September is for Saints

Fall is such an enjoyable time, especially at our church. There is the energy of catching up, sharing summer stories, planning for the coming year, and so much more. But I guess it is the gathering of the saints that I like the best.

What saints? Why you, of course! Don’t you think you have what it takes to be a saint? Some people feel that to be saintly they must be God-like or Christ-like 100% of the time. To be a saint is to be someone whose path is so pure and sweet that little birds flock to his/her shoulders, and smiling rabbits and squirrels play around his/her feet. How can I ever achieve that level of sainthood?

Thomas Merton, in his book New Seeds of Contemplation, says, “The saints are what they are, not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to admire everybody.”

Well, now, that is a new and uplifting take on being a saint, and that’s why, each year that we re-gather as a Community of Faith, I see the gathering of saints.

In our country right now there are so many forces trying to slice and dice us so many ways: red vs. blue states, conservative vs. liberal, north vs. south, coasts vs. heartland. It is as though the media and political pundits think that culture and value can be divided up into neat little boxes.

Values are a bit more complex than that; just look at how diverse we are when we gather this fall. I believe that the people at St. Mary’s share values across the spectrum of America, yet here we are — together! How? We share the same spiritual home because we admire each other, but even more, we love each other.

So does that mean little birds will chirp happily on our shoulders and the rabbits and squirrels will play around our feet as we enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs at our kick-off picnic? I doubt it. However, it does mean that even if someone is a conservative, a liberal might just be sitting there with him, sharing tales of summer adventures. It means than someone who has the values of the “left coast” might be planning a Sunday School class with someone who feels at home in “heartland” values.

We can’t do that if we constantly point out our differences, but we can work and eat and play and worship together when we admire each other in the love of Christ.

So I’m looking forward to this fall and the gathering of the saints. It is my prayer that the community we share together, which is enhanced by our diversity, might be a beacon of hope for the rest of the country and the world.

Joel t