Pastoral Ponderings— Of Saints and Sacramentals–

On our recent trip to the UK, we were impressed with a lot of things that have weathered the centuries, not the least of which were church buildings and such that have been standing witness for ages. Inside most of the churches we saw were fascinating pieces, including a Norman era baptismal font we ran across that is still in use, even after almost 1000 years!

Baptism is one of our Sacraments—tangible expressions of God’s intangible grace that Jesus called us to keep on keeping on sharing with others. That still-in-use baptismal font has thus also become a “sacramental” item—some THING that helps convey or remind us of God’s transforming power in our lives today.

We had funerals at two of our congregations this past week, of saints who lived their lives so that they pointed in countless ways to God’s grace in Jesus. They were likewise– at least for the decades of their recent lives– sacramental signs like unto that ancient baptismal font– reminders, carriers, tangible evidence of God’s transforming grace. The baptismal font a silent witness, in their cases, sharing LIVING images of the God of the Ages with everyone they knew in their daily lives.

Part of why I love travel so much, is seeing how broadly God pours out grace and sacramental signs, both in people and artifacts, by which we can see and experience God’s working in the world. And it broadens our own opportunities, too, to encourage other witnesses, and to demonstrate to others wherever we go, that God is still at work in our world.

These “sacramentals” we’re talking about, whether in people or ancient artifacts, are not only reminders and signs of God’s grace, but reminders for us to ask ourselves in what ways we will be remembered, and in what ways now, our lives and what we do, point to Jesus. For as long as we have breath, we have opportunities to live out, breathe out, and point out God’s transforming grace to and for others. How are we living such sacramental lives today and every day?

Ever shining the Light—Pastor Jim