A few weeks ago, as I was packing my bags to go to Texas, I had to decide what to put in my suitcase and what to leave behind. After all, there is a limit to what can be squeezed into a suitcase! Jim Jordan had told me that the weather in Texas could be hot and humid. So, I had to pack some lightweight clothes. I knew that it rained frequently in the Houston area, so I packed some rain gear. But what about the night time or the heavy air conditioning? I certainly had to pack a sweater and sweatshirt, just in case. Then there was the potential of getting in some exercise. I knew the conference center had a pool which meant bringing a swimming suit. Did I need to pack some sneakers for walking? Intentional decisions had to be made for the journey ahead.
Following the path of Christ is somewhat like packing a suitcase. A person has to decide what to include for the journey and what to leave behind. We all know of people who are having difficulty following Christ because they are carrying a lot of "heavy baggage." Carrying "heavy baggage" is a psychological term which means that a person is weighed down by the hurts, fears, prejudices, and history of a painful life. It is difficult for a person who is carrying a lot of baggage to experience the joys and freedom in life and thus, they are often moody, depressed, or cynical. The spiritual life is about getting rid of heavy baggage and moving from a place of fear to a place of love.
Today is All Saints Day; a day on which we remember all the saints who have gone before us. It is a sort of "catch-all" holy day, when we remember three groups of people who have died: 1) the martyrs whose names are not known or who do not have a feast day of their own; 2) dedicated people who have left a noticeable imprint on the well being of this world; 3) and our own friends and relatives- who have died and yet touched our lives in such a way that we are better people because of their influence.
And so the question that is often asked on this feast day of All Saints is, what makes a saint, a saint? "Saints are persons who make it easier for others to believe in God. Saints are people through whom God's light shines. Saints are people who make goodness attractive. Saints are people who know how to love." My thesis about sainthood is, that the type of baggage one carries throughout one's life, determines whether or not a person ends up as a saint. This is the topic of today's sermon.
One of the ways a person moves towards sainthood is through the conscious effort of making a place in one's heart for faith, hope, charity, the fruits of the spirits, and the characteristics that form the basis of being a Christian. This means letting go of heavy baggage such as pride, greed, lust, sloth, envy, anger, addiction, revenge, and hatred. Once we get rid of such baggage, a free space is made in our heart where virtues may find room to grow. Imagine having a suitcase so full of junk, that there is no room to place the necessary clothing for the journey. The same goes for making the journey towards God.
Now the Scriptures are full of images of the kind of clothing one needs to pack to follow the path of Christ. Let's take a closer look at the garments that saints wear.
-In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says, "Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith, and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation." Faith is the knowledge and confidence of the presence of God. Hope is an openness to new possibilities, even in the face of darkness and despair. Love..."Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant. It does not insist on its own way but rejoices in truth. Love bears all thing, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never dies."
- To the Ephesians, Paul writes: "Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness." (Eph. 6:14) We need a lot more truth telling in society today. Without truth, there can be no reason to trust. Without trust, there is no basis for intimate relationships. Righteousness has to do with striving for justice and respecting the dignity of every human being.
- Paul says: "As shoes for your feet, put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace." (Eph. 6:15) We as Christians need to repent of our anger and resentment. For if we are not at peace with one another, we can not expect nations to be at peace. Following Jesus = following that Peace which passes all understanding.
- "Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12) We must choose life over death. Eternal life is life with God. It is a life of love.
- Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Eph. 6:11) There are powers that operate in the world which can destroy us. We do not have to fight the forces of oppression, evil, and degradation by ourselves. The power of God working within us, can do more that we could ever hope or imagine. So put on the armor of God and rely on God's power.
- "The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." (Rom. 13:12) It is so easy to fall into the world of darkness, where cynicism, criticism, and apathy reign. On the other hand, we can be the light or the mirror that reflects the light. The choice is always ours.
- "Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Eph. 6:17) Salvation means to make whole. What do we need to be saved from? Fear is our biggest enemy. Perfect love casts out all fear.
- "For what is our hope or joy or crown of boating before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? (1 Thess. 2:19) You can engender hope in this world. Committed Christians can and do make a difference in the world, seeking and serving Christ in all persons, and loving their neighbors as themselves.
- "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Rom. 13:14) In order to understand the theology of St. Paul, we need to understand union with Christ. The Christian path is not just following a bunch of rules but rather allowing ourselves to be transformed into the likeness of Christ.
- Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who are merciful, those who are pure in heart, those who are peacemakers. These are the people blessed by God who are prepared for sainthood.
Faith, hope, love, righteousness, life, discipleship, salvation, truth, peace, God, light, Jesus, mercy, pure in heart, fruit of the spirit these are the garments that are necessary for the making of a saint. Envy, pride, greed, gluttony, addiction, gossip, sloth, and anger, are hindrances. And so repentance and forgiveness are the necessary steps for all Christians in order to get rid of the heavy baggage so that we can move from the darkness into the light.
"Who are these clothed in white robes?" Today's reading from the Book of Revelation answers: "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb" The white robes represent those early Christians who made a commitment to follow Christ in spite of persecution. Many of them were martyred for their faith. Those who are baptized today, often choose to wear a white robe during the ceremony as a sign of purity and a symbol of their commitment to Christ. And while baptism itself will not guarantee sainthood, being faithful to the vows will. So on this feast day of All Saints, let us renew the solemn promises and vows of Holy Baptism, by which we once renounced the powers that corrupt and destroy the creatures of God and promised to serve God faithfully in his holy Church.
(Turn to page 292 in the Book of Common Prayer for the renewal of baptismal vows.)