1 November 2009
Rev. Terrilisa Durham Bauknight – Centenary UMC
Proverbs 24: 1-5, 16

Saint Terrilisa! (excited) Saint Terrrilisa (serious); Saint T (final) – now that has an original ring. Seriously, there is always that child-like thought that runs through my mind when it comes to All Saint’s Day, the day after Halloween or what it was originally know of as, All Hallows Eve. The question is how does one bring the idea or belief of Sainthood, if you will, home to the hearts, minds and souls of those who have not yet passed on to what we celebrate and or commemorate? Better yet, if you are like me – more often than not – a realist when I should be an idealist – you have looked at yourself in the mirror and recited the names of those great saints that have been lifted up and simply say – a saint I never will be– to be honest, for me, I am sure of that fact. You see – in some faiths and practices, there is the understanding that one can be elevated to ‘sainthood’ because there are a certain number of miracles that happen by of their name, coupled with the legacy that the individual leaves behind. Case and point Mother Theresa or the recent news that Pope John Paul II was being placed on the “fast track” to sainthood, others are still working to promote Toussaint L’Oveture to sainthood. It is not for me to say yeah or nay – until my mind gets going and I think, what would an application for sainthood look like. So, if you will, work with me, and take a look at the Application for Sainthood that are now being passed out by our ushers and other helpers.

Now, because there is limited time, I want you to just a take a quick look at this application. Those of you who are modest, you can place someone else’s name in the space that says – “Name of Intended Saint”; there is no age requirement – just the month and date of their birth; and you can see that there are both the need for detailed explanations and the short answers, as well as ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses and those which you can simply check off. My advice is that you take the application home, look it over and then decide how, if and or when you are going to complete it. Be thoughtful and prayerful in your responses, especially those that question your failures – such as – how many times have you or the recommended saint fallen short? Failed? Given up? Tried to run from that which God intended for you? Have you risked your life? How? Why? Have you lied? Cheated? Have you been ready to give up your life for a cause – even if you weren’t sure what it was? Explain your answer. Have you ever abused your body? With what? Have you ever envied those who were evil, no good and just not nice because they seem to have everything in life? Ever fallen down and could not seem to get back up – so you just yelled and fussed at God from where you lay? With that said, and just reviewing the application quickly – how many of us think that we could be considered for sainthood? Raise your hands? Seriously, raise your hands. Well, whether you said yes or no, raised your hand or not – I am here to tell you that regardless – regardless of your short comings, your failures, and all that happens – more of us are on the right track to sainthood than we would think are! You see – in order to be a saint, so to speak – one has to first be able to admit that they are a sinner, incomplete, have made more than one mistake, fallen apart, done things that would not make God happy and have surely told God a thing or two or three – and some of us even more – and as Pastor John says, can answer just as boldly to “good morning sinners” as we do “good morning saints!” For a saint, by true definition, is defined as a person who is sanctified to God through Jesus Christ

The scripture that was read this morning supports this idea, this belief that we are all eligible for sainthood, even if we are not like Martin Luther King Jr., Jimmy Carter, Mother Theresa, but instead like Augustine – who did more than many people know he did; think of the Apostle Paul and Peter. You see, the Word of God says, depending on whose version you read, that a just man, which I will say a seeker of life, will fall seven times. Now I sure within one day- we can fall, or commit an error or do something that does not celebrate who we are as Christians or demonstrate that we are a child of God. But if it were just seven (7) simple things or seven failures or faults throughout our lifetime, I know that the whole world would be destined for sainthood. But here the number says to us that that seven could be 7,000 times. The difference is that a wise person, a seeking person will not just fall down and lay there every time, but instead get back up, admit their failure, own up to their sinful act or whatever it is, and get back in line with all the rest of the seekers! If you cannot say that you have fallen down, because of your sins – and they don’t have to be record-breaking sins so that we can say who had the greater fault than the other – we simply need to be able to say from the heart, as we are laying there in our shortcomings – God I am sorry – I know what I have done – forgive me – and then get up and move on! Yes, you may do it again and again and again and again, but the difference is that God does not keep counting – we do – but the Lord doesn’t – God instead gives us grace and mercy every time we seek forgiveness – which endures. And this will happen over and over and over again. But because God sent Jesus Christ there was already the sacrifice that needed to be made, the key that will open the door so that we can fall down, admit and then get back up again. Think about it – this is a constant part of the cycle of our lives – as Christians, as those who desire to do what is right. I don’t know of anyone who is keeping a score card in their pocket and saying to themselves, “I can’t make a mistake today – can’t sin because I am working towards my sainthood!” Believe me, in life we will fall down, get back up, and fall again, only to rise again. These are the folks that I want to be with; because that is my life pattern — and I am sure it is the life patter of others as well.

Think about how many times those we consider saints have said – “God I am not worthy” – “God look at what I have done – I am not the one that you want!” – and God says in return – ‘you who will admit your imperfections and your shortcomings – you who have made mistakes and shown others that there is grace; there is mercy; there is forgiveness – you are the one that I want!’ For you see, those perfect people – they have never made room for me – perfect people don’t believe that they need me because they have it all together! This could not be further from the truth – human perfection is not attainable here on earth.

Hear me clearly – sinners and saints – God is not looking for perfection – God is looking for a testimony – your life and what you are all about – others are watching and want to see if what is said is true – if we are perfect – no one knows what happens when we make a mistake! They are too afraid that God will not want them – which could not be further from the truth – God wants us – raggedy, error ridden and fault-filled. We just need to remember – we are like the just man, the seeker in the scripture – we will fall down seven times, 70 times 7 times and even more – but we will get back up and get back in line walking – forward by God’s grace and mercy – marching boldly on to sainthood. Amen.

Application for Sainthood
*for answers that require explanation, please attach your written response

Name ______________________________________________

Name of Intended Saint __________________________________________

DOB _________________

• Do you/intended love God? ____ yes ____no _____ not all the time
• Do you/intended confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?
Yes/No
• How many times have you/intended fallen? ___________ times
• How, if ever, have you/intended tried to run from what God asks of you?
• Have you/intended ever lied? Yes/ No. I yes, how many times? _________
• Have you/intended cheated? Yes/No. If yes, explain how.
• Have you/intended ever thought of giving up your life for a cause? Yes/No Which one? Did you/intended agree with the cause? Explain
• Have you/intended ever abused your body? If yes, with what?
• Have you/intended ever envied a person who you knew was evil or acted un-Christlike because they seemed to get everything they wanted in life? Yes/No
• Ever fallen short and stayed in that ‘state’ for a period of time? When? Why? What did you do to get out of it?
• Have you/intended ever argued with God? Over what?
• Explain your shortcomings
• Discuss why you/intended should be considered for sainthood

**forward completed application to: The Heavenly Committee on Sainthood, 70×7 Heavenly Way, PO Box 3712, Eternity