our speaker said on Sunday, sanctification grows out of the grace of God. It is not something we can do on our own, it is the work of the Holy Spirit, though we are participants.

Saints are all around us and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, not to mention ages.

For example, two weeks ago I was asked to preach. My sermon topic was darkness and light, and toward the end of my sermon I became very emotional and couldn’t control my tears. I managed to finish my remarks and returned to my seat, not looking to my right or left. It was embarrassing for me to show so much emotion.  A few minutes later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. A nine-year-old girl who I didn’t know passed me an offering envelope with something inside that she had written (see picture above). It was just what I needed at that moment. Not only had this little girl been absorbing the words of the sermon, she reached out to someone (me) who needed some love at that moment. That is the very definition of sainthood.

If you think sainthood is something unobtainable, think again. We are already saints. The challenge is to live like it.

If you would like to go deeper into your faith, I have a couple of recommendations.

Jenny Brown is Certified Spiritual Director and Deep Transformation Coach who has just launched a website for her coaching vocation, Lead with Love, Spiritual Coaching.

Whether you’re a Caregiver navigating the complexity of buoying another, or a Coach feeling the weight of the responsibility of guiding others, or you are someone on a journey through grief and loss, or someone yearning for a safe space and compassionate ear to explore big life questions​, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It is my honor and deep privilege to partner with and serve you as you walk your path through this life. Together, we can follow God and learn how to lead with Love. 

jennybrowncoaching.com

Check out Jenny’s website at jennybrowncoaching.com or find her on Facebook Lead with Love.

Diane Doering (also a Certified Spiritual Director) has written a beautiful book of devotions titled Numbered Wanderings: A Contemplative Journey.  Diane’s book contains forty days of reflections along with a collection of her photographs. I use Diane’s book as a guide in my own daily reflection time. Go to www.numberedwanderings.com for more information.

And lastly, for those nice people who have asked, my book, Experiencing Grace, is currently being edited and (fingers crossed) will be out by Christmas.