Dear Rose Park,
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The two verses above are the introduction to Hebrews 12. Hebrews 11, however is known as the ‘Hall of Faith' as it recollects the great heroes of the Old Testament showing us how to live a life of faith. It seems appropriate then for the author of Hebrews to begin the twelfth chapter with a beautiful image of a great cloud of witnesses encouraging us to continue a life of faith.
In the Roman Catholic tradition, today marks All Saints Day. As protestants we tend to bristle at the idea of saints because we consider it to be a form of hero-theology. If I may, I’d like to encourage us to broaden our understanding of saints. I’m not alone in this endeavor. After all, when the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians he addressed them as ‘saints.’ I imagine there is someone in your life who has served as a hero in your faith journey or perhaps has lived a saintly life. Perhaps this person was a grandparent who modeled a life of faithfulness. Perhaps this person was a Sunday School teacher who introduced you to the person of Jesus and work of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this was a dear friend who showed you the love of Christ and the forgiveness of the Church.
From a theologically reformed perspective, we are not worshipping the saints or the saintly person in substitution of Christ. Instead, we are giving thanks to God for an individual who has pointed us towards Him. In this sense, All Saints Day reminds us of the ongoing process of sanctification. Each and every day we are hoping to take one step closer to Christ. Each and every day we pray by the power of the Holy Spirit to be made more and more like Jesus.
This is all say, as you consider your own faith journey who might you light a candle and give thanks for today? It’s my hope each and every one of us can offer our hospitality for a saintly person who continues to point our eyes to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark
Photo by Peter Musk on Unsplash