“Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16 

This weekend is All Saints, the church’s celebration of the communion we share with the saints across space and time. Early Christians worshipped Jesus among catacombs and cemeteries as a reminder that in Christ we are united with sisters and brothers of the faith who have gone before us. Hebrews 11 lists in a great litany of faith our ancestors in the people of God who hoped and died, and have much to teach us. 

Whether it is Abraham and Sarah, Fannie Lou Hamer or John Stott, St. Jude or Shi Meiyu, or even our own family members, those who have gone before us in the faith can teach us much about hope and endurance. It's easy to feel like we face unprecedented challenges or are uniquely afflicted. The celebration of All Saints invites us to remember and celebrate ordinary people in Christ who lived faithfully through remarkable and difficult times and died looking toward the kingdom of Jesus. These same saints now cheer us on in our own remarkable and difficult circumstances. We are not the first, we are not alone. 

That these saints died longing for a better country, the kingdom of heaven, seems especially important this election week. At their best, Christians are marked by “a nobler patriotism” - an allegiance to values beyond any one party, candidate or nation and the hope of a grander, more heavenly country. Unexpectedly, this citizenship in heaven opens up new possibilities for the faithful pursuit of the common good and the benefit of our fellow national citizens. Rooted in a hope and home with Christ, we are free to love and serve others, neighbors and enemies, in generous and sacrificial ways. The patriotism of the saints is nobler in that is both a commitment to something more lasting than any nation-state, and has the potential to be more virtuous here and now. As we vote and await the results through the week ahead, may this saintly hope and noble patriotism be a mark our lives, and may the sure hope that is ours and all the saints in Christ be very real to you this week. 

In Christ,

Peter+

Ps. Grab one of our prayer books, “Prayers for Earth and Heaven” from the Parish House. They begin this Saturday, but we’ll also have a few copies on Sunday, and can also be accessed online.  Join us for worship on Sunday (8am or 9am in person, 10am online), for our All Souls live-stream on Monday night at 7:30pm, and for the Daily Office on Tuesday the 3rd as we pray for the nation on election day. 

Pps. Don't forget to "fall back" one hour with Daylight Savings this Saturday night