Everyday Saints
Posted on Oct 25, 2022 by Jon Brudvig
On Sunday, Nov. 6, we will once again gather to celebrate All Saints Day. During the worship service we will call out by name Salem’s mission partners who have died during the year and give thanks to God for the newly baptized.
On All Saints Day we hold in our hearts all those who have gone before us: grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, children, relatives, and friends. It is a time to remember, to mourn, and to give thanks to God for all the saints who have touched our lives in deep and meaningful ways.
We will also acknowledge and give thanks for the living saints. Though our losses are deeply personal, the fact that we gather in community to celebrate All Saints Day testifies to an important truth — the reality that we, members of the body of Christ by virtue of holy baptism, are intimately connected with all the saints, living and dead.
This understanding of the communion of saints was brought to life for me by Valerie Schultz. In her devotional, “Sparks through Stubble,” Schultz mentions the beautiful tapestries that adorn the walls of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. While the tapestries include depictions of famous saints revered throughout history, in their midst are portrayals of everyday people, people like you and me whose ordinary lives testify to the extraordinary power of God’s transforming grace, mercy, and steadfast love. The cathedral’s tapestries celebrate the everyday saints who walked, and walk, among us — often anonymously and without fanfare or recognition.
For all the saints, we give thanks and praise to God!
In Christ’s Peace,
Pastor Jon