Four hundred and twenty-one

Angel butterflies on the sashes
worn by volunteers at today's 
Homeless Memorial Service

At the Homeless Memorial Service organized by the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness today, four hundred and twenty-one people who died of causes related to homelessness in 2023 were remembered, grieved, and honoured. 

The city medical examiner's report to city council listed the shocking number of 302 people who died with "no fixed address" last year, but this even more horrific number includes people who lived on the streets for years and whose health failed because of the effects of homelessness even though they may have been housed at the time of their death. 

Effie, who I met last July, was one of them. Effie, a beautiful butterfly like the Painted Lady butterflies released today in honour of the many people we have lost to the effects of homelessness.

My spirit is with everyone who attended the service to remember someone special today. My grieving heart tells me that we are all one family, and that we need to do whatever it takes so that no one, 
no one, 
no one is homeless.

It's time for change.

Saints and souls

The saints in the orthodox chapel at Taizé

While I'm not really fond of this commercial thing known as Hallowe'en now that my kids are grown, I do appreciate the two hallowed days following... November 1st being All Saints' Day, and November 2nd, All Souls' Day. I love the fact that there are two holy days to cover us all.

Of course most people think of those Capital S Saints who lived exemplary lives and who have been officially declared to reside with God by ecclesial authorities, but I prefer St. Paul's view of saintliness, as he phrases it in Ephesians 2: "...you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God..." In Paul's writings, we are all saints with a small s by virtue of the fact that we are loved by God.

And, of course, every person on the planet has a soul, so November 2nd is for all of us, no matter who we are, what we believe, or how we vote, ha. But it's also a day to remember our loved ones who have died. So the first two days of November are a good time to recall our communion of saints, those who have gone before us and who intercede for us, and to celebrate the fact that we will see them again "in the land of the living," as the Taizé chant below reminds us.

I hope you can find some time to remember the saints and souls who have blessed your life during this week ahead.