Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

On this All Saints’ Sunday, we gather not only to remember those who have gone before us in faith, but to recognize the holy calling placed upon each of us. Today is not just about stained glass and halos—it’s about ordinary people living extraordinary lives of grace. It’s about the priesthood of all believers. It’s about the saints among us—and within us.

Daniel’s vision begins in chaos. “The four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,” and out of it came beasts—symbols of empires, powers, forces that overwhelm and intimidate (Dan 7:2–3). But the vision doesn’t end there. Daniel is told, “The holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess it forever” (v.18).

Who are these holy ones? Not just prophets or monarchs. Not just martyrs or mystics. They are the faithful. They are the ones who endure. They are the ones who belong to God.

And that means us. We are the holy ones—not because we are perfect, but because we are claimed. Not because we are powerful, but because we are loved. The priesthood of all believers means that each of us—young and old, bold and quiet, confident and questioning—is called to bear witness to the kingdom.

Psalm 149 gives voice to this calling. “Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; let them be joyful on their beds” (Ps 149:5). It’s a strange image—rejoicing even in rest, praising even in vulnerability. The psalm reminds us that praise is not reserved for the sanctuary. It belongs in the streets, in the homes, in the quiet places of our lives.

And then we hear Paul’s soaring words to the Ephesians. He speaks of inheritance, of hope, of power. “With the eyes of your heart enlightened,” he says, “you may know what is the hope to which He has called you… and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe” (Eph 1:18–19). Paul is not writing to a select few. He’s writing to the church. To the gathered body. To the saints.

He reminds us that Christ is the head—and we are the body. That the fullness of God is not locked away in heaven, but is being revealed through the lives of the faithful. Through us.

And then we come to Jesus. In Luke’s Gospel, he lifts his eyes and speaks blessing—not to the rich or the powerful, but to the poor, the hungry, the grieving, the rejected. “Blessed are you who are poor… blessed are you who weep… blessed are you when people hate you” (Luke 6:20–22).

This is not the world’s definition of sainthood. This is not triumphalism. This is the upside-down kingdom. The saints are not those who have it all together—they are those who lean on grace. Who hunger for justice. Who love their enemies. Who give without expecting return.

Jesus says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (v.36). That is the priesthood of all believers. That is the calling of the saints. To live lives shaped by mercy. To reflect the heart of God in the world.

For us, here at St. Paul’s, this means that sainthood is not a status—it’s a vocation. It’s not about being flawless—it’s about being faithful.

It means that the saints are not just in the past—they are in the pews, in the classrooms, in the food pantries, in the homes where prayers are whispered and kindness is practiced.

It means that each of us is called—not to be heroic, but to be holy. Not to be perfect, but to be present.

Beloved, All Saints’ Day is not just a memorial—it’s a commissioning. It’s a reminder that the Spirit is still moving. That the kingdom is still coming. That the holy ones of the Most High are still receiving the kingdom. And because of this, it’s certainly proper that we commission our acolytes to serve today – because they are the saints of tomorrow.

So let us live as saints—not with pride, but with purpose. Let us claim our inheritance—not with arrogance, but with awe. Let us be the body of Christ—not in theory, but in truth.

For the eyes of our hearts have been enlightened. The Spirit has been poured out. And the world is waiting—for saints who will love, who will serve, and who will bless. Amen.