In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us hear from the account of the martyrdom of St. Polycarp:
The church of God that sojourns at Smyrna to the church of God that sojourns at Philomelium, and to all those of the holy and catholic Church who sojourn in every place: may mercy, peace, and love be multiplied from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 We write you, brethren, the things concerning those who suffered martyrdom, especially the blessed Polycarp, who put an end to the persecution by sealing it, so to speak, through his own witness. For almost everything that led up to it happened in order that the Lord might show once again a martyrdom conformable to the gospel. The Passion of Christ is the pattern of that of his martyrs. 2For he waited to be betrayed, just as the Lord did, to the end that we also might be imitators of him, "not looking only to that which concerns ourselves, but also to that which concerns our neighbors.” For it is a mark of true and steadfast love for one not only to desire to be saved oneself, but all the brethren also.
2 Blessed and noble, indeed, are all the martyrdoms that have taken place according to God's will; for we ought to be very reverent in ascribing to God power over all things. 2For who would not admire their nobility and patient endurance and love of their Master? Some of them, so torn by scourging that the anatomy of their flesh was visible as far as the inner veins and arteries, endured with such patience that even the bystanders took pity and wept; others achieved such heroism that not one of them uttered a cry or a groan, thus showing all of us that at the very hour of their tortures the most noble martyrs of Christ were no longer in the flesh, but rather that the Lord stood by them and conversed with them. 3And giving themselves over to the grace of Christ they despised the tortures of this world, purchasing for themselves in the space of one hour the life eternal. To them the fire of their inhuman tortures was cold; for they set before their eyes escape from the fire that is everlasting and never quenched, while with the eyes of their heart they gazed upon the good things reserved for those that endure patiently, "which things neither ear has heard nor eye has seen, nor has there entered into the heart of man.” But they were shown to them by the Lord, for they were no longer men, but were already angels. 4Similarly, those condemned to the wild beasts endured fearful punishments, being made to lie on sharp shells and punished with other forms of various torments, in order that [the devil] might bring them, if possible, by means of the prolonged punishment, to a denial of their faith...
19 Such are the things concerning the blessed Polycarp, who, martyred at Smyrna along with twelve others from Philadelphia, is alone remembered so much the more by everyone, that he is even spoken of by the heathen in every place. He was not only a noble teacher, but also a distinguished martyr, whose martyrdom all desire to imitate as one according to the gospel of Christ. 2By his patient endurance he overcame the wicked magistrate and so received the crown of immortality; and he rejoices with the apostles and all the righteous to glorify God the Father Almighty and to bless our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of our souls and Helmsman of our bodies and Shepherd of the catholic Church throughout the world.
St. Polycarp was one of the first martyrs recorded in the history of the Christian Church. He now stands among the great multitude of saints and angels before the throne of God. He, will every other saint who has gone before us, provides a witness to the power and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As we observe this All Saints Day and we remember those faithful people who have fallen asleep in faith, we thank God for those who have been given to the Church on earth as witnesses, both in their lives and their deaths, to the Gospel.
But have you heeded the witness of the saints?
Do you remain in the presence of God? Do you serve Him day and night in the midst of His people? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? Do you stand always ready to give a faithful witness to the hope that is within you?
If you or I had to answer regarding the descriptions of the faithful Jesus gives in the Beatitudes, we would fail miserably. Left to our own devices, we do none of those things.
The old sinful self loves to assert itself. The old Adam does not want to be poor in spirit, does not want to mourn for sin, does not want to be meek in the face of God. The old Adam wants to be rich and proud and self-righteous. The old Adam wants to tell those who persecute what to do with it, or else capitulate to the demands of this day and age. It would be so easy to give up and say, “Caesar is Lord” and offer the sacrifices our society demands. It would be so easy to engage in the shouting match of religious pluralism on the streetcorners and airwaves. The old Adam would like to make the concessions necessary to make everyone like us, to make us like everyone else. Just go along to get along, just do want you gotta do to get ahead. Your one little voice is not going to matter in the grand scheme of things, right?
Your one little voice is all you have to offer, but with it God has done and will do great things. With your voice, you can proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light. You have been called to be a witness and a living testimony to Him who is your Light and your Life.
For the true Holy Martyr, our Lord Jesus Christ, first died that we might live. Upon the Cross was shed His holy, innocent, precious blood for our redemption. There we see Him who was poor in spirit, mourning for the sin of the world which was laid upon Him. Taking upon Himself all our sins and iniquities, Jesus became emptied of His majesty and power and forsaken by God, that the saints of God might be accepted into heaven. He showed mercy in bearing our sins and sorrows, even to the point of death, even though He received no mercy. He made peace for us through the violence done to Him. He was cursed, reviled, scorned, and hated. But through Him we are blessed and beloved of our Father in heaven.
And the very Paschal Lamb who was slain has now begun His reign in heaven. Just as Jesus Christ was lifted up in glory upon the cross to draw all men to Himself, so He will appear in glory high among the clouds to draw all the saints to Himself and into heaven when He comes again. Then we will join with St. John and St. Polycarp, Martin Luther and Martin Franzmann, with our grandparents and children, in the chorus of the heavenly host: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
So come to our Lord's Supper today. Come to this table and take your place in the round table which has its other half in heaven. Join the feast of the Lamb in His kingdom with those saints who have gone before us in the faith. Receive this blessed fellowship in which our Lord and God joins us to Himself through His own Body and Blood, and through which we are bound to each other throughout time and space in unity of faith and in joy of confession of the Paschal Lamb who sets us free. Therefore, with prophets and patriarchs, with apostles and evangelists, with martyrs and saints, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, let us laud and magnify His glorious name, evermore praising Him and saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory! Hosanna in the Highest!”
For all the saints
who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith
before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus,
be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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