“...that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors...” Deuteronomy 8:18 

There is a story about two reprobate brothers who lived in a small town. When one died, the other went to the pastor and said, “At my brother’s service, if you don’t say he was a saint you will really pay for it.” 

The pastor thought long and hard about what to do. If he got up and said the man was a saint everyone would question his honesty. But if he told the truth, well... 

So on the day of the funeral the pastor began his message, “We are here today to remember Mr. So-and so. As we all know he was not a very good man. He was a thief, a charlatan, a liar, and a bully. But compared to his brother, he was a saint.” 

That story is a funny reminder that being a saint is not about being perfect. It’s not about being better than others. It’s not even about being righteous. The word saint means holy, but understand, holy is about being set apart. Holy is not about being more spiritual than other people. It is about being willing to be set apart for God, to be set apart in devotion, service, love, and faithfulness.  

This Sunday in worship we will recognize those members of St. Luke’s as well as loved ones in other churches who died in the past year. By associating them with saints doesn’t mean we ignore their imperfections. It means we claim the ways God used them to bless us and others in set apart ways. We honor the ways God blessed us through them like no other person. And... 

We remember that we, too, are called to be saints for others. 

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