October 30, 2005

A Glimpse of Heaven

by Julianne Stokstad

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Today we are celebrating All Saints Day, remembering those in our lives who have died in the past year. John's image from Revelation of the great multitude from every nation standing before the throne of our loving and forgiving God is a consoling image. It is our hope for our departed loved ones to stand before God, washed clean of the turmoil and confusion, the suffering and sorrows.

Honoring the saints has been a part of Christian worship from the earliest time. In the early Christian church, local martyrs were among the first saints. The church by consensus named special days for remembering martyrs and exemplary Christians as saints. Today Catholics have strict rules that must be met before someone can become a saint. The gulf between saints and ordinary Christians is very wide.

However, in our Protestant tradition, the concept of saint is extended to all those who know God and seek to serve God. Our Puritan ancestors understood saints as more than just those who have died. They believed in the sainthood of all the baptized and in fact routinely called each other "saints." I recall explaining to a confirmation class an image I have of all the saints being like a chain of believers from us to others in the church holding hands with those who have died, back and back in history all the way to Jesus. We are supported by their faithfulness as we reach out to others.

All of us are in process of becoming saints. Joyce Rupp writes that "becoming a saint is a messy, human process, not a neat and tidy experience. Saints made mistakes, failed, sinned, experienced discouragement and depression, and struggled with relationships--just like we all do. What made saints was not their white robes or their unblemished lives, but their daily attempt to grow in virtue and goodness by relying on God's grace to help them grow." (Living Faith, November 1, 2002).

It is a commonly held belief that the reward of living a good life is going to heaven. John's image supports that. Americans believe in heaven and most think heaven is an actual place, that golden place in the sky where God is. Heaven can also be a dangerous idea. It has been used to justify horrible conditions and evil actions here on earth. The idea that those who suffer injustice should stay in their place only to be rewarded in heaven is bad theology in my book. Currently Muslim suicide bombers are told their act will get them into heaven. I do not accept that violence and murder could take anyone closer to God. It's more bad theology.

For those of us who live in affluence, who are well fed, who are safe and live in peace, the concept of heaven isn't so pressing. We live more in fear of death perhaps because we don't want to give up all we have. It is hard to imagine a better place. I know for sure that no one can say what happens when we die. It is our faith in God's grace and providence seen here on earth that gives us the faith to trust we will be safe what ever happens after our death. We know God will take care of us because God always has.

As we think about the saints, I expect each of you could tell a story about a saint you have known. We ought to tell each other these stories because I expect we would all be enriched and inspired.

I have been inspired by Rosa Parks, the mother of the civil rights movement. She died this week at the age of 92. Her quiet act of courage changed the world. We so often think that a single individual can't do much, but Rosa Parks showed us that is not true. I'd always thought of her as a young girl when she refused to give her bus seat to a white man in the winter of 1955. But she was in her forties, a hard working married woman tired, weary after a long day at work as a seamstress in a department store. In her own words she was "tired of being humiliated, of having to adapt to rules that reinforced that blacks were something less than full human beings." In her book, Quiet Strength she recounts how strong her parents and grandparents were and how they inspired her and gave her strength. Her simple act of defiance began the Montgomery bus boycott and led to the Supreme Court ruling in 1956 that said segregation on public transportation was unconstitutional and you all know the civil rights struggle that ensued. Rosa Parks demanded respect and justice for African-Americans, but she did not use God's name. Surely it was God's work. The prophets and Jesus tell us that it is God that demands respect and justice for all people,

Saints are real people doing God's work here on earth. It seems to me that we must look closely at actions and just because someone says they are doing God's work, that doesn't mean they are. Becoming a saint is all about relationships here on earth with each other and with our relationship with God. It is about how we choose to live each moment of our lives. The choices we make, our habits of being determine who we are at any moment and who we are becoming. It's not about being perfect. It's about living fully, risking mistakes and having the courage to learn from our mistakes to grow in love. As we grow into trusting God's providence in our lives.

In my view, all of our life is a preparation for our death. In our culture we are uncomfortable with our mortality when indeed that we will all die is about the only thing we know for certain. Awareness of death sharpens and sweetens our awareness of life's treasures. This awareness is not something to be avoided but to be recognized so that our life may be lived congruently with what we hold as most important. We need to recognize that our habits truly form who we are and I believe that this true essence of each of us will be taken with us when we move on the next life.

There's a story about a woman who lived in a luxurious house. When she died and went to heaven, she was eager to see what kind of accommodation she would have. St. Peter took her through a beautiful neighborhood but stopped in front of a small shack of a building. This is for you. She said, this? Why should I have a place like this? His response was "this is the best we could make of the materials you gave us."

Eternal life is not just something that happens after we die, it is the Christ's presence which infuses us and connects us to God. Heaven is nearer than we think. We need not fear. Now is the moment in our life, to open to God and God's dream for us. I pray that in your heart as you remember those whom you love and who have inspired you, you might open your life to God. Amen