Saints and Ain'ts

“It falls on a Sunday this year”
explains the pastor,
“so even us Protestants should
find a way to celebrate All Saints Day.”

“But saints are the sole possession
of Catholics, aren’t they?
We’re not sure what
or who they are, much less
whether we want to
conjure them up in worship!”

“Far from it, my friend.
We may not have an organized
structure to classify them,
but they’re all around us.”

“Mama always told me a saint
is nothing more than a dead sinner.
At least that’s what I’m counting on!”

“Now you’re getting warm.
All we need to do is reclaim
this Goodwill word from
our Roman sisters and brothers
and we’ll be on our way.”

“Do you suppose they’ll
readily give it up?
We haven’t always succeeded
In sharing the path with ease.”

“Our past inability to agree or share
is no reason to doubt that
what we aim can be accomplished,
provided we only take what we need.”

“And what is that, pray tell?”

“We only need to claim
a meaning of the word
for ourselves, without disclaiming
others’ use and meaning.”

“How, then, should we lay
this claim in such a way
that all are still able
to feast at the table?”

“Without respect or disrespect
to canonized veneration,
we should lay hold of this day
when all who’ve passed
before us in the faith
are remembered with deep gratitude
for all the ways their living and dying
revealed to us the gift of grace.”

“I ain’t a saint, and that’s for sure.
Those who know me best
would certainly be hard pressed
to conceive of such a cure!”

“Ah, there’s the rub,
for what we’re claiming
in this particular usage,
is that God can do
what we’re not able.
Thus the answer’ll always be:
Not yet, my child, be patient!”

© 2009 Todd Jenkins