Altar Call – Opelika-Auburn News
Walter Albritton
November 6, 2011
Sunday a day
with many different meanings
Sunday is
different from all the other days of the week. For those who work the other six
days Sunday is often a day to sleep in. For others Sunday is another work day,
not a day of rest.
Over the
years people have explained their absence from church by saying, “I had to
work.” I responded by saying, “I understand. I work every Sunday too.”
A few of
my friends combine church and sleep. They would not miss church but when I
begin preaching they trust me so much they fall asleep, confident that I can
handle everything while they tap a nap. I understand this too. My dad usually
fell asleep in church no matter how loud the singing.
The wives
of these sleeping men have a special role to play. They are adept at punching
their dear husbands in the side so discreetly that no one is aware of it – until
the old man jumps, and sometimes snorts. Men who sleep in church usually have
sore ribs by the time the preacher pronounces the benediction.
Amos
Brewton was like my dad. He never missed church – and never failed to sleep
through my finest sermons. The church was not air conditioned back then so on a
hot summer night the windows and doors of the church were usually left open.
One night
our dog, hearing my voice, came strolling in the door and down the aisle toward
me. His name was Snoozy, a beautiful black Dachshund. No one saw Snoozy but me.
Not wanting him to interrupt worship I stopped in mid-sentence and said
sternly, “Snoozy, go home!”
Immediately
Tom English, who was sitting beside his friend Amos, punched Amos in the ribs
and said, “Wake up, Amos; the preacher just told you to go home!” Amos roused
momentarily but not for long; his chin on his chest, he was sleeping like a
baby again.
I reckon
it was in those days that I developed the habit of preaching long sermons. I
hated to disturb the sleeping saints by pronouncing the benediction.
Today is
an unusual Sunday. For millions of Christians it is known as “All Saints
Sunday.” Annually on this day many churches pause to remember those members who
died during the past year.
This
observance on a Sunday grew out of what was originally called “All Saints Day,”
a celebration on the first day of November that has been a Christian tradition
for many centuries. “Halloween” is a corruption of this holy day. Centuries ago
the church began observing a “Hallows Mass” to remember their fellow Christians
who had died. “Hallows” means “saints.” Halloween got its name from the phrase
“Hallows Eve” since October 31st was the evening before Hallows
Mass.
On this
day when we remember the departed, some may wonder why we call the dead
“saints.” The reason is that “saints” is the biblical word for Christians. Martin
Luther once said, “The Holy Scriptures call Christians saints and the people of
God. To forget that we are saints is to forget Christ and to forget our
baptism.”
This
morning in our time of worship we will call the names of those in our church
family who in death have moved from the Church Militant into the Church
Triumphant. We will speak their names with affection as we recall the days when
they walked among us as saints of Christ.
Sunday is
a good day for sleeping – at home or in church – and a good day to remember the
departed dead and give thanks for what they meant to us. + + +