Last Sunday we honored All Saints and All Souls Day by naming those in our lives who have died, and I find myself continuing to think about the saints and souls who have shaped my own journey of faith. As Mennonites we don’t often do much with the official saints of the Church, but it is good to name and honor the people (both living and dead) who have walked alongside us, encouraged us, challenged us, and helped us recognize something of God’s presence in our lives. 

I think of one of my former pastoral mentors in particular. He was someone who helped me discern my call to ministry, especially as I was navigating what it meant to pursue that calling as a queer person in the church. His encouragement and affirmation helped me through such a pivotal time of my life. But perhaps just as important was the kind of faith he modeled for me: a faith deeply grounded in its convictions while also spacious enough to make room for questions, uncertainty, and the possibility of being wrong.

I remember one sermon he preached in particular. He spent most of the sermon carefully working through a passage from the Sermon on the Mount, offering his interpretation and explaining what he believed Jesus was saying. He was thoughtful and confident in his reading of the text. But then, as he reached the end of the sermon, something shifted. He paused to acknowledge that he might be wrong. That there were other ways to read and understand this passage. That his interpretation was one perspective, but not necessarily the only one.

That moment has stayed with me. Here was someone who had spent years studying scripture, teaching, preaching, and living out his faith, and yet he was willing to hold his own convictions with humility. He didn’t need to pretend to have all the answers. His faith was not weakened by making room for uncertainty.

I think that’s one of the gifts the saints in our lives offer us. They don’t simply tell us what to believe or show us how to live. They help us imagine what faithfulness might look like. They make room for us to grow into our own questions, convictions, and callings.

As we remember the saints who have gone before us and those who continue to walk alongside us, I invite you to think about the people who have shaped your own journey of faith. Who has encouraged you, challenged you, made room for you, or helped you see God in a new way? Who are the saints among you for whom you are grateful? 

Perhaps take a moment this week to remember them, give thanks for them, and maybe light a candle for them. Or even better, if you are able, let them know what their presence has meant to you.