Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Ephesians 1:11-23, Luke 6:20-31
We are a storied people. Our lives today are part of a story with a past, a present, and a future. We are shaped by this story while we carry this story into the future. The stories of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah and Rachel, Moses and the prophets provide a foundation for understanding the gift of Jesus Christ. Christ is the foundation of the Church, a community filled with saints who since Christ’s crucifixion have struggled to proclaim this gift of life, death and resurrection. Living into our story guides us into a future in which Christ will come again.
So many, many people make up our story. The vast majority of these people are not people who were revered as leaders during their day, nor celebrated in grand and glorious ways. Yet, they are people who we can admire and learn from and grow through. In the Old Testament, we learn about Ruth, whose deep love for family would not allow her to be separated from Naomi. In the New Testament, we learn about Zaccheus, the tax collector, one who participated in a corrupt system, who repented and vowed to repay stolen money. We are familiar with these Bible stories. Perhaps we are less familiar with the many saints we celebrate throughout the church year. When you have a moment, take a look in the front of the Book of Common Prayer and you will find a calendar of the many saints we remember.
For example, on May 20th we commemorate Alcuin, who died in the year 804. Alcuin is “chiefly responsible for the preservation of the classical heritage of western civilization.” (LFF, p. 258) The preservation of the Collect for Purity is attributed to Alcuin. “Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid…” On April 29th, we remember Catherine of Siena, who died in 1380. We probably know Catherine best as a mystic. She was also a nurse, caring for patients with stigmatizing diseases, such as leprosy and cancer. (LFF, p. 244) On July 30, we commemorate William Wilberforce, who died in 1833. Wilberforce was a politician who served in Parliament for 45 years. “His fame rests upon his persistent, uncompromising, and single-minded crusade for the abolition of slavery and the slave-trade.” (LFF, p. 326) On January 9th, we remember Julia Chester Emery, who died in 1922. Julia was the Secretary of the Woman’s Auxiliary of the Board of Missions for 40 years. She travelled to the far corners of the world to spread the Gospel. The creation of the United Thank Offering is part of her legacy. (LFF, p. 122)
Our lessons today strike me as some of the most beautiful words in Scripture, words written nearly 2000 years ago that speak to us today: “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints….” That hope is the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom in heaven and on earth. We learn from the saints of the past, we live our lives faithfully today, and we carry our story into the future. This is why I so love worshipping in a community with others, in a sanctuary adorned with stained glass windows. We are reminded of our story and understand better how to live in this community and in our communities beyond these walls. Our Gospel lesson today reminds us to not be complacent, “Woe to you who are rich, woe to you who are full, blessed are you who are poor, blessed are you who are hungry.” We are made aware of how we should live our lives today, that we might carry this story forward with grace, and faithfulness, and love.
