All Saints celebrates the baptized people of God, living and dead, who are the body of Christ. As November heralds the dying of the landscape in many northern regions, the readings and liturgy call us to remember all who have died in Christ and whose baptism is complete. At the Lord’s table we gather with the faithful of every time and place, trusting that the promises of God will be fulfilled and that all tears will be wiped away in the new Jerusalem.
Readings
Revelation 7:9-17
The multitudes of heaven worship the Lamb
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
Fear the Lord, you saints of the Lord; for those who fear the Lord lack nothing
1 John 3:1-3
We are God’s children
Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Worship Themes and Music
We hold a lot of emotions in tension during our All Saints’ Day services. We are grateful for the time we have had with our loved ones and yet we miss them dearly. We mourn because of our loss but we also celebrate because we know our loved ones are with God. Today’s readings remind us that we are all God’s children and the end of our life on earth is really just a beginning. In our prayers this week we will remember all our loved ones who have begun this part of their life and we pray for that day when we will join them.
This week we have a special treat from our bell ringers; they have gathered the last couple of weeks and recorded music for worship. Thank you bell ringers! Our songs this week draw out God’s everlasting qualities as we sing of God, “our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.” We also raise our Alleluias as we remember the dead, giving thanks for the saving life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Reflection Questions
Our reading from Matthew, often called “The Beatitudes”, turns blessings on their heads. Rather than those who have much, it is those who seem to be lacking that are called “blessed.” In what ways have you experienced this? What is a time that God’s goodness has been a blessing at a time when you felt you were lacking?
This week the psalmist says “I will bless the Lord at all times; the praise of God shall ever be in my mouth.” In what ways does our praise extend beyond our physical presence in this world?
