Every year around All Saints Day, as a pastor, I can’t help but think about the many saints of the church whose lives I’ve had the honor of celebrating in services of witness to the resurrection — saints like Mary Louise Fisher. Mary Louise was such a deeply spiritual, loving, dear soul who managed to be both Mary and Martha. She might go from worship to washing dishes after a potluck, from scooping dog poop in the churchyard to organizing the church library (after washing hands, of course!), from protesting a proposed oil pipeline to studying Cynthia Bourgeault’s latest book, all in the same week. All Saints Day notwithstanding, it’s the story of Zacchaeus that brings Mary Louise to mind. I often find myself wondering if it is possible to be a wealthy and faithful follower of Jesus. When I start to get especially cynical, I think of Mary Louise. She didn’t want for financial resources, but she was far from ostentatious. She gave quietly but generously to people, to the church and to other important causes. She was a faithful steward of her time, energy and resources. One bequest she left to the church, earmarked for creation care, inspired a matching bequest from another saint of the church, Nancy Caperton. Of course, it’s easy to affirm the faithfulness of saints like Mary Louise and Nancy. They follow in the footsteps of Lydia (Acts 16), and other individuals who provided extensive financial support for the early church. Most of us can name several saints – wealthy, comfortable, or simply frugal – whose faithful stewardship has enabled the ministry of the church in the past, through the present and perhaps into the future. Then there’s Zacchaeus. ... You can find the rest of the commentary on our website. | 
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