“SAINT JESUS ‘SAINTS’ YOU”
Saint Mark 5: 1-12
All Saints Day (obs): 5 November Anno Domini 2017
Father Jay Watson SSP
All Saints Day is all about Saint Jesus. If the “12” themselves did not refer to Him by the name that the Blessed Virgin called Him, the “Name” above all names, but rather called Him Lord, Master, and Rabbi, so too we do well to call Him Lord and God. He is the God/Man and He has a title most befitting as a prefix to His Name: Christ Jesus, or Messiah Jesus. Or, as is entirely appropriate: Saint Jesus.
The word “saint” appears in Scripture 98 times but the word “holy” appears 546 times. The words are virtually interchangeable. The word in the Hebrew is “kadosh” and in Greek “Hagios.” It comes to us by way of the Greek variant Sanctus: “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That which is “sanctus,” sanctified, is made Holy. God makes things Holy because only The Lord IS Holy. It is His essence, and ontic nature & being. The pre-incarnate Christ is called “The Holy One” in the Psalter and Esaias. In Saint Mark’s Gospel even an unclean spirit calls Christ: “The Holy One of Israel.” Saint Jesus.
That which God designates, elects, chooses, and makes special to Him, by His sacrificial and creative love in action—fit to serve His purposes—is HOLY. The Scriptures are Holy and you call them The HOLY Bible. The gathering of His flock is the creedal, one, HOLY, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Holy + Baptism, Holy Supper, Holy Absolution because of HOLY Jesus—Saint Jesus. The Lord’s great Paraclete, the 3rd Person of the Godhead is even called The HOLY Spirit.
Unlike our Romanist separated brethren, who maintain only exceptional men and women who have demonstrated miraculous deeds in selfless ministries can become Saints; we believe, teach, and confess what Holy Scripture says: Saint Jesus’ exceptional obedience (perfect that is) and His miraculous and selfless ministry of suffering and dying on the cross for our sins (perfect atonement) is what makes His precious lambs Holy. The Lord is Holy and those to whom He gives His Holy Word, His Holy + Water, His Holy Body, and His Holy Blood are made Holy by His Holy Ghost. You are baptized—you ARE HOLY!
The Lord sees the multitudes: “For God so loved the world,” that is, He shows His children His Holiness by giving them forgiveness and restoration through His “only begotten Son.” Saint Jesus went up mountains to pray, and to teach, and to be “Transfigured.” He would allow Himself to be led up a smaller mountain, the hillock of Golgotha, to truly give His sanctus, His Holiness to all who would believe and receive Him as pure gift, by the work of The Holy Ghost.
Christ opens His mouth to breathe new life into your corpse. “O Lord, open Thou, my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.” He catechizes you with His Word and washes and feeds you this very day with light and life through His Water and His Blood.
Christ became poor in spirit to make His children holy. Not just taking flesh and blood from Saint Mary but deigning to grow within her Holy womb for 9 months so that Joseph, Mary, Elisabeth, Zacharias and all of you would have this day the Kingdom of Heaven in The Sainted King Himself.
Christ mourned, indeed wept, over Jerusalem, over all those who rejected Him, who reject Him, over the pain felt by Mary and Martha at the death of their brother and His dear friend Lazarus, so that you will only mourn and cry for an ever so brief moment; knowing that soon all your tears will be wiped away in joy and comfort unending.
The Messiah became meek for you. He didn’t become weak, mousy, and a limp-wristed pushover, but rather became “The” consummate hard-working, dutifully obedient servant of His Heavenly Father so that you would be forgiven your prodigality. He complained not and reviled not, to insure that, you as His holy ones, would inherit the Holy heavenly mansions. And they are here today, here at His holy footstool—His holy Altar and Holy communion rail!
Saint Jesus hungered and thirsted in the desert for 40 days to fix Adam’s sin, and Moses & the Israelite’s sin. He hungered to pay for your own gluttony of sin. But more so, The Lord hungered that all would come to the knowledge of Him, that they would repent and believe—from the Samaritan women at the well to all of you every day as you drown your “old Adam” and are filled by the Holy Meat and Holy Bread of His Word as well as the Holy Sacrament.
The Son was merciful in forgiving sins by His giving His Body and shedding His Blood. And when He forgives he gives life and restoration. He healed lepers, blind, deaf, lame, mute, and the dead. He is merciful to you by bringing you here—now!
Jesus is pure in heart being the sinless perfect Second Adam, immaculate, pure…i.e. HOLY. He made the water of the Jordan Holy by His presence, and John and the rest saw God. He “Saints,” you all again, this morning with His Sainted chalice and Holy ciborium and you are Holy—you “see” God.
The Holy One, The Prince of Peace made peace between you and The Holy Trinity by being the peace offering of immolation, wrath poured out upon, and blood propitiating, that you would have The Peace which passeth all understanding. You stand this day under the Crucifix with Mary, John, the Centurion, and the repentant thief. You are the holy children—Saints one and all.
These “beatitudes” of Christ, these “blessings” (“blessed are”) are both realities of Who Saint Jesus is, and who you are, HOLY, when you are “IN HIM.” Yes, you are holy and “sainted” when you are persecuted and martyred for His sake—for the sake of His Holy Word, Holy Kingdom, and Holy people. This reflected holiness always comes from His own persecution, suffering, and death on your behalf. The Righteousness of God is Jesus. You rejoice that it is yours too by free gift and favor: Grace. Rejoice Holy Ones for you are IN The Holy One and He will soon be IN you again. Great is your reward: Saint Jesus “saints” you.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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