Being Saintly - Matthew 5 - All Saints - Year A

Being Saintly

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 5:1-12; 1 John 3:1-3; Psalm 34; Revelation 7:9-17

Opening prayer

Hope you all enjoyed your Halloween. We read from Matthew 5 for second time this year thanks to All Saints Day.  

After a few weeks of some harsh lessons, this may feel lighter and nicer: a reprieve.  Yet, this also reminds us of the beginnings - the foundations - of Jesus’s teachings. Those harsh lessons are rooted in these.

We get these alongside some gorgeous bits from 1 John and Revelations as well which adds to richness of these beatitudes. 

In these beatitudes, lays the framework for living a good life.

Yet, many look at these and think they are mentioning me . I am not poor or weak or hungry. I submit to look closer and you will see a mirror of you here. We often stop at words that don't sound like us - cant be us - or I dont want it to be me. 

The first four offer us a description of people, including myself in a radical way.  Those who are poor in spirit, those who morn, those who are meek and those who hunger.

These are reminders that we all fall short in many ways, even the ones of who may feel a little better off. We fall short of the glory and promise of God because we are imperfect beings. That is we, who are poor in spirit, those in need of repentance, those who are lost, or those who dress their Christian "spirit" with luxury and status. 

“I am better than them” or “…glad I am not them” fails here. We are to be more than status and wealth because such is misleading.  

True faith and love of neighbor require us to realize the basic of our neighbors is in us too - we fail, we make poor choices, and sometimes, we were taught the wrong things. But it doesn’t have to stay there.

That we are incapable of escaping mortality, we morn death, those who came before us and those who go before us.  None of us will live forever, and thus, pay homage to generations that came before us by learning history and not repeating their mistakes. We give thanks for their lessons and why we do things like light candles in their memory.

In sorrow of losing people around to death, Revelations leans on Isaiah to remind us that “God will wipe away every tear” and guide the saints to “…the water of life.”  That even in death, there is a promise of new life. That promise lives for you and me in life. 

That we are meek, not as weak and resigned but humble and unpretentious - rejecting hostility, vanity and violence. How difficult when we have leaders that seethe vanity and hostility with every breath?

Their example is not the way of Christ, but we can live Christ’s way regardless as humble servants of God.

Further, we know that we thirst for and hunger for perfection and the glory of God because we know that we don’t know all the answers and we are broken. 

To seek truth and understanding is realizing that there is so much bigger than us and that the Spirit provides for us.

The next four are ways to live: being merciful, being peacemakers, standing for justice and when you do that, know that Christ is by your side. 

These bind us to the love of God.

We take what we know about ourselves and our neighbors and live a life that lifts each other, wherever we are on this journey.

Mercy is more than a status “I grant you mercy…” , “oh poor you.” Or "I'll be merciful when you do… “ How generous is that?

Remember, we all fall short, and mercy isn’t just a transaction but a way of living. We are to extend forgiveness and love to our neighbors, whether in our neighborhood, our house, on the side of the street, or on the other side of the world. 

Anger and hate have no place because see each other in our common being. We see each other as “children of God.” 

There is no need for war or violence because we first seek peace. We know this isn’t easy because some people really make us mad and do awful things to us. Our first reaction may feel warranted, and we know that there is a lot out there want to take advantage of grace. 

We are to extend mercy, be peace, and be pure in heart. Christ’s example teaches us that this is the way, and then, we become pure in heart.

Without judgment, without malice, anger, hostility and such, the burdens of a material world are lifted from us by God and leave room for the fulfilling Spirit to guide and teach us.

1 John says that we are “called children of God, and that is what we are.” Further, there is a mystery waiting for us as children to be revealed. In that mystery, that promise of refuge, we can lay our fears, trepidations and wants because God gives us so much. 

When we practice mercy, peace and let world troubles lay, we find strength and an amour that protects us when people try to manipulate that teaching, that mercy or peace. 

When we walk with the Spirit of love, forgiveness, and peace in our hearts, we have everything we need and we know that we are doing God’s work through us - not as a transaction but as a way of living. That is pure heart and the way of Christ.

Thus, we honor the dead, the saints, through living these as pillars of life. 

We acknowledge our failures, “seek refuge in God” and move closer to God through the blessings bestowed upon us for we will have no want.

Beloved, that promise is there for all of us, and there for you to see in words - in your very being. 

When you this promise in your heart and you see everyone around you as God’s children, know that you are blessed.

Thanks Be to God, Amen