All Saints Sunday

To a melody played on the strings of our souls
And a rhythm that rattled us down to the bone
Our love for each other will live on forever
In every beat of my proud corazón ...

Ay mi familia, oiga mi gente
Canten a coro, let it be known
Our love for each other will live on forever
In every beat of my proud corazón

"Proud Corazon"
From the movie Coco
Written by Germaine Franco and Adrian Molina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGo0UL0Dt18


The closer we get to All Saints Sunday, the more often I find the song, "Proud Corazon" from the movie, Coco, playing in my head.  This animated film takes place during the celebration of Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Coco's home village in Mexico.  Amid themes of family, forgiveness and reconcilliation, the young boy realizes that his family, past and present, is part of who he is and will always be with him.

When the Apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..." (Hebrews 1:12), he was talking about what we refer to as the Communion of Saints.  It's the fellowship of those of us who are still living and those who have gone on to Glory before us.  Imagine, all those spiritual pioneers who blazed the way, who ran the good race and are now cheering us on. (see Hebrews 1:12, The Message)  Their lives and their faithful witness are our legacy.  They are part of who we are, and, according to Paul, will always be with us.

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

For this reason they are before the throne of God,
    and worship him day and night within his temple,
    and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
    the sun will not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat;
 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  (Revelations 7:13-17, NRSV)

On All Saints Sunday, we remember and name those who now live before the throne of God.  It's also, I believe, an excellent time to celebrate Christ's victory over death.  In our life as Christians, we are given the sure promise of eternal life and the resurrection, and in death, we see the fulfillment of that promise.

So let's celebrate!  Oh, my brothers and sisters!  Listen you saints! Sing along, let it be known: 

"Where, O death, is your victory
    Where, O death, is your sting?

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 15:55-57, NRSV)"

And the love of Christ that binds us together will live on forever in every beat of our hearts.