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!

William How’s Anglican hymn “For All the Saints” (1864) shows the celebration of all the saints and not just hero worship, “it is the worship of the Lord in whom we are one in faith by grace: “Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.” Living the Reformation is a call to offers worship and praise in remembering the witness of those who are dead among us, our cloud of witnesses. Living the Reformation in the light of the Communion of the Saints is about rekindling the reformed hearts our saints because our loyalty to God’s mission is the proof of our faith in the God of everlasting life.

Living the Reformation calls us to arise as faithful Christian soldiers, true and bold, witness as Luther, Wesleys, and win, with them, the victor’s crown of gold. Living the Reformation summons us to make our hearts brave again for the gospel. When we remember the witnesses of the dead like Luther, Wesley, and numerous missionaries  now with the Lord, we receive new strength for the battles and oppositions we face every day, especially in the church today. Living the Reformation reminds us that we do not exists for this life only. In Communion with the Saints, we are remembering our ultimate destiny in God’s kingdom. In the Apostles’ Creed, the statement, we believe in the “Communion of the Saints” calls us to living the Reformation, which is, manifesting the witness and unity of the living and the dead in one community of faith in Jesus Christ. The church triumphant, those who are dead in Christ and now reigning with Christ reminds us of the great ‘cloud of witnesses’ that surrounds us and cheers us on all through our lives, mission and our worship of God.  The “heroes of faith” passage in Hebrews invites us to stirring call, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders . . . and run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Heb. 12:1).

Living the Reformation in the light of the Communion of the Saints tells us that death is not the end hence, the need to live faithfully, to die with dignity, with grace, with love and courage, and with faith in Jesus Christ in the face of death. Heroes of faith are examples of the kind of Christian life to live and strive for. We all need heroes, the communion including All The Saints who have died and risen in Jesus Christ- Abraham, Isaac, Paul, Wesley, Martin Luther, Hugh Bourne, Chadwick, Apostle Babalola, Obadare, Bolaji Idowu, grand parents, great grandparents, wife, husband, children, friend and many more. Beyond the Roman Catholic tradition, November 1 as All Saints Day, the commemoration of the “official” saints, apostles, and martyrs followed on November 2 by All Souls, the commemoration of all the faithful departed, we are all saints because we have been made holy in Jesus Christ. Our sainthood is not about religious appearances, denomination, race or titles.

Living the Reformation in the light of the Communion of the Saints is about believing and doing according to what God commands and commends us (Jn 17:21). The Saints of old did not lay on our shoulders or bind heavy burdens hard to bear. Following the Lord Jesus is not a passport of no suffering, pain and injustice. Following the Lord is about taking our yoke, life burden with assurance of rest in Jesus Christ. As we celebrate All The Saints, all those who have died in faith and are now living on the other side of eternity, those of us who are still here, living in Reformation, faithful and witnessing on this side of eternity, let us connect to witness as true and bold soldiers of Jesus Christ. Beyond the historical Christian confession in the words of the Apostles Creed, Living the Reformation in the light of Communion of the Saints invites us to a united mission, woven together in a tight-knit communion, mutual engagement and discipleship beyond denominational differences and racial barriers. The nearer we live in Reformation in the light of the Communion of the Saints, the yoke is made easy, no helpless bereavement, our loved one has just gone on a journey, waiting for us at the appointed time.