Today is All Saints Day!
Eucharistic Readings for All Saints Day; Year A
Revelation 7: 9 to 17; Psalm 34: 1 to 10 and 22; 1st John 3; 1 to 3; Matthew 5: 1 to 12
Let us Pray:
Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (BCP 245)
Too few people are aware of this annual remembrance. Most know about Halloween or, All Hallows Eve, the night before all Saints Day but have no idea about the day we set aside to remember the saints of old. There are many. We have the apostle saints, Matthew, John, James, Peter and the others. We have the post resurrection saints, a list that we are still adding to, like Saints Paul, Francis, Mary (Mother of Jesus) and Mary Magdalene, Teresa and many, many others
The saints made great personal sacrifices while living out their godly lives. Many were martyred like Joan of ark and Martin Luther King Jr. and many others. Others also suffered in the teachings of God’s love but they maintained their faith no matter what, setting for us examples of righteous living. “Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself:” (Wisdom of Solomon 3:5)
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 