Readings:
Sermon:
My family and I have just returned from a holiday in the Greek Islands where we trod in the footsteps of Saints and where we saw whitewashed churches sitting atop hillsides and mountains. Today, I want to take you to another mountain.
We arrive as the first light of dawn touches one of the most barren mountain ranges in the world. For the last few hours a small group of pilgrims has climbed the winding path that leads to the summit of Mount Sinai. Far below, hidden in the great ocean of barren rock that forms this part of the world, is the fortress monastery of St Catherine, it’s whitewashed walls glinting in the sunlight, its shape is obscured by the heathaze from the rising sun.
It’s community dates from the fourth century and its vast buildings from the sixth. Quite apart from this mountain, the monastery itself is an image of the long line of succeeding generations we think of in this season of All Saints Tide.
On the summit the group of travellers - All Anglican, are joined by a group of Korean Pentecostal Christians, as well as a group of Orthodox. all want to mark this moment in some special way, the Koreans shout their gospel choruses, the Anglicans read from Exodus and sing a hymn, and the Orthodox chant some beautiful and haunting passage from their liturgy.
As the pilgrims return down the mountain they realise that they have been given a glimpse of the meaning of the feast of All Saints.
Part of that meaning is to celebrate the transcendence of the communion of saints - to remember the generations of men and women before us who have in countless ways served our Lord and now reign in glory in the heavenly realm- as one commentator puts it to: try to forget the troubles and failures of our earthly pilgrimage, and lift our eyes to where God’s will is done perfectly in heaven’’
However, we must not forget the reality of the earthly realm - we need to recognise that millions who live among us and around us in our own life time - those on that earthly pilgrimage with us - are also faithful in countless ways and - we can also look to the future - a future that holds out the possibility of another coutless host of people who will in their own way and time serve the same Lord.
The feast of all Saints has always been one of the most dear to my heart - for I believe that it always comes to us as a blessing- a vision of that for which we strive - a message of hope and also a challenge - most especially now - in an age where the church is struggling with the harsh realities facing the Christian faith and Christian Churches.