Category Archives: All Saints Day

All Saints A

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Nov. 2, 2014

Ancient All Saints painting from the Romanian Orthodox church.

Ancient All Saints painting from the Romanian Orthodox church.

First Reading: Revelation 7:9-17


What a stirring scene for All Saints Day! The apocalyptic vision of John of Patmos, the author of Revelation, reveals a countless multitude of people from every race and nation – indeed, all the saints. All the world’s people are gathered to praise the Lamb, Revelation’s allegorical image for Jesus as both sheep and shepherd, both victim and victor, and the loving protector who guides us as a single multitude in all Earth’s glorious diversity.

Psalm: Psalm 34:1-10, 22

Most of the Psalms address God in prayer, but this one is different: The Psalmist here sings directly to the people, offering us wise counsel: As God’s saints and as God’s servants, we praise and worship God. We are small and humble. God is great and powerful. Yet when we are in trouble, when we are afraid, when we are hungry, we place our faith and trust in God and need not fear. Taste and see that God is good; happy are we who trust in God!

Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-3

Biblical scholars believe that the three short letters of John were written neither by John the apostle, John the evangelist, nor John the author of Revelation. After all, John was – and is – a very common name! The first letter of John celebrates the abundant love of God that showers on us and makes us all God’s children. All of God’s children, all of God’s saints, are brothers and sisters through God’s creative love.

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12

Ah, the Beatitudes! The familiar opening verses of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, this list of blessings gives us a hint of how Jesus wants us all to live. But wait a minute! When we pay attention, as we should, don’t the Beatitudes turn our usual, comfortable vision of the world upside down? Blessings go not to the rich and powerful but to the poor, the meek, the hungry; those who seek peace in a world of violence; those who are oppressed and persecuted because they fight for justice? There is a message here for all God’s saints and sinners.

All Saints C

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Nov. 4, 2013.

The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes

First Reading: Daniel 7:1-3; 15-18
This reading from Daniel, one of the last books in the Old Testament, reads a lot like Revelation. It is apocalyptic literature, a popular genre of that era that the ancients would have immediately recognized as symbolic, not literal description. Four scary beasts, representing powerful empires of earth! In later verses we learn that they were a winged lion, a tusked bear, a four-headed leopard, and an iron-toothed monster with 10 horns. Who wouldn’t be scared by a dream like that? But the nightmare ends with reassurance that God, not horrifying monsters, wins and will reign forever.

Psalm: Psalm 149
In this Psalm of praise for God’s glory, we sing in the assembly of the faithful, praising God with full hearts and voices, knowing that God takes pleasure in God’s people. But then we get those angry verses about swords and vengeance and punishment. What’s up with that? Perhaps it shows us a people burning with the memory of defeat and exile, in a book of songs that show us not only as we ought to be but as we are. Can we learn to love God and our neighbors?

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:11-23
Christ is King, and God has placed him at God’s right hand to rule over us all, the author of Ephesians assures his flock, writing to the persecuted Christians of Asia Minor in Paul’s name. There’s a role for us in this kingdom, too! As the people of God, we are Christ’s body on earth, called to help with the work of building the Kingdom of God.

Gospel: Luke 6:20-31
Ah, the familiar Beatitudes, Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, guiding us toward a life of service and love. Well, not quite! That was Matthew’s version. This is Luke’s. It’s a little more edgy, and it asks more of us. These are Christian values as Luke presents them: if you are rich, full and happy, watch out. You’re not doing it right! Give what you have to the poor. Don’t just turn the other cheek but forgive your enemies … and pray for them. As Jesus commands it, “Do unto others” isn’t easy, but it’s essential. It binds us as the people of God.  

All Saints B

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012.

LazarusFirst Reading: The Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9
(If you can’t find this book of Wisdom, look in the Apocrypha, also known as the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books at the end of the Old Testament. They are not in every Bible.)
As we celebrate with the readings of All Saints Day today, Wisdom reminds us of God’s promise of eternal life. This ancient text warns that “the foolish” face only the darkness of death, while promising that those who keep God’s ways and live good lives will “abide with God in love” forever.

Psalm 24
Today’s psalm, too, celebrates the rewards for those who live as God would have us live. Originally it might have been a responsive chant sung by priests and people as they approached the Temple for worship. The priest calls, “And who shall stand in his holy place?” The crowd roars back, “Those who have clean hands and pure hearts!” “Who is the king of glory?” How would you respond?

Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-6a
Continuing the All Saints Day theme of a glorious life after death for those who love God, Revelation describes a holy city coming down out of heaven, standing in stark contrast to what the writer, John of Patmos, saw as the dark and demonic earthly city of the time: Rome, portrayed as Babylon. Death and pain will be no more in the New Jerusalem, for God will be with us every day, wiping the tears from our eyes.

Gospel: John 11:32-44
Lazarus has died, and Jesus weeps. Jesus knew his friend was dead, so he took his time getting to Bethany, which angered Lazarus’s sisters, Mary and Martha. Maybe he could have done something, if only he had hurried. So often death in the family brings not only sadness but anger and rage. And then, whispering a quiet prayer to God, Jesus calls out and Lazarus answers. Death does not have the last word, and for us this offers hope.