Sunday, the Western Church commemorated All Saints’ Day once again. We honoured all known and unknown holy people.

Every community has its own saints: citizens of the year, volunteers, moms. These make up a “Hall of Fame” for goodness, fine models to follow. They show us how to support and build up our neighbourhoods.

So the church has saints. They show themselves by their values and virtue. By word and deed they glorify Jesus Christ. Their lives stand out as a devotion to Him.

Famous saints from Jesus’ time include Mary, Peter, and Paul. In the Bible we have writings from the saints. Unknown saints include those persecuted in remote areas, outside the cameras and history books. Without trumpeting their actions they may feed the hungry or assist the sick.

When we call someone a saint, we recognize two things. First, their heart trusts in Jesus and His Word. Second, we call them holy because Jesus makes them so, by His suffering, death and resurrection.

People are quick to point out that the church is full of hypocrites. True indeed. The only One Who is flawless is Jesus Himself.

Because they follow Jesus, Christians may be called saints or holy. Yet they may be rebuked for their greed, jealousy, their internal strife, or their willingness to act with malice toward others.

We are strengthened, however, seeing how God could forgive the saints’ failures. So He can also forgive us. We thank God, seeing both how God gave faithful men and women and also worked through them. We imitate their example.

Christians have a lot to learn. We don’t deny that. To be a saint, one must trust in Christ and the will to be different as He was. He did not avoid embarrassment. He welcomed discomfort. He suffered insults from others.

But the saints are a testimony that I am not alone in my struggle as both sinner and saint.

Rev. Jody Rinas is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church.