White grave markers -- white robes
Commentary
Object:
The Arlington House was a mansion built as a living memorial to George Washington by the first president's adopted grandson. The estate was built on a 1,100-acre tract of land across the Potomac River from Washington DC. Decades later a distant cousin, Robert E. Lee, became the resident of the home. Between 1841 and 1857, Lee was away from Arlington House for several extended periods while serving in the Mexican War and then as superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, his alma mater. In 1857 Lee returned to Arlington to join his family and to serve as executor of the estate. Robert E. Lee and his wife, Mary Anna, lived at Arlington House until 1861, when Virginia ratified an alliance with the Confederacy and seceded from the Union. Lee, who had been named a major general for the Virginia military forces in April 1861, feared for his wife's safety and anticipated the loss of their family inheritance, so he moved to a new residence. Following the ratification of secession by Virginia, federal troops crossed the Potomac and took up positions around Arlington. Following the occupation, military installations were erected. In punishment for his allegiance to the South, the land was then made into a cemetery so Robert E. Lee would never be able to claim the Arlington House as a residency again. The Arlington National Cemetery was established on June 15, 1864.
Though Arlington National Cemetery may have been created as an act of retribution, it has become a tribute to our fallen warriors in battle. The 400,000 graves are a remembrance of those who made the supreme sacrifice for our country, both casualties of war and veterans. The white tombs arranged in straight lines as soldiers in formation are not unlike those who wore the white robes of martyrdom that surrounded the throne of God.
The parallel message in our three lectionary readings is one of sacrifice. It is a message of believing so much in a cause that no sacrifice is too great, even that of surrendering one's life. There are many noble causes for which one can make the supreme sacrifice, and on All Saints Day we recognize those who died in service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
"I did it!" Those are the words we would like to be able to say, knowing we have accomplished something both difficult and important. It is what Donny Osmond said when it was announced that he was the celebrity winner of the ninth competition Dancing with the Stars in 2009. But those three little words, "I did it," were not easy to come by.
For the final seven weeks of the ten-week competition Donny danced on a broken toe. It took a physical toll on Donny as he related, "I don't think I've worked harder for any accolade than I have this one. When you record an album and it goes platinum... yeah, you're in the studio and you work hard for months, but it's not like your whole body hurts." The competition was emotionally draining. He noted on his blog that "the culmination of nine weeks filled with blood, sweat, and tears comes down to this -- the finals." So disturbing were the finals that his professional dance partner, Kym Johnson, had to encourage Donny to continue. On the Sunday night before Tuesday's final performance, Donny was lying down and lamenting that he could not continue, only to have Kym revitalize him by saying, "We have to do it one more time." And one more time they did do it, and at the age of 51 Donny Osmond became the oldest winner of Dancing with the Stars.
There is no secret to Donny's success. The goal was important to him. He practiced hard, to the point that his body ached. He listened to the advice of his experienced instructor Kym, who had danced on five previous shows. He was not afraid of admitting his doubts and seeking encouragement. Persevering, Donny was able to hold high the DWTS mirror ball trophy.
Perseverance is the message that comes to us on All Saints Day. It is the willingness and fortitude to endure any hardship for both the defense and proclamation of our faith. When one thinks of Peter being crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified right side up like his Lord, something must have happened in the upper room in the days following the Resurrection that placed such commitment upon Peter and all the followers and not just in the first decades but for centuries to come.
Revelation 7:9-17
This passage of scripture is very picturesque as it describes those who have been martyred for the faith. They are wearing white robes. They are gathered about the throne. Angels are present. There is singing. The lamb is at the center of the throne. But amidst this celebratory expression of those who were victorious in never relinquishing their faith, the sacrifice that was made should never be forgotten. "They fell on their faces" describes their dedication and commitment. It is a testimony of the reverence they always had for Christ.
1 John 34:1-10, 22
John confesses that we are children of God, but the world does not fully understand us for it never fully understood Jesus. Though we can rejoice in our status of being adopted into God's family, we cannot be satisfied until everyone realizes we are God's children. This means we must be willing to testify to our faith. This may not be a popular thing to do, but it is an unavoidable requirement of being a Christian, which means "Christ follower."
Matthew 5:1-12
The Beatitudes speak of the joy of knowing Jesus, especially if we live a marginalized life. But the passage finishes with some very sobering words: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake." The joy of persecution should not be equated with happiness but with the sense of self-satisfaction that accompanies being faithful. The Beatitudes give us a totality of the Christ message. We are to feed the hungry and comfort those who mourn, but equally so we are to witness against the sins of the world. People may not take notice of our food pantries, but they will take notice when we speak out for social justice.
Application
It is traditional on this Sunday to recognize those members of our congregation who have died in the past year. As we commemorate their dying, we should be sure to outline the services they provided for the church. This means that we do more than just read their names; we authenticate the work they did on behalf of the congregation. We then should speak to how these fallen were Christian warriors who are now wearing the white robes of sainthood. It should be mentioned how they understood what it meant to be a child of God. Their ministry and sacrifice should be placed in the context of the Beatitudes.
An Alternate Application
The sermon should open by discussing the teaching of John and what it means to be a child of God. As a child of God the world must recognize the conviction of our faith. This conviction can be seen as we discuss the teaching of Jesus and the Beatitudes. We should use the Beatitudes as an outline for ministry, and emphasize that if this is done conspicuously and with enthusiasm we will be persecuted for our faith. Realizing we will be persecuted for our ministry of social justice, we conclude by discussing the teaching from Revelation and how one day we will find ourselves before the throne of God.
Though Arlington National Cemetery may have been created as an act of retribution, it has become a tribute to our fallen warriors in battle. The 400,000 graves are a remembrance of those who made the supreme sacrifice for our country, both casualties of war and veterans. The white tombs arranged in straight lines as soldiers in formation are not unlike those who wore the white robes of martyrdom that surrounded the throne of God.
The parallel message in our three lectionary readings is one of sacrifice. It is a message of believing so much in a cause that no sacrifice is too great, even that of surrendering one's life. There are many noble causes for which one can make the supreme sacrifice, and on All Saints Day we recognize those who died in service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
"I did it!" Those are the words we would like to be able to say, knowing we have accomplished something both difficult and important. It is what Donny Osmond said when it was announced that he was the celebrity winner of the ninth competition Dancing with the Stars in 2009. But those three little words, "I did it," were not easy to come by.
For the final seven weeks of the ten-week competition Donny danced on a broken toe. It took a physical toll on Donny as he related, "I don't think I've worked harder for any accolade than I have this one. When you record an album and it goes platinum... yeah, you're in the studio and you work hard for months, but it's not like your whole body hurts." The competition was emotionally draining. He noted on his blog that "the culmination of nine weeks filled with blood, sweat, and tears comes down to this -- the finals." So disturbing were the finals that his professional dance partner, Kym Johnson, had to encourage Donny to continue. On the Sunday night before Tuesday's final performance, Donny was lying down and lamenting that he could not continue, only to have Kym revitalize him by saying, "We have to do it one more time." And one more time they did do it, and at the age of 51 Donny Osmond became the oldest winner of Dancing with the Stars.
There is no secret to Donny's success. The goal was important to him. He practiced hard, to the point that his body ached. He listened to the advice of his experienced instructor Kym, who had danced on five previous shows. He was not afraid of admitting his doubts and seeking encouragement. Persevering, Donny was able to hold high the DWTS mirror ball trophy.
Perseverance is the message that comes to us on All Saints Day. It is the willingness and fortitude to endure any hardship for both the defense and proclamation of our faith. When one thinks of Peter being crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified right side up like his Lord, something must have happened in the upper room in the days following the Resurrection that placed such commitment upon Peter and all the followers and not just in the first decades but for centuries to come.
Revelation 7:9-17
This passage of scripture is very picturesque as it describes those who have been martyred for the faith. They are wearing white robes. They are gathered about the throne. Angels are present. There is singing. The lamb is at the center of the throne. But amidst this celebratory expression of those who were victorious in never relinquishing their faith, the sacrifice that was made should never be forgotten. "They fell on their faces" describes their dedication and commitment. It is a testimony of the reverence they always had for Christ.
1 John 34:1-10, 22
John confesses that we are children of God, but the world does not fully understand us for it never fully understood Jesus. Though we can rejoice in our status of being adopted into God's family, we cannot be satisfied until everyone realizes we are God's children. This means we must be willing to testify to our faith. This may not be a popular thing to do, but it is an unavoidable requirement of being a Christian, which means "Christ follower."
Matthew 5:1-12
The Beatitudes speak of the joy of knowing Jesus, especially if we live a marginalized life. But the passage finishes with some very sobering words: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake." The joy of persecution should not be equated with happiness but with the sense of self-satisfaction that accompanies being faithful. The Beatitudes give us a totality of the Christ message. We are to feed the hungry and comfort those who mourn, but equally so we are to witness against the sins of the world. People may not take notice of our food pantries, but they will take notice when we speak out for social justice.
Application
It is traditional on this Sunday to recognize those members of our congregation who have died in the past year. As we commemorate their dying, we should be sure to outline the services they provided for the church. This means that we do more than just read their names; we authenticate the work they did on behalf of the congregation. We then should speak to how these fallen were Christian warriors who are now wearing the white robes of sainthood. It should be mentioned how they understood what it meant to be a child of God. Their ministry and sacrifice should be placed in the context of the Beatitudes.
An Alternate Application
The sermon should open by discussing the teaching of John and what it means to be a child of God. As a child of God the world must recognize the conviction of our faith. This conviction can be seen as we discuss the teaching of Jesus and the Beatitudes. We should use the Beatitudes as an outline for ministry, and emphasize that if this is done conspicuously and with enthusiasm we will be persecuted for our faith. Realizing we will be persecuted for our ministry of social justice, we conclude by discussing the teaching from Revelation and how one day we will find ourselves before the throne of God.
