For all you saints out there…

For Tuesday, November 1, 2022

News:

This Sunday we will celebrate All Saints Sunday, remembering the saints of the church who have gone before us having run their race.

For All The Saints is one of my favorite hymns at any time of the year. Its martial cadence energizes and its pauses mid-thought make me expectant for the next word or line. The author, 19th century Anglican Bishop William Walsham How, was inspired by Hebrews 12:1. This familiar line reads: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

In direct language, How's hymn advocates for this same perseverance and focus on faith. You may not agree with the battle image of Christians combating evil temptation and external trial. You may not go for images of Christian banners and legions of faithful from the past. However, there is comfort in knowing that the trials of life that make living optimistically and holding onto faith difficult are experiences others before us have had. Their witness can inspire us all.