Revelation 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Congratulations! You came in last place! Congratulations! You broke your arm! Congratulations! Life is falling apart and you have nothing left. Yes, these aren’t normally things that we celebrate. The sympathy trophies for those who come in last or the participation medals for those who started but didn’t finish might feel more like a greater insult than losing does. This isn’t what we normally do. We like to celebrate winners—the strongest, the fastest, the smartest. These are the people that we celebrate.

But congratulations. Life is terrible... and that’s good! Yes, it’s the complete upside-down logic from what we normally think. But that’s because it’s not our normal logic. It’s God’s logic. God’s kingdom works in an upside-down fashion from what we experience here. Hence, we get the beatitudes this week.

As we come to celebrate All Saints’ Day this week, we hear the upside-down way in which God is at work in our world. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted...” Matthew 5:3-4. Blessed are those who have everything going wrong in life. It sounds strange to us because it is! Jesus comes and blesses those whose life is in shambles, who has nothing left, who can’t even accomplish anything themselves. And yes, that’s a good thing!

For let’s not lose sight of the significance of this church holiday. All Saints’ Day is the day where we remember all those Christians who have died in the faith—our mothers and fathers, our sisters and brothers, our sons and daughters, our friends, and all those we love. It’s a somber day because we weep and we mourn for the pain that death has caused in our life. For in our world, death is seen as the final barrier, even as it’s called a “natural” end. No one is able to escape death. 

But blessed are you who mourn, for you shall be comforted. Not comforted by the ways of this world, but by the upside-down rule of Jesus. For those who find themselves in such low estate know that God alone is their help. Those who suffer the death of a loved one have felt the mortality of their own flesh and know that there’s nothing we can do. But God can... and does! For you who mourn shall be comforted by Jesus’ death. You shall be comforted that Jesus has already died for you and for your sins. Jesus gave himself over to death so that death would no longer have anything on us! “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven...” Matthew 5:12. Yes, All Saints’ Day is a somber day because we still feel the sting of death, however, we find comfort and reason to celebrate because Jesus has defeated death! By Jesus’ resurrection, he has ripped the door off its hinges, rolled back the stone, and shown us that death’s reign is over! So, blessed are you who mourn, for we look to Christ and find eternal life!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!