St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD
November 7, 2021
Year B: All Saints’ Sunday
Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 24
John 11:32-44
Expedited Sainthood
Out in the world, All Saints’ Day doesn’t get very much attention. If it’s recognized at all it’s as the day after Halloween, the day when day Giant and CVS slash their prices on all that leftover candy!
So, imagine my surprise on Monday morning when I opened my copy of The Sun – and right there on the front page was a story about…saints!
Maybe some of you saw it, too.
It was a story about a group of Black Catholics in Baltimore who are petitioning the Vatican to expedite the sainthood of six Black holy women and men.
The six include Mother Mary Lange, who back in 1818 founded St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, the very first Catholic school for children of color, a school that is still educating city children more than two centuries later.
As you may know, the Catholic Church has a long and complicated process for officially declaring saints – sometimes it can take decades or even centuries.
But, you know how it is, when an institution wants to, it can bend or even break the rules, like in the case of Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II, who were fast-tracked to sainthood.
And the people petitioning the Vatican argue that, considering the historic racism of the church, these six holy people should be fast-tracked, too.
I’ve been thinking about this story all week.
First of all, the lives and ministry of these six people are inspiring, especially when we remember the obstacles they faced.
But, I’m also struck by how the petitioners have such a sense of urgency – there is no time to waste – these people were clearly exceptionally holy – and in a time of so much despair we need all the faithful role models we can get, right?
So, they call for “expedited sainthood” – not sainthood some other time, but sainthood right now.
Expedited Sainthood.
Many of you know that we have an “official” Episcopal saint right here at St. Thomas’.
Samuel Shoemaker spent much of his youth here in the Greenspring Valley, and after his ordination to the priesthood he celebrated his first service of Holy Communion right here in our church.
In his day, back in the middle part of the last century, Sam Shoemaker was one of the best-known Episcopal priests. He wrote dozens of books. He hosted radio programs. Recordings of his sermons were released on records.
From 1925 to 1952, he was Rector of Calvary Church in New York City, where he operated Calvary Mission – a ministry that served anyone in need, including alcoholics who were looking for a hot meal and a place to dry out, at least for a while.
Two of those alcoholics were Bill W. and Doctor Bob, who went on to start Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill W. worked with Shoemaker to develop the Twelve Steps. Shoemaker is remembered and honored as the spiritual founder of AA.
Since I first became aware of Shoemaker’s connection to this place – and the fact that he rests in our churchyard - I’ve been learning as much as I can about him.
And what amazes me most is his sense of urgency.
For Sam Shoemaker, there was no time to waste – there were always more people who needed to receive the Good News, both in word and in a bowl of soup.
I suppose Shoemaker would have been too modest to say this out loud – he was an Episcopalian, after all – but, with God’s help, he strived for an “expedited sainthood” – not sainthood some other time, but sainthood right now.
Expedited Sainthood.
And now here we are today, on All Saints’ Sunday.
In just a few moments, I’m going to have the great joy and privilege of baptizing three beautiful children: Parker, Edward, and Violet.
Just like Sam Shoemaker, and like so many of you, they have deep roots in this holy place.
Their journey to sainthood will begin right here in the water of Baptism – when their parents and godparents will make some big promises on their behalf.
Their journey to sainthood will begin in the water of Baptism – when God will make an indissoluble, unbreakable bond, with them.
God will simply not let go of them, no matter what.
The journey to sainthood begins in the water of Baptism, when we will all promise to support them in their Christian life.
The journey to sainthood begins in the water of Baptism, when, with God’s help, we all renew our promises to pray and break bread together, to love God and our neighbor, very much including the people we don’t like, or maybe even don’t trust.
The journey to sainthood begins in the water of Baptism.
The only question is the pace.
So, my prayer for Parker, Edward, and Violet – and for all of us – is that we will be blessed with the gift of holy urgency.
May we be blessed with the holy urgency that moved Mother Mary Lange who, when slavery was still the law of the land, opened a school for Black children, offering them new life just as surely as Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb.
May we be blessed with the holy urgency that moved Samuel Shoemaker to open wide the doors of his church and his mission, inviting in absolutely everyone. And, Shoemaker's ministry, still to this day, long after his death, offers new life to addicts, just as surely as Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb.
As in the days of Mother Mary Lange and Sam Shoemaker, today people are entombed by oppression and addiction, hatred and anger, loneliness and fear.
Our broken world sorely needs saints, and lots of them.
Our journey to sainthood begins in the water of Baptism.
And since there really is no time to waste, may Parker, Edward, and Violet, and all of us, each in our own way and always with God’s help, strive to be “expedited saints.”
Amen.
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