And Jesus said ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.’

And to which I say, thank you very much, I think you have all been brilliant.

Today we celebrate All Saints. In the Church of England we celebrate different men and women of God throughout the year. And yet we also recognise that we are all called, and called to be, - Saints. The meaning rooted in being holy, set apart for God, to be marked for heaven.

At all saints, we hold this in tension. On one hand the lives of those who inspire us, the Church Triumphant now in heaven, and on the other hand our own lives offered to God as holy, set-apart, as Saints. And in particular we remember those whom we love but see no longer who inspired us in our faith and relationship with Christ. The saints unknown to the wider church, but well known to us, without whom we would not be set apart for God, marked for heaven ourselves.