Nov 4, 2001

Gospel Luke 20:20-31 "We are Pilgrims"

All Saints Sunday is beautiful and sad.

We are singing "For all the Saints who from their labors rest, All who by faith before the world confessed" and at the same time we are thinking of the darkness of the grave.

This is the Day of Life and the Day of Death.

The many memories and feelings take us back to our loved ones that no longer are here and we carry the hope of meeting them again.

This day is for reflection and silent joy.

The theme of the day we learn from the opening prayer:" Lord, grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you."

In Norway many people light their candles at the grave and in the church.

Many churches have the "Globe" with many small candles at the entrance of the sanctuary and many churchgoers take a moment of silence and they light a candle and pray before they take their seats in the pews. Not only elderly people, many young and even children participate.

Towards the end of my stay at Mindekirken I would like to extend my want of a "Globe" at the entrance to the sanctuary. That would be nice not only for All Saints Sunday but for every Sunday to mark our walk in to this sanctified place. The Church building, and in particular the Sanctuary is not a Community Center, but a beautiful room for silence and prayer. A place to meet with God. That is why it is called "Sanctuary".

All Saints Sunday is a day given to the memory of some selected Saints, according to the Catholic Church. Some have deserved and still deserving honor and prayer from people on earth.

All Saints Sunday is a day for all the dead or for all the souls, according to a popular culture and in a way close to the Halloween tradition. This is an idea that fits into what is said to be the most popular religion in Norway:"

Everyone is going to have Salvation from their individual faith".

The Lutheran position is neither the Catholic nor the popular and states that those are the Saints that are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and those who have preserved the faith and fulfilled the journey. For "Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord." Rev.14:13.

In everyday speaking a "saint" is someone hypocritical, they present themselves in a way that is not true and honest. We call such people "hypocrites". We are good at that.

But in Church a "Saint" is something positive, it is rooted in the Gospel.

We have to keep in mind that a "Saint" is what he is because of the holy and the perfect that is given to him. They do not possess it by themselves. In today's gospel Jesus is talking about all that they do not have, they are poor, they are hungry, they are mourning and weeping. Though they are the Blessed ones.

Through the Holy Baptism God has granted the holiness and justice of Christ to human beings that by themselves do not have. The Apostle says: "He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." 1. Cor 1:30.

Today’s Gospel is beautiful words. This could have been a perfect program to develop social justice in the world. Peace and justice in the world do not come from bombs. Evil can not be destroyed by military power. It comes only from the Gospel when people follow what Jesus said what is right and wrong in terms of the poor and the rich in this world.

Today’s Gospel is beautiful words but we are not able to follow them, many people seem to think. Who is able to keep that standard?

These are not only beautiful words but they are radical words as well. Jesus turns upside down our values. Do we not say that to be wealthy and to have success is the happiness in life, and to be poor is unhappiness and misfortune? But Jesus says: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." and "woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation." These are two different values. Two different ways to walk. What do we follow, Christ's way or the popular way?

It is an amazing contradiction and double in Church life and in the life of the believers; poor, hungry, weeping, longing and hoping, and at the same time, they are rich, they are the Blessed ones.

Sometimes we are saying: "Always blessed but not always happy, we are walking the way to the city of Zion."

I suppose you have heard about the woman that talked to her Pastor about all her problems, health problems, economy, and so forth. Than the Pastor asked her: What about your relationship to God?

Listen to a wise answer: "Please wait for a moment Pastor, I will go and find out."

She brought her Bible and read from Ephesians 1:4-5: "just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will."

"Pastor", she said, " you see my relationship to God is fine."

You see, Gods kingdom, the Salvation and eternal life is a gift. It is God's love and grace in Christ Jesus.

The Church is a place for human beings stretching out their empty hands and with open hearts.

The Church is a place for people that do not have, for those who are longing, but they are blessed because theirs is the kingdom of God.

"The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord, She is her new creation by water and the Word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride, With is own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

Yet she on earth has union, with God, the three in one, and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest in won. O blessed heavenly chorus! Lord. Save us by your grace, that we like saints before us may see you face to face".

Amen.

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church ·  924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 ·  (612)874-0716