Musings for All Saints Sunday

All Saints Sunday

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Pastor Macholz

INTRODUCTION

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.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (ELW)

Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

FIRST READING Revelation 7:9–17

The book of Revelation is written to seven churches in western Asia Minor during a time of great oppression. Today's reading is a response to the question asked in 6:17: "Who is able to stand?" The writer gives the faithful the assurance of God's protection and a vision of victory.

9After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

11And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12singing,

"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might

be to our God forever and ever! Amen." 13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

PSALM (ELW) Psalm 34:1–10, 22

Fear the LORD, you saints of the LORD; for those who fear the LORD lack nothing. (Ps. 34:9)

I will bless the LORD | at all times;

the praise of God shall ever be | in my mouth.

2I will glory | in the LORD;

let the lowly hear | and rejoice. R

3Proclaim with me the greatness | of the LORD;

let us exalt God's | name together.

4I sought the LORD, who | answered me

and delivered me from | all my terrors.

5Look upon the LORD | and be radiant,

and let not your faces | be ashamed.

6I called in my affliction, and | the LORD heard me

and saved me from | all my troubles. R

7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who | fear the LORD

and de- | livers them.

8Taste and see that the | LORD is good;

happy are they who take ref- | uge in God!

9Fear the LORD, you saints | of the LORD,

for those who fear the | LORD lack nothing.

10The lions are in want and | suffer hunger,

but those who seek the LORD lack nothing | that is good.

22O LORD, you redeem the life | of your servants,

and those who put their trust in you will | not be punished. R

SECOND READING 1 John 3:1–3

A saint is one who has been set apart by God for God's purposes. God, out of divine love, set us apart to be the children of God. Our holy hope is that we shall see God as God really is.

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.3And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

GOSPEL Matthew 5:1–12

In the beatitudes, Jesus provides a unique description of those who are blessed with God's favor. His teaching is surprising and shocking to those who seek wealth, fame, and control over others.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Reflection

2Beloved, we are God's children now. These words from the second lesson ground me and I hope us. They may seem an odd choice for reflection on this All Saints Sunday yet they remind us where our hope lies and whose we are in this life and the life to come.

Luther’s language around who we are certainly focused on us a children of God yet on this Sunday it may be most appropriate to remember his use of the phrase “Simul Ustus Et Peccator”; we are one and the same time saints and sinners, living in the tension of this world and the world to come.

This day we certainly celebrate those who have gone before us in the faith; mentors and heroes who have taught us about Jesus and lived a life that modeled that. I recall in the opening of the eulogy I offered for my mom at her funeral these words, “My dad taught us about Jesus but it was Gloria who brought us to Jesus.” In both of my parents I found models and examples of the faith that stood me well during their life and continue to do so following their death.

I give thanks for them and for all, known and unknown, who heard the call and followed our Lord, not always an easy task as you know. As this day approaches take time to pause and remember those who have been instrumental in your faith journey and then give thanks that they were and are a part of who you are this day. They were saints as are and for that we give thanks for the grace and wonder of God’s incredible love.

For all the saints, who from their labors rest we say and sing, Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let Us Pray

With thanksgiving for those who have been formative in our lives

That we might be formed into Christ’s love and life

That those affected by natural disasters might find the help they need

For children who have no home

For all for whom love is a stranger

Quote

God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners. Soren Kierkegaard