The 
All Saints' Day: Who Are These Saints?
2006
On the Day of All Saints, the names of people who have passed on are read with reverence and thanks.
It always breaks my heart at little when an elderly member of my congregation dies after decades of service and faithfulness.
It breaks my heart a little more when only a handful of members attend the funeral of someone who has been alone at home and sick or been in hospital for a long time.
But on the Day of All Saints the names of these people who have passed on are read with reverence and thanks in front of the entire congregation.
Who are all these saints?
Most churches don't generate much excitement by talking about the early saints (the ones with "St." in front of their names). Even though many of the hymns for this day refer to the saints of old who shone in glory, most of us prefer saints closer to home.
Our communion of saints is a more familiar crowd--those who died in our congregations in the past year, our own parents and grandparents. We're also more apt to remember those famous saints who lived closer to our own lifetimes.
Because we share the same century with them, we remember Mother Teresa and Cardinal Joseph Bernardin more often than the ones from long long ago. It's a great day to remember all of those who have gone before us, the ones on whose shoulders we stand, the ones whose lives and witness have brought us to this new day.
We can study the history of our faith and proudly say: we are where we are today because our ancestors in the faith raised their voices, made bold decisions and prayed and taught the faith. We are where we are today because our ancestors were willing to go to jail, to be thrown to the lions and be burned at the stake.
We are here today because our ancestors fought for religious freedom, braved and explored a new world to establish churches around the world and spread the Gospel.
They did all these things because they loved Jesus, but also because they loved us, their descendants whom they would never know.
They loved us so much that they wanted to make sure the story of the Gospel was here for us. We are who we are today because of their faith, devotion and bravery.
Christian-Charles de Plicque
Angel House International Missions Ministries Association
Karleby Finland
2006
www.deplicque.net
Available also in Swedish and French
