Being human, being holy
3rd November 2022
Here’s our reading from today’s communion service, thinking about All Saints Day…
Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:
‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.”
But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’
Luke 18.9-14
I wonder what you think holiness looks like? Tuesday was All Saints Day. Our images of saints often suggest that they are very different from us – somehow apart from the world, separated off, Godly people – with halos!
In parts of the Old Testament there is quite a lot about God’s people being separate – and holiness being about things and people who are set apart. That’s understandable – for a small group of tribes in the middle of the huge mix of cultures and religions in the Middle East, having a distinctive identity was important.
In the time of Jesus one Jewish group, the Pharisees, focussed a lot on this need for separation – keeping the holiness rules very carefully, performing all the ritual washing, observing the Sabbath commands, not mixing with those regarded as sinners.
Jesus rejected this way. His difference – his holiness – was within him, with its source in his deep connection to his Father. He wasn’t focussed on the holiness of separation. We know that he didn’t always do the ritual washing at mealtimes, or tell his disciples off when they broke the sabbath rules, or avoid mixing with ‘sinners’ – that was what got him into trouble, and led to his very unholy end.
He also told a story about a man who was beaten up and then ignored by a priest and a scribe – two apparently holy men – and rescued by a perverter of the true Jewish faith – a Samaritan. He was the one who really kept the commandment.
And he told this story about a righteous Pharisee and an unrighteous tax collector. We know who thinks he is more saintly in this story, but who is the real holy man?
There was a very good Thought for the Day on Radio 4 on Tuesday – you can get it on BBC Sounds. In it Lucy Winkett talks about what saints are not – they are not a sort of ‘upper class Christian’ – they are not people who make you think that being good looks like hard work.
She says that the stories of the saints are stories of human lives lived to the full. People who teach us to be more not less human.
If you think about some of the saints from the bible – Mary – or Peter – – they are very human. Mary is sometimes frightened, sometimes impatient, sometimes angry, and full of a mother’s love. Peter is impetuous, foolish, and courageous.
The same is true of modern ‘saints’ like Desmond Tutu with his huge laugh and larger than life personality, and Mother Teresa, who was both gentle and steely, faithful and troubled.
Lucy says that any person has the potential to live like this, and the journey inward, the journey of the soul, is the place to start.
Maybe alongside this we also need to reset our idea of what it means for us to be a good Christian and a holy person, and remember the tax collector – offering our flawed but very real humanity as a space within which the grace of God can be at work.
Think of the people you have known whose very human lives have also shone with God’s light and love…
Lord of humanity, teach us to understand ourselves. Help us to see the love you have for us in all our humanity, and draw us to be come more truly and fully human.
Lord of love, help us learn to love the humanity in the people around us, and to see glimpses of holiness in unexpected people and places.
Gracious Lord, we thank you for all those whose lives have been a blessing to us – and for the work of your grace in them. May we be open to your transforming and renewing grace so that we too may shine out with your love and your life.