Living like saints

 Luke 6:20-31

 All Saints Day in Church tradition is a day to remember those who have been recognized as having had a memorable life. We remember the first followers of Jesus, like Peter and John and Mary Magdalene. We remember those who demonstrated a particular passion for ministry, whose words and deeds strike a chord in our hearts. For me, it’s Sts Francis and Clare of Assisi.

Today we also remember those saints who have had an impact on us. Often, we remember parents and grandparents, siblings, children, and good friends. We may also remember some church members: someone who welcomed us, who taught us about Jesus, or about living faithfully.

I suggest that saint-life can be defined by living the beatitudes. Usually, we study the beatitudes from Matthew, so these similar words from Luke may surprise us. Instead of blessings for the poor in spirit, in Luke Jesus says, blessed are the poor.  We also note that this is not just a generic poor, but the very specific “you” who are poor. Jesus goes on to name more groups who are blessed. He includes the hungry, the grieving, the persecuted.

There have probably been times when we have been poor or hungry. Most of us have dealt with the grief of loss, of a pet, of a special person, of a job or dream goal. Some of us have been persecuted, or at least experienced limitations because of who we are or what we look like. For all of us, Jesus promises us blessings, and comfort, and satisfaction, and future consolation.

 But Luke’s Jesus also warns us. If we are wealthy, and our lives are filled with laughter instead of tears, and we have a good reputation, we need to take care. Our blessings may not last long. There are plenty of role models for famous people who have wealth with a commitment to keep as much of it as possible. There are a few famous people whose voices are a contrasting message: start or contribute to foundations so their funds can help needy people.  The point Jesus makes is that wealth and public status don’t make us worth any more in God’s eyes than a “regular” or poor person.

Even if we don’t have a lot of wealth or status, we can still have some of the attitudes of wealthy or important people. We can still believe we are better than some folks, because we have more than they do. We can still believe we are better than some folks because of our rank or position or experience in an organization. How easy it is, especially in these days of social media, for us to be important one day and shamed the next.

For everyone, then, Jesus gives these instructions: “Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.” This one verse summarizes the rest of Jesus’ instructions to us. A life shaped by following Jesus is filled with kindness for all others, and a refusal to play the tit-for-tat game, offering instead a willingness to listen and learn from each other.

This is a lesson our country needs to learn, right now. The partisanship that categorizes our lives and politics and media and conversations, the “I’m right and you are wrong” attitude that pervades everything, is not God’s plan for our families, our community, our state, our country, or the world. The stalemate in Congress is the fault of everyone in Congress – and hurts the people Congress is supposed to be protecting.

What can we as individuals do? First, pray for good solutions. Then make phone calls, send emails, use the representative’s and senators’ websites to send messages. Make it known that as a follower of Jesus you urge them to sit down together and find solutions that work best for all. Tell them to be open to compromise, and to remember the delay hurts the poorest folks the most.

… Here is a fun example of finding a solution that works for all happened in Heflin, Alabama. Every year for about a week at Halloween, the local teens “decorate” a few houses with TP, toilet paper. This year, they got a little crazy and even TP’d the police station and the police cars. Because of cameras catching them in the act, the Chief of Police knew who the kids were. He could have had them arrested and given community support or some other punishment. Instead, he had a different plan.

First, he called on all the parents of the teens involved. And then, he worked with several organizations in town and developed a fun response. One night, they gathered at the houses of the teens involved and TP’d their houses.

Then, the community became fun partners, leaving stacks of TP in front of their stores so everyone could engage in the fun of TP’ing the town. The Chief and his staff were excellent examples of people who live the way Jesus wants us to live.

 … Finally, Jesus gives us simple instructions on how to live a good life. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” This message applies to our whole life, whatever we are doing. How do you live it out? How are you a saint for those in your life? Amen