Today is one of my favorite services of the year.  All Saints Sunday gives us a chance to look back over the past year and publicly announce the names of those who have died in the Lord during the past year.  These days around Nov. 1, All Saints Day, I always take time to recall beloved family members no longer with us.  Though I rarely write poetry, this past summer I did write a poem.  It's about the saints we may recall this time of year.  I've called it,

"THE OLD ONES"   (Copyright © 2006, Robert L. Tasler)  
   We were in awe of them all, those merry Old Ones, As they sat in that wondrous front row.
   Parents, relatives, loved ones, even neighbors, Their smiles, tears and wisdom silent now.

   They came here from other, older places; Crossing oceans and prairies, farming lands.
   Uncles loud, often funny, never boring, Smiling aunts patting our heads with wrinkled hands.

   No holiday or occasion would pass by, Lest we gathered in someone's old home;
   Hearty food, stories, music, and laughter, Kept us together, so rarely did we roam.

   They founded this land, made it stronger, Than it was, long ago e'er they came;
   Their toil and sweat made us a bit greater, Leaving fortunes of faith, hope and love, rarely fame.

   They're gone now, those good friends, the Old Ones, And we've moved up, taking their empty chairs.
   Yet we're all busy, so scattered, and rarely gather For even the biggest of family affairs.

   But if you listen with ears to the future, Your journey's next step poised to view,
   You'll hear shuffling feet, and muffled voices, As your children take places behind you.

   As each generation moves towards seats of honor, Those behind them already must know,
   That one day they'll move up, take their places, As new Old Ones live their lives yet here below.

          Maybe you didn't come from a large family which has spread out, moved away, even split apart.  But many of us have.  And those folks back there look pretty saintly compared to us.  Looking back it was a different time, less complex, with more physical work and common sense, but less technology.  Today we're celebrating All Saints Sunday, and when people think of the saints, they most often think of people like St. Paul, St. John or St. Mary.  We certainly don't think of ourselves because compared to these and other early Christians, we're more like dirty, rotten scoundrels.

          Two brothers in a city were involved in corruption, crime and vice.  Both brothers had accumulated much wealth, but dishonestly, so there was little sadness when the older brother died.  The younger man, wanting to honor his big brother, found a minister willing to do the service.  Knowing that this church was in the midst of a capital fund drive, he told the pastor, "I'd like you to do my brother's funeral.  And if during the service you'll say he was a saint, I'll write your church a check for $50,000."  The minister agreed but on one condition - He would state the brother was a saint, but the $50,000 had to be paid in advance.  And so the service began with the usual scriptures, hymns and prayers - and then the sermon began.  And that minister launched into a litany of the horrible things the dead man had done, how he'd been selfish, greedy, corrupt, carousing with women, and involved in crime of all sorts.  The younger brother sitting up in the front pew was about ready to punch the minister!  Then, after all that, the minister ended his sermon with these words: "Yes, this man was a dirty, rotten scoundrel!  But, compared to his brother, he was a saint!"

          All Saint's Day, November 1, has been celebrated for hundreds of years in the church, but not always among Lutherans.  And that's a pity, because we say in the Creeds we believe in the "Communion of Saints," the body of all believers in Jesus Christ.  That includes all of us living saints, too.  The word "saint" is derived from the word "sanctus," which we translate as "holy".  In the Bible, "saint" is applied to those who believe in Christ Jesus and who strive to live faithfully according to His teachings.  Saints are normal people who differ from others by their faith, not moral goodness.  Saints also tend to draw others to praise God rather than themselves.  Like Jesus said in Matthew 6, they let their lights shine, which means that by their faith they give God the glory and by their faith they inspire others to believe and to follow Jesus.

          A very bright light in the Christian community has flickered badly this past week.  When allegations come at someone with so high a profile as Rev. Ted Haggard, no matter what the truth is, we all wince.  Perhaps some will say, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall," and that glib comment might have some merit were it not for the fallout.  His congregation, and especially his wife and children, all are reeling as the story unfolds.  My prayer and hope is that some good can come from it.  But it does show that Satan seems to work hardest on those doing the most good.

          Sainthood isn't just believing right, it's also doing right.  Saints don't strive for sainthood.  They live their faith the best they can, and let others be the judge.  Sainthood comes from our faith which shows itself in our works.  Jesus said in Matthew 25, "I was hungry, thirsty, in some kind of need, and you helped me."  That's faith showing itself in our actions.

          We at Epiphany Lutheran Church of Castle Rock are all part of the Family of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  It's for sure we're not angels - that's not even true of those who are asleep in Jesus.  There is a common misconception going around that angels are the spirits of good dead people.  That's not really true.  Aunt Helen is not your guardian angel.  Angels are God's created beings with great power and specific duties.  They are God's messengers and protectors of people.  They also watch over us and the souls of the faithful departed.  We are God's children, children of the Resurrection, "Children of the Heavenly Father."

          Earthly fathers are never perfect, not even close, but God our heavenly Father is.  We rarely think of the things our heavenly Father gives us, yet they come to us through others.  We take them and use them and sometimes even take credit for them.  But in the family of God, we all know God is the provider.  He is our loving Father. He is the one who gives us all we have.

          Today let's consider for a moment those we often consider to be saints, those who have died believing in Jesus, those who have died in the faith.  We don't know them all - only God does.  We believe in the Holy Christian Church.  As believers, we are part of the Body of Christ, the Communion of Saints.  All people in the Communion of Saints will be together in heaven one day, and it will be greatest reunion ever.  Many are already there and some are still alive.  And I have an idea when we get to heaven we'll be surprised at who we see, as well as who we don't.  It's a good thing you and I aren't the judges.  God sees the heart and knows who has true faith.

          A man went to his doctor for a checkup.  Afterwards the Doctor said, "You are in terrible shape; you've got to do something about it.  First, tell your wife to cook better meals.  And you must stop working so hard and worrying.  Tell your wife she must make a budget.  And have her keep the kids away from you at night so you can relax.  Because unless there are some changes in your life, you'll be dead in a month."  "Doc," the man said, "this would sound more official coming from you.  Could you please call my wife and give her those instructions?"  When the fellow got home, his wife rushed to him.  "I just talked to the doctor," she wailed. "You poor man, you have only a month left to live."

          Poor man is right!  All of us don't know how long we have left.  And all of us, whether we think we're good enough or know we're not, must certainly fall at the feet of God for His mercy.  They say Al Capone's grave is in a Chicago cemetery and on his headstone is the inscription, "My Jesus, Mercy!"  From the kind of life he led, it will take a boatload of mercy to redeem him.  None of us is worthy of being a child of the Heavenly Father.  And I am quite certain this is more often true of fathers than of mothers.

          A new mother tiptoed into their newly furnished nursery room at home and found her young husband peering down at their newborn sleeping baby.  The Mom could tell he was captivated by the scene and so she tiptoed up to him and slipped her arm through his and said, "Honey, what are you thinking?"  He replied, "It's amazing!  I just can't understand how they're able to make a crib like that for under $100!"

         Yes, you and I may value the wrong things, but God does not.  He knows what's important.  No matter how little the world values life, God values it more.  To him we're worth more than the Crown Jewels, or the gold in Fort Knox.  God gave the life of His Son that you and I might believe in Him and be in heaven with Him.  God loved this world so much that He gave up that which was most precious to him, His only son.  And all who trust in His mercy will have a place in eternity with all the saints.

          By the mercies of God and through faith in Christ, we are part of the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints.  We are children of the resurrection, children of the Heavenly Father.  May we ever stay in that church, never doubting Jesus the Savior.  God is good and He loves us no matter what.  Thus, Martin Luther says in the First Article of the Apostle's Creed, "For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him; this is most certainly true."

          On this weekend before Veteran's Day, it's also fitting that we remember with thanks the many men and women who have served and are serving our nation in the Armed Forces.  We forget that we are still at war with a ruthless, faceless, enemy of Christ.  Let us all, therefore, give thanks to God for those who have given of themselves in defense of our freedom.  Thank God for the saints, thank God for our soldiers and veterans, and especially, thank God for Jesus, amen.

Copyright © 2006 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.