Living Sainthood

Today the church celebrates All Saints day! Awareness of this day was felt in the air this morning, with the church bells ringing out awaking the community to rise and gather. Gather people did, with an over flowing church bringing together everyone in thanksgiving for the saints who have gone before us and the saints who walk among us. 

In a country that is very ritual and traditionally focus I could not help wonder what it meant to them to come to mass on this day. The gentle older women beside me in earnest prayer, lifted her head when the priest spoke in unclear vietnamese leaving her to shake her head in disapproval and giving me a giggle. 

I remember reading a few months ago on facebook a post quoting Pope Francis. 

“We NEED saints without cassocks, without veils - 

we need saints with jeans and tennis shoes.

 We need saints that go to the movies, 

that listen to music 

that hang out with their friends. 

We need saints that drink Coca-Cola, 

that eat hot dogs, 

that surf the internet and that listen to their iPods. 

We need saints that love the Eucharist, 

that are not afraid or embarrassed to eat a pizza or drink a beer with their friends. 

We need saints who love the movies, 

dance, sports and theatre. 

We need saints that are open, sociable, normal, happy companions. 

We need saints who are 

in this world 

and who know how to enjoy the best 

in this world 

without being callous or mundane. 

We need saints.” 

POPE FRANCIS

I have two line of thoughts on this day… firstly been a living saint is understated as Pope Francis articulates for us. This morning I went with Mary to the supermarket with a list half English and half Vietnamese. It was very much a game of seek and find, yet we got there. It was though done with sense of joy and acceptance of each others limitations with understanding and helpfulness. Returning back to community to gather to cut out paper for chapel decorations for tomorrow feast. Sitting around, talking, laughing and listening to music. So simple yet so powerful in the meeting together who we are, where we are and joining together! This to me is living saints, this is what saint hood is all about. Reflecting Christ love in the everyday moment, to come together as we are created to be in giving thanks with an open heart. Journey together not holding levels or disempowering each other, rather walking together in all this means - both challenges and joys. 

My second line of thought is sparked by the reality that the term "saint" has so many dynamics, images and meaning. 

I know its in moments of losing something often hear a cry to a saint to help. In those moments a sense of been unfair, or rather self serving going away from the notion of honouring saints to getting saints to work for us. 

Its a reminder today that we live in a Church that has many important aspects in all the different parts. There is the Church suffering, the Church struggling, and the Church triumphant (that’s the Church in heaven) and that those who have gone before us are not just cut off and gone. Then there is the issue which is summed up very well on the statue which were put up for the millennium on the west front of Westminster Abbey where they put representatives of the martyrs from each branch of Christianity for the 20th century, like St Elizabeth of Russia, who was a grand-duchess murdered by the Bolsheviks, she was a widowed nun. There is Oscar Romero, Edith Stein, Jewish Carmelite, the Anglican archbishop of Uganda, who was murdered by Idi Amin for standing by his principles and many more people. This is an example of the family of the faith and of people who are absolutely relevant, because the 20th century was, more than any other time, when most Christians were martyred. 

Sainthood is ecumenical, its not just for Catholics, Anglicans or Christians. If we look saints differently from the Litany of Saints, or the images on our stain glass windows; names in our prayers the picture is a lot brighter and I believe more accurate reflection of our Lord.

Put it into todays terms, saints are role-models or examples. Very often we tend to look on role models as slightly extreme. We’ll never be quite as good as them, but if we can be somewhere in along those lines… At the end of the day, from where I sit, Saints are made because of a devotion to them. It maybe that there is a devotion to them in a particular area, in a particular religious order - taking our Saint Paul of the Cross prime example of this. Plus our foundress Elizabeth Prout, while not a saint all the qualities, all the work, the spirit. The lessons that were held in 19th century I am starting to see are just as powerful today as then. So why she not a saint… Because the reality is that there is paper work, there is a lot of funds required. This in itself goes against what I believe Elizabeth would support, she would be eager to give the funds to the people on the margins, after all who needs titles and labels that are highly likely only important in rules, regulations, on paper in this world.

The problem we hold at times is the importance of a title, the disconnect between saints and us! I question today why so many other women and men for that matter, are not saints or mentioned in the church. This why today is important as we are given this day to give thanks, acknowledge them and embrace the day for knowing that many who walked before us lived as Saints, worked as Saints and role modelled what a Saint is. 

While today I also reflect on Elizabeth Prout, knowing that some Sisters would be eager to push forward for her cause. I feel its more important that the essence, her story, the living example she gave is put forward is shared with people in all cultures, all walks of life especially those where she did her work - on the edge of the margins. For belonging to the Cross and Passion it is her spirit that created the path behind us, that guides us to the heart of Jesus to walk forward. I believe that modern words need to be formed to communicate her Saintly example a story to empower, guide and uplift all. 

Just like I look around me at the amazing people in my life who are living Saints. Thank you - firstly thank you Lord for gifting these Saints to this earth. Thank you for purely been you, been the person Our Creator design and made. This day today is for you, for the role modelling, the example giving, grace and mercy that you shine upon all who you meet on your path. I encourage you too, look around at the living Saints among us - what a blessing so rich no words can describe.