All Saints Day
Mtt. 5:1-12, Rev. 7:9-17
We have in the English language a strange anomaly called the "collective noun". These are nouns whose form is singular but whose meaning is plural--words like jury or army. In cleverer hands we find a choir of angels, a gaggle of geese, a clutter of cats, a bored of trustees. Way back in 1500 a list of such whimsical collective nouns was published, the Book of St. Albans with such now familiar phrases as a school of fish, a pride of lions, an exaltation of larks...and the unfamiliar, a rumination of cows, a wallow of pigs. This is such a delightful use of language that we might try our own hand at collective nouns, a court of basketball players, a flush of plumbers or a brace of orthodontists and to get to the point, a "communion of saints."
The communion of which we speak is derived from the Latin words meaning "common wall"--or all those within a common fortification--those brought together for safety or protection. A "communion of saints" Each week we say we believe in this concept as we confess the apostles creed. So perhaps it is well today, this all Saints Day, that we consider this communion of Saints. People brought together around the table to share this sacred meal, the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A "communion of saints". The Thursday study has spent the past few weeks working on a book by a Trinity Seminary Professor, Mark Powell called "Loving Jesus". It's been a good study but like all studies some things stick with you more than others. For me his discussion of the corporate nature of the church just won't go away.
He begins by reminding us of Jesus words "Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age" in Matthew 28. While this is a passage that has given infinite comfort to us as individuals, the "you" in "Lo, I am with you always" is plural.. Jesus is not addressing this message to each and every one of us but to us as a group. Indeed almost everywhere where Jesus says he will be with people it is with people as a group. Seldom does Jesus single out one of the disciples but commissions them as a group and sends them out together telling them, "whoever welcomes you welcomes me..." And Jesus reminds them "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." That passage is not intended to suggest how few are needed but how many. Two or three is not alone.
Every once in a while someone will say, "I experience the presence of Christ whenever I see a sunset or hear the strains of a Mozart concerto." That may well be, but in the Bible, Jesus doesn't say he'll be in nature or art he says he will be with people through people, with people through people. We encounter Jesus when we minister to others or they minister to us or when we join together in prayer and song or when we share a meal, like Holy Communion. We are after all a "communion of saints." And it is as a communion, a body, a collective noun that we operate and express ourselves as the body of Christ in the world.
Several years ago I went to the Viet Nam veteran's art museum in Chicago as a field trip mom. I had no great interest in going but was moved and enlightened that I had. The docent who was himself a veteran having served in the very early stages of the war and an artist gave us a presentation and answered questions. One of the kids asked "Why did you fight?" He said something I heard for the first time that day and have heard repeated many times since. He talked first about why he enlisted, about patriotism and the goals of the war but then he said "when it gets right down to it, the reason you fight is for the other guys in your unit. You care about your buddies, your friends. When you're on patrol, you're not thinking about high minded ideals you're doing your job so that you can get back and Joe can get back and so Tom won't get shot."
Maybe that has insight for us as the church. It's hard to be out there alone. There are plenty of theological principles that are important in the big picture but when you get right down to it the ones you depend on are the fellow members in the body of Christ.
I think the church is such an amazing place. Every once in a while I look around and think, what could have ever brought this motley group of people together. I mean, look around; tall/ short, young/ old --and on the whole we're a fairly homogenous group... if we look beyond this congregation to the whole church, as we say in our liturgy "people of every time and every place" we see incredible diversity all united in the body of Christ.
I am strengthened by the fact that today, five hours or so ago in a concrete block house in Togo, West Africa my son Tim sat with a small group. As he followed along in a French translation of the Bible they read in the Ewe language the same words we spoke earlier " After that I looked and there was a great multitude, that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb!"
Jesus comes to people through people. The "communion of saints" is a collective noun--we are in this together.
Today the high school group, ToST, is doing an interesting thing. They are going to be painting the Youth room. Already they have done the taping--a kind of mosaic, stained glass pattern. I'm sure it would be okay if you wanted to take a peek to see the work in progress. The interesting thing about that project is that each painter is to bring their own color. So if only one person comes there will be only one color, two people two colors--pretty dull, but ten colors or twelve that could be a beautiful design.
This is commitment Sunday so I feel I should say something about that. It seems to me the High School project is a good paradigm for all of us. Consider that as you offer your gifts of time and talent and treasure you bring your special color, your particular nuance to the upbuilding of the whole. As you return your commitment you add special zest and unique depth to what becomes a powerful representation of the body of Christ, people with people through people.
I believe in the communion of saints.
Amen