For All The Saints
Sunday morning in church, Pastor Bill made an interesting comment. Referencing the famous Andy Warhol line he said:

You may get your 15-minutes of fame, but you will probably lose your soul.

As he said that I thought of the fact that Rosa Parks was lying in honor in the Rotunda of the US Capitol. She was the first woman ever to do so! She was not a head of state, a important politician, or even a famous expert in some field. She was simply a woman who refused to move from a place that was rightly hers. In so doing she made the opening move in the Civil Rights Movement that has helped our nation move at least a little closer to our stated ideals.

She got far more than her alotted 15-minutes of fame. She did not lose her soul in so doing.

She was a true saint.

And sadly, she is one of those exceptions that proves the rule. It is far easier to sell your soul and gain fame, fortune, or security. The fact that what she did was seen as heroic and courageous says that. If such moves were commonplace, Rosa Parks wouldn't stand out. If such moves were the easier thing to do, more people would be doing them.

Today is All Saints Day. Rosa Parks reminds us of all those saints who have refused to move when good sense, fame, or fortune (not to mention the law) would have them do so. There is a courage that comes when you have "right" behind you, a community around you, and a faith that fills you. The Saints of history have often had at least two of those when they began their courageous work. Very few have been able to do it without faith and being "right."