Sunrise over the prairie grasses at the monastery

Witnessing to light and hope

Lynne Smith, OSBBuilding Community, Homilies, Living in Community 2 Comments

  • Homily and reflections before and after the 2016 national elections

Sunrise over the prairie grasses at the monastery

“The human race is facing a darkness that is pervasive and frightening…endless wars, climate change, rampant disease, corporate power, increasing poverty and natural disaster.” Edwina Gateley shared these thoughts in an essay for All Saints Day in 2014.* She went on to say that it seemed to her that “we are…in the midst of a global dark night.”

Like Daniel in his day (see Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18), many people today see visions of disaster based on the coming election, climate change, the spread of ISIS, violence in our cities. It is difficult to keep our spirits from being deeply troubled or our visions of the future from terrifying us as Daniel’s did in captivity in Babylon. This recent election cycle has created so much fear that it is easy to fall into terror about the future.

In the midst of this global dark night and national uncertainty, Christians set aside this Sunday to commemorate the saints, both extraordinary and ordinary, who have gone before us. The first All Saints day was celebrated in the early fourth century after Christians had endured 300 years of persecution. Gateley believes that the feast was intended originally “to remember and celebrate those Christians who had remained faithful in spite of the fear, the hostility and the very real danger of their witness to Christ.”

Remembering those who have gone before us encourages us to remember the hope we are promised and to look for the light of Christ that continues to shine in every age, no matter how thick the darkness. The feast reminds us that the Spirit works through ordinary people like us to manifest the light to the world. We celebrate this feast to move us to be that light in a frightening and uncertain world. We take courage and strength from the quiet witnesses who have lived among us and gone before us.

This year we especially remember Joe Niebauer, Richard and Phyllis Pelkey and Jeanne Burger who were members of this assembly and Sandra Foley Gaylord, who was an oblate. They have shown us how to love, how to give of themselves in service, how to remain faithful in adversity. Each of us also has our own store of saints whom we hold in our hearts who encourage us to be faithful. Take a moment and bring to mind those whom you hold dear who have died.

What does it take to be a saint—not a spectacular saint, but a quiet, everyday saint? Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” And in a verse following our reading this morning “Be merciful even as God is merciful.” (see Luke 6: 21-36)

Edwina Gateley lifts up two characteristics of saints. They are “rooted in Christ” and they are “countercultural–seeing beyond and beneath the externals.” The writer of the Letter to the Ephesians prays that “the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened” (see Ephesians 1:11-23). This could mean nurturing the ability to see what God is doing in the world, to see and lift up what is good and beautiful and true, to nurture the vision of hope that has been promised us.

The Feast of All Saints and All Souls is a witness to the fact that light and hope can be found around us in spite of and in the midst of the darkness. Light and hope are hidden in the lives of ordinary people and in everyday events when people go beyond themselves to care for and respect one another.

As we sing the Litany of the Saints and light a candle for our beloved dead, may this prayer and these lights remind us of the love and hope that continues to live and encourage us today.

 

November 9, 2016 Addendum: As I update this blog post following the election, I note that one of the headlines on the website of the French newspaper Le Monde reads: “American Election: Anger Won.” Together we can pray that no matter how we voted, we will not let anger win in our country. We can still choose to treat one another with respect and compassion.

Since Benedict’s time, monasteries have been places where anyone can come and find a welcome. Holy Wisdom Monastery will continue to be a place of welcome and a witness to the Gospel values of hospitality and respect for persons.

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*The Perseverance of the Saints, by Edwina Gateley , from Journey with Jesus, A Weekly Webzine for the Global Church

Scripture readings for Sunday, November 6, 2017:
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18; Ephesians 1:11-23; Luke 6:20-31

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Read other blog posts in Lynne’s series, Building Community.

Read other Living in Community blog posts, by various community members.

Comments 2

  1. Thank you, Lynn. This is much needed Benedictine witness in this dark time. A friend sent me the following quote from Tennessee Williams that I add to the conversation:

    “The world is violent and mercurial — it will have its way with you. We are saved only by love — love for each other and the love that we pour into the art we feel compelled to share: being a parent; being a writer; being a painter; being a friend. We live in a perpetually burning building, and what we must save from it, all the time, is love.”

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