Christ Cathedral

Scientists and everyday lovers of nature tell us that we live in a world of vanishing species. We are learning that the beauty and balance of our planet depend on the wonderful varieties of its species. We have discovered that the vast variety of birds, fish, animals, plants and even insects play their unique roles in the health of our planet - not only its beauty, but also its delicate balance. I like to believe that God had a purpose in all the infinite mass of creatures in our world, and so I also believe we need to keep these many species alive.

My focus today is for a species that is always in danger of extinction, especially so in our time. Now I can’t speak with any authority about the importance of some obscure plant or insect in some other part of the world. I can’t tell you anything about the polar bear, manatee, blue whale or the grey wolf; but I certainly know something about a particular species and its importance to the quality of life in our world.

I am speaking about that endangered species known as Saints. Here is a species in increasing danger of becoming so few that the spiritual welfare of our very planet will suffer.

Now let me stop for just a minute to make two contradictory statements. On the one hand, I want to emphasize that saints are few. Saints are a rare breed, just as great painters, poets and composers are. But on the other hand, I have to insist that there are more saints among us than we realize. They are not a noisy breed and they are not inclined to draw attention to their saintliness – because the fact is, one mark of a saint is humility. Saints don’t announce themselves or inaugurate public relations campaigns to be elected to sainthood. But today is All Saints Day, a day which came into existence because the church realized that God has many saints who have never been recognized by any official body. It is quite possible that you have known or lived near a saint without realizing it. Sometimes we are most likely to recognize a saint after the person is no longer among us. Absence improves our judgment.

So there you have my little contradiction: saints are a rare breed, and a breed in danger of extinction. But there are more of them among us than is truly known. And they are a hardy bunch, else they wouldn’t have lasted this long, especially when the odds are always against them.

I want to speak to the question that is in your mind. You want a definition. What is a saint?

Here is the bible definition that is perhaps some 3,000 years old. It is attributed to David, King of Israel and the author of many psalms. Psalm 24 reads: "The earth is the Lords’ and all that is in it; the world and all who dwell therein. For it is He who founded it upon the seas and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep, who can ascend the hill of the lord, and who can stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who have not pledged themselves to falsehood, nor sworn by what is a fraud."

King David marvels at the world God has created, a world God has "founded on the seas" and "established on the rivers." He thinks about this wonder as he approaches the place of worship, and he is overwhelmed by the realization that he is going to enter the presence of the one who created this spectacular universe. The psalm raises a fearful question: Who has a right to come into the presence of the lord of creation? Who shall ascend the hill of the lord, and who shall stand in his holy place? Then he gives his answer. It is very simple, but also very profound: "those who have clean hands and pure hearts; who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully."

Here is an ancient definition of a saint. It is summarized in two basic ideas: saints are people who have clean hands and pure hearts. In other words, saints are people of good conduct and honorable thoughts. They are good both outside and inside. They are good in public and in private, in what they do when they are with people, and when nobody but God knows what is going on in their minds.

Clean hands: the hands with which we make our money, whether we do so at a carpenter’s bench, in a teacher’s classroom, with a surgeon’s scalpel or at an executive’s desk. How clean are the hands with which we make our money, and with which we distribute and invest it? Clean hands: the hands we use to greet, to caress, to applaud. A Pure Heart. Jesus emphasized the heart. Murder, Jesus said, is not only a physical act; it can also be words that we speak when we respond to another person hatefully. That is, before God we can be guilty of murder when we have anger, resentment or revenge in our hearts. "If we say we love God, but are at odds with our brothers and sisters, and harbor resentment against them, we are a liar."

As all of us know, it is much easier to have clean hands - publicly, at least, than to have a pure heart. We may maintain clean hands because we want to have people’s respect or simply because we don’t want people to know what we are really like inside. Sometimes I’m afraid that something; means that we have allowed to reside in our heart what will suddenly surface when people are around and that people will then know that I am not as good as my public image. At such times, I realize that I am a long way from being a saint, because a saint isn’t working on a public image but on a heart that pleases God. Clean Hands - honorable conduct. Pure Heart - goodness at the hidden places where only God can see.

So, would you not agree that our world is short on people who have both clean hands and pure hearts? I think that you would also agree that our world desperately needs more of such people. These are the people I would like to have in public office. These are the people I would like to have teaching and influencing our children and grandchildren. These are the people I want to handle our finances, run our stores and our restaurants. These are the people I would like to have as next-door neighbors.

There is a shortage of such people in our world. Some days it seems that they are a vanishing species, and I wonder what will happen to our planet if the numbers of saints gets so small that the delicate balance tips to destruction.

So what can we do about it? I believe the solution is nearer at hand than we know. Since the species is saints, we can begin solving the shortage today - by setting out to become saints. We don’t have to join a movement, write to the headquarters of some organization, set up an internet site or communicate with our senator. All we need to do, for starters, is to ask God’s help in becoming what God has always wanted us to be.

All Saints Day is a day for honoring the saints of history, both the known and the unknown. It is by reflecting on their lives of clean hands and pure hearts; we might follow their example and replenish a vanishing supply by becoming the saints that God intends US to be.