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And I mean to be one, too...


The end of October is a bittersweet time; the candy is sweet and the wind can be bitter cold.  It also is a time of sweet memories that have a bit of a bite!  Growing up as a minister's daughter  my sisters and I LOVED All Saints' Day music...especially, "I sing a song of the saints of God."

Perfect people who do no wrong are often called "saints."   I have learned that those are really called, "people I don't know well."  Everyone is imperfect, and that is what makes us the perfect instrument for God's love.  The flaw is ours; the perfection is divine. Saints are messengers; in a world without Snapchat(tm) they are a glimpse of the goodness of the kingdom of God.

        And one was a doctor, and one was a queen, and one was a shepherdess on the green...

Okay, since our last name was "Green" we really liked that verse-- it was a nice counterpoint to church decoration which was NEVER called "the hanging of the greens" in our church! But what I love about this hymn now is the definition of a saint...

       They loved their Lord, so dear so dear, and his love made them strong. 

 Saints are strong people who live the good news that God is present and God loves us.  It isn't complex, and it isn't nuanced.  It is truth.

          They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds and thousands still.
          For the world is bright with the glorious saints who love to do Jesus' will. 
          You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea, 
           In church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea...
          
I have met many saints here in Indianapolis.  The child who ran to welcome me with a hug, the passer by who pulled a friend's car out of the mud, old friends who reconnected, a family who gave me a home while I did the important work of going and coming, the anchor/teacher/shepherd who said yes without knowing who would put out the crayons, and the faithful THOUSANDS who prayed and welcomed and hoped and dreamed.

 
Speaking of truth there is another reason we loved / love this hymn for a bit of seminary mischief that filtered down to avid little girl minds. You see, my father reported that in seminary the refrain for this beloved seasonal hymn

    and one was soldier, and one was a priest, and one was slain by a fierce wild beast

  would occasionally be rearranged.  So, as loudly as three young voices could sing from the back row, on the Sunday closest to November 1st you would hear, "and one was a soldier, and one was a beast, and one was slain by a FIERCE WILD PRIEST."  

My sisters and I sang pretty loudly as we grew up, and our enthusiasm has never waned. Most importantly, we sing every verse just as loudly. It is a great legacy to teach our children

     For the saints of God are just folk like me, 
     And I mean to be one, too.
 


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Location: 7700 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46260, USA

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