Family of All Kinds

Have you ever thought of how many circles of human connection you have? I am sure you have a circle of friends. Many are fortunate to have contact with family members. Perhaps now or at some time in your life you had a team at work that felt like a family. It is rarer and rarer these days, but people sometimes know many of the neighbors on their street and nearby. Certainly, people often belong to leagues or clubs.

Human beings are social by nature, and we all gain much by investing in quality relationships throughout our lives. We give and receive circumstantial and emotional support from others. We accomplish greater things through team efforts than on our own. By faith we hold that we are created in the image of God, and as Christians we believe even God is social and communal in God’s own revealed being. We think of the one God as being the Holy Trinity. As Christians, we also believe we are members of one family, the Body of Christ, with the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of the Body. This is a central identifier for the Christian: The Baptized are all one family, the Mystical Body of Christ. We are all set apart to represent Christ. Another word for set apart is to say we are sanctified, made holy: we are all saints.

Our part of this vast family of faith, the Church, is our wonderful St. Francis Church Family. This Sunday, we are celebrating All Saints Day. Whereas, we often think of the notable Saints of yore on All Saints, we should certainly commemorate people special in our own walks of faith. We should name and fondly give thanks to God for the “saints” of our personal experience throughout our lives. Maybe you already do that. You can add this one too: you can treat All Saints Day as your day. You are a saint, included in the circle of love with all other saints.

This Sunday when you hear the lessons, you will hear a description of a gathering in heaven. It is from the revelation given to St. John the Divine. The Lamb is at the center, and there is a multitude, too many to number, standing around the throne of the Lamb. This is a vision of the gathering of the whole family of faith. Look closely with your eyes of faith; practice seeing yourself among the multitude. Look again and find all of your loved ones too. This is a scene outside of time. You are given a glimpse, and if you look with faith, you should remember the rest of your days that you are included. By the mediation of Christ, the Lamb, you are washed and joyously singing praises, numbered among the saints.