Reflection
Saints and sinners
Down the ages, from the Bible, from history, we find examples of those who have been fully committed and who have dedicated their whole lives, their whole beings, to faith in God and to Jesus’ command to “go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
Some Christian traditions have “appointed” certain of these dedicated folk to be known as “saints”, but actually we are all called to be saints!
What, then, do we have to do to qualify?
Most of us, I guess, feel that we can never be worthy enough. And, of course, as none of us is perfect, in one sense none of us deserves to be a “saint”. The great good news, however, is that we don’t have to qualify because Jesus, God’s own Son, came into the world to save sinners. He took upon himself all our sins, indeed all the sins of all sinners, and we are called upon simply to acknowledge what he has done for us and to follow him. Isaiah writes, I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I, send me”. (Isaiah 6:8)
There is a wonderful hymn, “Just as I am”, by Charlotte Elliot, who lived from 1789 until 1871, which I have tried to turn into prose, and I believe that she really says all that we need to understand:
I am simply who I am, warts and all, without a single hope except that you gave your life for me and have called me to become one with you. Although I am filled with conflicts, with doubts, and with fears I know that you will welcome, pardon, cleanse and relieve me of all my sins. Your infinite love has broken down every barrier between us so that I can be yours and yours alone. That immeasurable love, freely given, is mine both in this life and thereafter into eternal life. So, Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, I come to you. Amen
Let us, then, whoever we are and whatever we may be, pray, in some words of another hymn, this one by Dan Shutte, a member of the Society of Jesus:
Here am I Lord. I have heard you calling in the night. I will go Lord, where you lead me, I will hold your people in my heart. Amen