To the saints of Christ in Ecclesfield!

On Sunday 3rd November we celebrate All Saints Sunday. To be honest it has never been an important part of my faith or my
worship. I never really give much attention to the official saints of the Church. I do have some ‘heroes of faith’ - some of which
(such as St Paul or St Aidan of Lindisfarne) are officially recognised as saints. But on the whole All Saints Sunday has never been
very important to my faith.

But earlier this year as I read through Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, I read this:
… God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, … has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not
come from us.

Paul is writing about himself and about the Christians in Corinth. He reminds them, and us as we read his letter, that our calling is
to be filled with the light of Christ. It is to shine His love and His light into the lives of those we meet, friend or stranger. At Baptism
those who have been baptised are presented with a candle lit from the Easter candle. It is a symbol of the light of Christ shining in
His people and through us into the world that He loves and died to save.

Paul goes on to remind us that we carry this treasure in ‘clay jars!’ It is not about us; rather it is about Jesus. We live in His light
and we share His light with others.

This is what it means to be a saint, and you and I and every Christian, everyone who follows Jesus are called by Christ to be His
saints.

God bless,
Tim
Prayer for the Month
Almighty God,
you have knit together your elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord:
grant us grace so to follow your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living
that we may come to those inexpressible joys
that you have prepared for those who truly love you;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

(The Prayer for All Saints Day)