New Words to Old Melodies

This powerful reflection on All Saints Day invites us to grapple with a challenging truth: the saints who passed down their faith to us were beautifully flawed human beings. Drawing from Ephesians 1:11-23, we're reminded that our inheritance in Christ comes with 'all wisdom and insight' because inheritance is complicated. The message confronts us with uncomfortable realities about beloved figures like Martin Luther, who gave us grace yet wrote hatefully about Jewish people, or Augustine, whose theology of grace came packaged with harmful views on sexuality. Even closer to home, we remember grandmothers who taught us to pray while participating in racism, and civil rights heroes who lived prophetically yet struggled with personal failings. This isn't about canceling the past but about honest remembering. We're called to sing new songs to old melodies, receiving the treasures of faith our ancestors left while clearing away the obstacles they created. The sobering truth is that future generations will do the same with us, lighting candles for our faithfulness while shaking their heads at our blind spots. Yet the gospel shines through: God works through it all, using imperfect disciples to move us toward redemption. We honor our saints not by pretending they were perfect, but by continuing their journey with greater wisdom and insight.