You may remember hearing me talk about author Rachel Held Evans at some point over the past few years. Rachel was a brilliant writer and theologian, approaching faith and the Bible with curiosity, tenacity, and lots of questions, in ways that tended to both ruffle feathers and provide a home for others who had been pushed out of the church. Her work includes numerous blog posts, tweets, and six books, two of which were published after her sudden death in May 2019 at the age of 37.
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| Photo by Tina Witherspoon on Unsplash |
Her sixth book, called Wholehearted Faith was released just yesterday, an unfinished manuscript completed for publication by her dear friend and fellow author Jeff Chu. The following excerpt from the prologue captures perfectly the importance of the saints in supporting us in our life of faith - a timely reminder as we celebrate All Saints Day this week.
"For better or for worse, there are seasons when we hold our faith, and then there are seasons when our faith holds us. In those latter instances, I am more thankful than ever for all the saints, past and present, who said yes and whose faith sustains mine. They believe for my when I'm not sure I believe. They hold on to hope for me when I've run out of hope. They are the old lady and the little kid behind me who recite the Apostles' Creed on my behalf on those Sundays when I cannot bring myself to say all those ancient words wholeheartedly--Is this what I really believe?"
The saints we remember and celebrate on All Saints Day are not some kind of "super Christians" with unwavering faith and selfless deeds. No, they are ordinary, beloved, forgiven sinners - just like you and me. In the waters of baptism, God claims us as beloved children, and we are joined to Christ and to one another. As the prayer of the day for All Saints Day puts it, "Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Our life of faith is inseparable from the gift of relationship, of community. Knit together in this way, we hold one another up, praying and singing and reciting and believing on behalf of one another on those days when our faith feels small, fragile, and uncertain. Just as we have not come to believe on our own - it is the work of the Holy Spirit! - so too is our ongoing faith strengthened and sustained through external means, whether that be in the communion meal, in hearing the word read and proclaimed, or through the presence of our siblings in Christ. For the gift of faith that is strong enough to hold us even on the days we are unsteady and unsure, we give thanks.
Bonus Resources:
- This beautiful book called Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints shares the stories of people of diverse faiths who rocked the religious boat on behalf of love and justice.
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