It's coming to the time of year when we see ghouls, ghosts and saints. There are lots of sweets and chocolates which are advertised with ghoulish pictures and the promise of slime inside!! Then of course we have the joy of the saints. As I was thinking about the readings for this Sunday I was thinking of all of the upcoming events with All Hallows eve on 31st October and All Saints day on 1st November. I have always liked thinking of the saints in glory, shining and happy. It is a good thought, darkness is defeated and we can one day be united with the saints.
When I was a child we used to have a saints and angels fancy dress night, with lots of halos and wings. It was a fun party and was always about defeating fear and sadness with joy and the hope of being with God forever in heaven.
As I got older I remembered the wonderful promise that we are all saints when we follow Jesus. This feels like a lot of pressure but then I remember Zacchaeus from the gospel reading (Luke 19:1-10) for this Sunday. The small man, desperate to see Jesus. We don't know what he was expecting, but he climbed a tree so that he would be able to see Jesus amongst the crowds. Of course, this also meant that Jesus would see him.
I wonder if we try to do things to make sure Jesus has noticed us. Although we know underneath that He has. But then does that mean we put too much pressure on ourselves to be a perfect saint? To be a saint is to follow Jesus, to be numbered in the glorious company of those who have gone before us, even Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus wanted to be noticed and not just that but he gave himself to Jesus, as after his encounter with Jesus he wanted to be a disciple, by being better and helping those who he may have defrauded. Zacchaeus the small man who changed his life for Jesus.
This, of course, makes him a saint. He was forgiven by Jesus and knew what it meant to experience salvation. This is what being a Saint is, to know forgiveness and to follow Jesus. Zacchaeus, I'm sure, didn't suddenly become perfect as a character, after all, he was human just like us and if you're anything like me you won't always get things right! But what is important is knowing Jesus’ love for us and his forgiveness. Zacchaeus, the man who is portrayed in Sunday school songs as a very little man, and who may have seemed insignificant, was noticed by Jesus.
Even when we might feel insignificant Jesus notices us, and not only this we will not always be immediately perfect. After all, even the most perfect saints had faults.
In the Psalm (32:1-7) for this week we are reminded of the sheer joy of forgiveness. I wonder whether part of being a Saint isn't just shining but is also joy. Zacchaeus knew it and we can as well.
“Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Ps. 32: 1-2
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