Rev Helen preached this sermon on All Saints’ Day, 3 November 2024. Here it is for you again:
Today we remember All Saints, those who have gone before us in the faith and shown us good how to follow Jesus. The things I love about these saints is their stories because that is what is most fascinating hearing who they were and what happened to them. One book which I really like is this one, “Celebrating the Saints” and if you ever hear me telling saints stories this is the book I usually have found them in and I find them fascinating. Worth a read if you like these things too. Now I’m guessing we’ve all heard of a few of them, so let’s see how well we know them, I’m going to describe a saint just tell me who it is, simple. We’ll start with an easy one:
St Margaret of Antioch – 20th July (St Margaret’s). She was the child of a pagan priest who converted to Christianity, there are stories of her being swallowed by a dragon but it spat her up after being irritated by her cross. Patron Saint of pregnant women, nurses, exiles, the falsely accused and the dying.
St George the Great – 23rd April (St George’s). Fought the dragon and saved the princess – Roman Christian Martyr, patron Saint of England, Boy Scouts, Butchers, Knights
St Martin – 11th November Roman solider who gave his cloak to a beggar, converted to Christianity and became a monk. Patron Saint of Soldiers
St Stephen – 26th December. He was a Christian Martyr stoned to death in 34 CE, his death was witnessed by a man called Saul (who went on his own journey). Patron Saint of Coffin Makers, deacon and Masons
St Sebastian – 17th June (by Church of England). He was an early Christian from the 3rd Century who was responsible for converting many people. He was eventually discovered by the Romans, as they story goes, he was martyred by being tied up and filled with arrows. Patron Saint of Archers, athletes and pin makers
So as you can see there are lots of different Saints, this has only scratched the surface, on lists I’ve found of saints and there’s 700! The Church of England recognises about 105 Saints where as the Roman Catholic Church recognises 550. Imagine if you got a bank holiday for saints days! However Christians agree about one thing concerning the saints, they are people who have done something extraordinary. The Martyrs who have died defending their faith, performed great acts of kindness and miracles, extraordinary people and were great teachers.
So what can we learn from the Saints? They set examples of how to live a good and holy life, they stand up against injustice and some of them have changed the world by the things they have done! Some Saints power continues after they die, you hear about miracles happening around their tombs, like Thomas Becket and Edward the Confessor. We can turn to these saints in times of need and pray with them, I’ve said a few prayer with St Chrysostom (PS of education, teachers and exams) over the years.
Why else do we still remember and pray with these saints, many of them have died hundreds of years ago. What is it about them? Well it goes back to Jesus, Jesus taught about loving each other, forgiving people, giving and helping those who are most in need. That what the saints do but don’t forget Jesus died because he stood up against the culture of the time, he was a rebel and he died the death of a rebel. Jesus knew that this would happen, he warned his disciples of the dangers of being his follower he said you will be hated, you might be put to death because of me but testify, testify, testify. That is what Jesus did in the last 48 hours of his life why so many Christians, even today are willing to do the same. Of course though this isn’t where the story ends and Jesus brings something else, he brings hope for something different and a better future, as described in the passage from Revelation we’ve heard today. What a place the New Jerusalem, the place of heavenly Splendour where there would be a never ending feast, no more pain, no more morning, no more crying no more death for anyone, even Jesus himself is reduced to tears in todays gospel over the death of his friend. Jesus says I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end of everything and those who believe in me and my resurrection will be with me in the next world, physically seen in the raising of Lazarus. It’s all good but also challenging.
When Jesus asks you to do something for him it’s not always easy, it’s not always convenient and might not even be the right time for you to answer that call but he will care for us and look after us. We show Jesus’s love and compassion by the way we live and treat other they way he asked and in return we get that personal relationship with him, like the Saints do. So when you think about the Saints and remember their stories, what they did and the examples they set. Think about yourself, what you can do to make a difference, what you can do to help people, how will you follow Jesus word being his disciple and a saint in his church. Most importantly be the person you were born to be, the unique and brilliant individual God created and be amazing, be Jesus love in action and like the saints be the example to others of the message he brought. Amen
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 