November 2, 2025, All Saints Sunday
Luke 6:20-31
Introduction
Blessings and woes. “Blessed are you.” “Woe to you.” What do you make of all that? I think it’s easy to hear the blessings and woes in today’s Gospel (Luke 6:20-31) as rewards and punishments or as a categorization of saints and sinners. But I also think that would be a mistake and a misunderstanding of the Gospel. There is nothing inherently virtuous or holy about poverty, hunger, or grief. God knows the world doesn’t need more pain or misery. And there is nothing inherently sinful or wrong about being rich, full, or laughing.
Yes, in this text Jesus is talking about what or how much we have or don’t have. But for Jesus we know it’s not about a bottom-line calculation of our bank balance, the number of meals we get each day, or whether we spend more time crying than laughing. Jesus is always talking about a quality of life not a quantity of stuff. And quality of life comes from our way of being in the world—which for Jesus and the Kingdom of God, it is a particular way of being.
In this text Jesus is guiding us to consider what our way of being presents to the world; what kind of impact we make, and especially what others see and witness in our way of being.
Move 1
When I’m poor, hungry, weeping—whether that’s materially, emotionally, or spiritually— I am usually more open and receptive. And I am open and receptive because I am looking for something new, something better—I’m looking for a different way of being in the world. I don’t want to keep “doing life” the same old way. I’m looking and working for change. Maybe that’s true for you as well.
Conversely though, when I am rich, full, and laughing—whether that’s materially, emotionally, or spiritually— I want more of the same. I don’t want change. I am not looking for anything new or different because that way of being feels good and so I work to keep the richness, fullness, and laughter. Maybe that’s also true for you.
And what all this means is that blessings and woes are descriptive of two different ways of being in the world. One way is when our hearts, hopes, and aspirations are turned toward the coming of something new, something different. We are open to the future, to the possibility of what seems impossible. And where there is a future there is new life, and more life.
Conversely, the other way of being in the world is when we are closed to the future, closed to something new or different, even closed to others who could be impactful to us because who needs anything like that when we’re doing well? But are we doing well? Or are we unable to see that this way of being leads to woes because we are bound to, and stuck in, the world as it is?
Now you might be thinking, “Hey Rev., you’re getting close to contradicting what you just said about woes not being punishment.” And I can understand such because so often we gravitate to biblical lessons being rooted in judgement. But Jesus is not casting judgment. Rather Jesus wants us to see blessings and woes as guides—what to do and what not to do— in presenting the Kingdom of God fully visible and inviting through our way of being.
Move 2
We all remember the hot and cold game, right? We played it as kids or maybe we play it with little ones in our lives today. Someone is looking for something and as they do we say, “You’re warm. Getting warmer. Oh, now you’re cold. You’re ice cold.” We are guiding the person to help them find their destination. And that’s exactly what Jesus is doing. This outline of blessings and woes are Jesus’ way of saying we are either warm or cold toward the Kingdom of God, if we are getting close to, or moving away, from it.
I bring up this old timey game in comparison to our proximity to the Kingdom of God because the Kingdom of God is not a what. The Kingdom of God is a how. It is not a place or a time or a thing, but rather it is a way of being in this world. You and I give existence to the Kingdom of God by how we our being in the world. The Kingdom of God is God’s dream, hope, desire and longing for the world. It is God’s call to us. And it’s up to us to respond and make it present. And often times we do—we bring forth blessings. But if we are honest with ourselves, sometimes we don’t—and that’s when the woes come in.
Move 3
The Kingdom of God happens through our way of being in the world. That’s what we remember and celebrate today on this All Saints Sunday, this Feast of All Saints as some call it. On All Saints Sunday, we remember and honor the faithful souls who served God and by bringing forth the Kingdom of God through their way of being. We remember and give thanks for those people whose how of life gave existence to God’s Kingdom in this world, in their time and place. And these saints (this great cloud of witnesses as the Apostle Paul calls them) are the ways of being that still guide to know if we are cold or warm in our way of being.
Some of those people are what I like to call name-brand saints—the ones who have a place on the calendar. Saints like Philip, Mary, Luke, Augustine, Theresa, Francis and Clare, King, and Romero. But there are others—local and particular to us. They may not have a place on the Church’s calendar, but they have a place in our hearts. When I think of my particular saints, I think of my grandmother Violet—the only grandparent I knew and my daughter’s namesake. I think of both my parents and my mentor while in seminary. These are among my saints who have gone onto glory, and yet I have saints who are still alive.
My brother and sister, my best friends—Mark, Mike, Alan, Kirk, Randy, and Sara. My mentor Jim, and my wife. And my list could go on and on. I’m certain we all have our list of particular saints.
As I said, some have died, while others still live. But all stand with us regardless, and all still companion us as teachers, examples, and guides. They have cared for and nurtured us, loved and guided us, taught and mentored us. They showed us a way of being that was, and will always be, vibrant and alive, holy, foundational, and divine.
And most importantly, each of them has invited us to take our place in the line of saints that has always been, is today, and always will be. And blessed are we when we seek out that way of being, that moving forward to something better, not letting ourselves remain complacent and stuck in the world as it is.
The Kingdom of God comes locally, temporarily, intermittently, episodically in our particular circumstances through our way of being in the world. It mostly happens on the margins of power, at the edges, and rarely at the center. It is the reversal of all reversals. The Kingdom of God is actually here, it is really real whenever we love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, pray for those who abuse us, subvert those who abuse power, welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive our offender, give to the beggar. Every time our way of being does to others as we would have them do to us we give existence to the Kingdom of God. But if we are to be successful and faithful in giving existence to the Kingdom of God, we need to be guided by those who can tell us, through their way of being, if we are getting warmer or colder.
Conclusion
You and I have the privilege and responsibility of giving existence to God’s Kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” And this truth implores us to ask… Have I ever considered that the coming of the Kingdom of God might actually depend on me? Have I ever thought that I might be a necessity to God’s vision just as much as God is a necessity to me? Have I ever thought of myself as a saint, as one whose way of being matters and makes a difference to others and their way of being?
Sainthood is not established because we’re dead. Sainthood is established by our way of being, by how we choose to move forward to something better, something blessed, instead of staying stuck in the status quo.
So what if we were to step into our sainthood, in our particular time and place, in the unique circumstances of our lives, and in our daily relationships? What might that look like in your life today? What would it take?
This is how we are to be guided in our sainthood, by those who were, and are saints to us. Guided to know blessings move everyone toward the Kingdom of God, and woes keep us stuck in the status quo.
So to help us do such, maybe we add a small addendum to Luke’s text today…
Blessed are you who are guided by your saints. Woe to you who are stuck in the status quo. Do to others as you would have them do to you. And may your way of being, be as the saints of your lives. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, November 2, 2025, All Saints Sunday
Lord God, you looked at your disciples and said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” We confess we often chase after the fleeting riches of this world and then grow content and comfortable with them. Help us to embrace a spirit that knows true wealth is found only in you.
Lord God, you declared, “Blessed are you who are hungry, for you will be satisfied.” We are surrounded by physical abundance, yet our souls often hunger for righteousness. So satisfy us with your guidance and remind us of those in our world who suffer from physical hunger, and move our hearts to act as your hands and feet in their relief.
Lord God, you told us to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” This command is difficult, for we harbor resentment and unforgiveness. Pour your love into our hearts and enable us to extend that same love to those who oppose us. Help us to live by the golden rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
As we also celebrate All Saints Day, we remember with gratitude the countless men and women who have gone before us in the faith. No doubt they heard your challenging words and, by your grace, lived them out. We thank you for the witness and guidance of your saints, both those whose names are written in history books and those known only to you and us. Their lives inspire us to run the race with perseverance, always moving toward your kingdom.
Help us to be guided by them, to walk in their footsteps, and to live lives that point others to you.
May we, like our saints, be a guiding presence, that others might see the blessedness of our Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
We ask that you receive the prayers of our hearts as we share them in this time of Holy Silence.
We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, and who taught us to pray, saying, “Our…”