In this month of remembrance, we’re printing the homily that Michael Paterson shared with the St Margaret’s congregation at our All Saints/All Souls service on 5 November:

A woman was spotted standing silently for hours outside an embassy in London with a candle in her hand. For months on end, she came at the same time every week and simply stood there, candle lit, saying nothing and smiling at passers-by.

One wet night when she had been there for hours and was soaked through, the security guard felt sorry for her and came out to talk to her. “You are wasting your time,” he said “you will never change the world, you know.” “I know I won’t change the world,” she said, “but I can do everything I can to make sure the world doesn’t change me.”

Holding a candle for God’s values in a world that has a different set of values is what turns sinners into saints. And that folks is our Christian calling.

One woman.
One candle.
One protest.
One soul well on its way to becoming a Saint.

What more needs said than “let us do likewise”. Amen.