All Saints Day 2025

This morning we are celebrating All Saints’ Day which is actually November 1. Many choose to celebrate it on the first Sunday following the first and do so calling it All Saints’ Sunday. And it is worth our asking, who are we celebrating? And what is a saint? The popular notions today may not be helpful. And they also may not align with Biblical teaching. Professional Football fans will certainly recognize the name of the New Orleans Saints. Don’t look for a lot of help here in understanding what we are celebrating. Religiously, a lot of people think of the saints as being exceptional Christians with an St in front of their names, like St. Matthew or St. Augustine. Are they the only ones? Then there is the everyday use that sometimes comes up in conversation. It sounds like this. “She’s a saint to have put up with that!” Is any of this helpful? I think we should turn to the Bible…