Let us pray: Guide my words, O God, that they may help us to guide our feet, our hearts and our thoughts. Amen.

We are invited on this day – by the words that we've just heard from scripture – and this Sunday close to All Saints Day to think about people and places. You've probably heard me describe the difference between chronos and kairos – both ways of describing time – chronos: the division of time into equal portions of seconds, minutes, hours and days as we make our way through life, measured by clocks, watches and calendars, and kairos: an understanding of time that is much different, time measured not by the way it progresses, but by the significance we ascribe to particular moments in our life's journey, time noted for the way in which our closeness with God is particularly clear or inspirational.

I want to give you some quiet time to think about people and places that have been significant for you in your life. In the first reading we heard this morning, we were told about an important moment in our faith story. Over the past many weeks, beginning last spring, continuing through the summer and into this fall time, we've followed the generations that followed after Abraham. The story continues until Joseph ends up in Egypt – a feel good time to begin with, but eventually a situation that leads to a time of oppression for the people. And so, for the past number of weeks, our readings have followed the story of the Exodus, as the Hebrew people made their way from Egypt to the land promised to them by God. While this story has taken a good deal of time in the telling, it is actually unfortunate that it progresses so quickly, because I think there is a chance that we are unable to grasp just how difficult it was to make this journey. The symbolic number “forty” is used to describe the number of years it took to go from Egypt to the land across the Jordan river. The number is symbolic, indicating a long time, as it does whenever it is used in the bible, the point being that this was not a trip completed in the time it took for the gathered community to walk from one place to another. I did some quick, rough calculations and even at a very conservative four hours of walking a day at four km per hour, it would take interestingly enough about forty days to get from Egypt to the Jordan river. Considerably less than the forty years we are told. The point is that this journey is significant theologically much more than it is chronologically. If the journey actually took place then the people must surely have been lost if it took forty years instead of forty days. But of course, being lost is very much the point – they were lost – that's what all the stories of hardship in the wilderness are about. They were searching not just for the route to the land of promise, but for themselves and for their connection with God. So, while it has taken us twenty weeks, it is actually a miniscule amount of time when compared to the forty years described by the story. The story culminates in the reading form today. Their new leader Joshua, is led to take them across the Jordan River, and thus begins a new chapter in the story. Of course, there are a number of other significant things to consider in this story and its symbolic importance. Moses was the one who led the people out of Egypt, but it was not to be that he would lead them into their new land. That was Joshua's responsibility, and we heard how it was confirmed in today's reading.

People and places ...

This is the Sunday just before November 1. Popular culture gives much more significance these days to the eve of All Saints Day – All Hallow's Eve or Hallowe'en. All Saints Day according to Wikipedia is a solemnity from the Roman Catholic tradition that celebrates all the saints, known and unknown. It is common in Protestant tradition to expand the definition of saint to include not just those who have received beatification – through a well-defined and prescribed process, but all who have been mentors, examples and teachers of the faith for those of us who follow. In the Anglican tradition, another day, All Souls Day – November 2, the day after All Saints, is set aside for the purpose of honouring all the departed, beatified or not. As I mentioned however, it is more common in other Protestant tradition to consider All Saints Day and All Souls Day together on November 1 and celebrate the lives of all who have been guidepost for others on the journey of faith.

We had other references to people and places in our readings today. While giving thanks for the people of Thessalonica, Paul also takes the opportunity to remind the people of the way that Paul and others have been mentors for these faithful people. In the gospel reading Jesus gives an object lesson in faithful living – pointing out that hypocrisy and showiness are easily discerned, and that authentic living is what is required to be a follower of God's way.

And so I want to give you a few minutes to think about your faith journey. In your mind and with your heart, think about the “crossing the Jordan” times in your life. What significant times come to mind for you, where were you, what happened, who was there with you.? Can you see a change in your story because of that time? Can you pinpoint a decision or an incident that transformed your life? These are kairos moments. (Two minutes quiet reflection).

Now, I want to give you a similar time to think about the saints who have been with you on that journey. Perhaps they are the same people you thought about a moment ago when you remembered your kairos moments. Perhaps they are people that were part of your story for a number of years. These are the saints I invite you to celebrate and remember this day. What did you learn from these saints? How did your life change because of them? Can you think of a particular kairos time when the importance of these saints in your life was particularly noteworthy? (Two minutes quiet reflection).

Let us pray: We thank you God that you are present with us in all times and places. We thank you for the way in which your presence is made known in the lives of people who guide and mentor us, people whose particular insights help us to know more of you and your way. We thank you also for those kairos times in our lives, significant moments or periods of time that help us to know more about you, and our place and role in the fulfilling of your reign on earth. We have spent time this morning, reflecting on those people and places that have had an important, transformative influence on our lives. We ask you to bless these memories, just as those places and people blessed us, that they will continue to inspire and guide us. O God, bless our faith journey that it may be lived faithfully in the present and future, just as we have recalled how it has been guided in the past, and bless the lives of those who touch our lives and the lives of those whom we inspire in response to your call to us as your people. Help is to know and remember all the saints. Amen.