October 31, 2024

Tomorrow is the Feast of All Saints when the Church remembers those who have been “the chosen vessels of [God’s] grace, and the lights of the world in their generations. They have been apostles, martyrs, scholars, monastics, aid workers, writers, Sunday school teachers, prophets, and mystics of every race, land, and persuasion. We hold them up now as examples to follow, “just [persons] made perfect”, and the great cloud of witnesses who surround, uphold, and pray for us.

Saturday is the Feast of All Souls when we remember all the faithful departed. These are the people in our lives who might not have been lights to the world, but who were lights to each of us as individuals. They are those who raised us and taught us and those we ourselves raised and taught. They are those we aspired to be and those we ourselves lifted up. The world may not remember them, but they too stand among the throng that no one can number and they too surround, uphold, and pray for us before the throne of God.

This Sunday we will mark both All Saints and All Souls at our morning worship services. The lessons and prayers will be for All Saints’ Day and at the Eucharist we will remember the faithful departed in our own lives, offering their names at the altar. If there is someone in your life who has died in the past year and whom you would like to remember this Sunday, please call, text, or email me their names along with any pronunciation guidance before Sunday morning.

I hope you will all have a chance in the next few days to remember those who have gone before us and who made us who we are, either as a Church or as individuals. Sit down for a bit to read a hagiography, look through a photo album, or take a walk through a cemetery and give thanks for the gift of all the saints.