All Saints' Day 2018

For Thursday, November 1, 2018

 When he went

outside, the scribes

and the Pharisees 

began to be very 

hostile towards

 him and to

 cross-examine 

him about many 

things, lying in 

wait for him,  to

 catch him in something he might say.

Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered in thousands, so that they trampled on one 

another, he began to speak first to his disciples, ‘Beware of the yeast of the 

Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be

 uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever

 you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered 

behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.

 ‘I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do 

nothing more. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has

 killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five 

sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.

 But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of 

more value than many sparrows.

 ‘And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of 

Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but whoever denies me

 before others will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who 

speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever

 blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they bring you

 before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about

 how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit 

will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say.’ Luke 11:53-12:12

For many of us, there have been too many losses, too many made into saints
and martyrs this year. Too many innocent lives, children who were in school,
folks shopping in the market and faithful people at prayer. It is hard to imagine
how destructive we have become. Yet, even at the grave we make our song,
Alleluia, Alleluia. God has more to teach us from these horrid moments in our
history, and we can expect that these lives lost will somehow be a blessing for
many.

Jesus was telling us not to live in fear, no matter how dark the days are. We are
 more value than the sparrows and we are not to let fear dictate our faith and
practice. Our generosity and compassion will mark us as children of the living
God, the Creator of all, who made us all in the image of the Divine. We are
to live as people of the light, even when the world seems dangerous and so
very divided.

Today, I ask God to help me remember those who came before, who taught me
and many to live with compassion, justice and peace. May we set aside all our
fears and live as one family dedicated to the care and feeding of all.