Is remembering and honoring the saints really Lutheran?
Yes! Remembering and honoring the saints is very Lutheran. God's Word and the Lutheran Confessions teach that remembering and honoring the saints is a great thing to do.

Why is it such a great thing to do?
The Apology of the Lutheran Augsburg Confession teaches that Lutherans may honor the saints for three reasons.

  1. The first reason is for thanksgiving. When we honor the saints, we are thanking God for "showing [His people] examples of His mercy, revealing "is will to save men, and giving teachers and other gifts to the church."

  2. The second reason is for strengthening our faith. When we see how our Lord forgives His people, the saints, we are "encouraged to believe that grace does abound more than sin."
    (For example, do you remember that Apostle Peter denied Jesus three times? Even the Apostles would sin and receive forgiveness.)

  3. The third reason is "the imitation, first of their faith and then of their other virtues..."
    We pray that God would keep us as strong in the faith as He kept them!

Parents:
Explain to your children that we do not pray to the saints, but we may honor them by remembering them on a special day in the church year, All Saints Day.

Remind them that, when we die, we will be with our Lord in heaven, which is where the saints are right now!