All Saints Sunday - The Rev. Colette Hammesfahr -- Matthew 5:1-12

 

November 1, 2026 - Matthew 5:1-12

At first glance, the Beatitudes seem like an unusual Gospel reading for All Saints’ Day. Today is a day when we remember those who have gone before us. The people whose lives and faith have helped shape who we are. So, why would we read a passage where Jesus talks about the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the merciful, and the peacemakers?

If we think about what it means to be a saint, we can find a connection. We often think of saints as extraordinary people who lived extraordinary lives. People who were holy, faithful, and courageous: Anna Alexander, the patron saint of the Diocese of Georgia, Mother Teresa, St. Thomas, St. Peter, St. Paul. In the Beatitudes, we don’t hear Jesus talking about people who have accomplished great things or lived extraordinary lives. He describes ordinary people who experience grief and hardship, who show mercy, make peace, seek righteousness, and remain faithful even when life is hard.

There’s something else about the Beatitudes. Jesus doesn’t say, “Blessed are those who have everything they need, want, or aspire for.” Or “Blessed are those whose lives are going just the way they planned.” Some of the people Jesus calls blessed are the people we would least expect. It’s those who are mourning. Those who are struggling. Those who are being persecuted for doing what is right. 

We don’t think of those things as blessings, do we? We spend most of our lives trying to avoid them. We want security, the finest things, comfort, happiness, and peace. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting those things, Jesus is saying that God’s blessings don’t always look the way we expect them to look. And when they don’t, God is still present in the difficult moments. Suffering and sorrow don’t have the final word.

The people we remember today didn't live perfect, trouble-free lives. They experienced grief, illness, and hardship, just like we do. But God was at work in their lives, even in those difficult moments. They weren't perfect. They weren't necessarily famous. But they showed us something about God's love through the way they lived.

This is what makes the Beatitudes a perfect reading for All Saints' Day. Sainthood isn't about being extraordinary. It's about allowing God's love to show through our ordinary lives. And All Saints' Day isn't just about remembering the saints we have known. It's about remembering the saints we are called to become.

Many of you may remember Johnny Appleseed from our childhood stories. We learned about a man who wandered around carrying a big bag of apple seeds, planting apple trees wherever he went.

But did you know that Johnny Appleseed was a real person? His name was John Chapman, and in the early 1800s he traveled throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana planting apple nurseries. He was a religious man who lived simply. He was known to sometimes give trees to settlers who couldn’t afford them.

Chapman planted trees knowing that they would take years to mature and bear fruit. Some of his trees would provide apples for people he would never meet. Just like Chapman, today we remember people who planted things in our lives. They planted seeds of faith, kindness, generosity, mercy, and love. They probably never realized how much their actions mattered. And, they may never have seen the fruit of what they planted. But we have.

This is what Jesus is talking about in the Beatitudes. The merciful, the meek, the peacemakers – all ordinary people whose lives become a blessing to others. Isn’t that what we are called to do as well? To plant seeds of faith, kindness, generosity, mercy, and love in the lives of others? It’s easy to admire these people isn’t it? But it’s another thing when Jesus asks us to live that way. We like the sound of mercy until we’re the ones who have to forgive someone. We like peacemaking until we’re the ones who have to set aside our pride. We like generosity until we’re the ones being asked to give something up. We admire the saints for what they gave. But are we willing to give in the same way?

Sometimes living the Beatitudes means being willing to give up a little of what makes us comfortable so that someone else can experience God's love. Maybe that means welcoming someone who is different from us. Maybe it means changing something we've always done because it no longer serves the people God is calling us to reach.

Think about all the people who have helped make St. Thomas' what it is today. Some are still with us. Others are among the saints we remember today. They gave their time, shared their gifts, and showed God's love in more ways than we can count. They probably never imagined how much of a difference they would make or that we would be enjoying the fruits of what they planted.

Today, we have to ask, “Are we planting anything ourselves, or are we simply enjoying what others have left behind?” It's a lot easier to enjoy the shade of a tree than it is to plant one. Planting takes work, time, and patience. Sometimes it means giving up something we'd rather keep for ourselves.

Sometimes we convince ourselves that what we have to offer isn't all that important. We don't have enough time, talent, or money. Someone else could probably do it better. But what if everyone who came before us had thought that way? What would St. Thomas' look like today? The question isn't whether we have something to offer. The question is whether we're willing to offer what we have.

Jesus doesn't leave us to figure this out on our own. In the Beatitudes, Jesus isn't giving us a list of things we have to do to earn God's blessings. He's showing us what God is already doing in the world. God is creating a kingdom where mercy matters more than power. Where peacemakers are called children of God. Where those who mourn are promised comfort.

And notice that Jesus doesn't say, "Blessed will you be when you finally get everything right." He says, "Blessed are you." God's blessing comes first. God doesn't wait until we're perfect or until we have enough time, talent, or money to make a difference. God meets us where we are and invites us to be part of something greater than ourselves. And every time we choose mercy over resentment, peace over division, or generosity over selfishness, we allow others to see a little more of what God's kingdom looks like. These may seem like small things, but God can take those small acts of love and turn them into something far greater than we ever imagined.

That's what the saints who came before us discovered. They weren't extraordinary people who did extraordinary things on their own. They were ordinary people and through God, they did extraordinary things. God is still doing that today. God made something beautiful through the saints who came before us. God is making something beautiful through us right now. And God isn't finished. The saints who came before us planted seeds whose fruit we still enjoy today. God has given us seeds of our own. The question is, are we willing to plant them? Amen.