All Saints Sunday/Year A/Nov 1, 2020
1 John 3:1-3; Psalm 34:1-10, 22; Matthew 5:1-12
BLESSED ARE YOU!
All Saints Sunday is a perfect day to be reminded…that yes…
Blessed are you!
Yes, you…all who gather here today…and all who are at home, near and afar… Blessed are you!
Yes, you…those whose names are known to God alone…
Blessed are you!
Yes, you…"Blessed are you, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are humble, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…
Blessed are you, the merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers…for you will be called children of God.”
Blessed are you!
Yes, you, the children of God…and the saints of God…those who have gone on before us, and those living by our side today…
All Saints Sunday is my favorite, special day on the church calendar…
Why? Because who among us, doesn’t need that reminder from time to time…Blessed are you! Especially in times such as this…
Another reason: Because it’s a day to remember people….people of all walks of life, all ages, races and cultures, family, friends, and the famous saints on the church calendar…a day to remember people whose imperfect lives give us hope, and bless us still, in the hearing, and remembrance of their stories…stories of striving to love God and their neighbors, stories of courage and perseverance, in the midst of similar struggles that you and I are going through today…stories of encouragement and inspiration that have the power to help those struggling today to get through this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, those who are striving daily to keep on, keeping on, when there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight to all the suffering, the heartaches, and the injustices, touching the lives of God’s beloved children all around the world…
All Saints Sunday is a perfect day to remember that we do not walk this journey alone…Jesus reminds us, that God loves us, and blesses us, and walks with us always, in the saints who have gone on before us and in those living by our side today…
It’s a perfect day to reflect on the occasion of our baptisms, that reminds us of that good news… that festive day when we and our parents, and godparents or sponsors were surrounded and supported by a community of people gathered in the church, who welcomed us into the household of God…the family of God, not just for that day, and in that church…but for all the days to come after that…and with all those who have gone on before us…and are most surely alive among us today…still giving us their love, and their guidance and their blessing…
Blessed are you! Yes, you… the children of God…and the saints of God…We are never alone…We are reminded of that, in our baptisms... God loves us, and blesses us, and is with us always, in the saints who have gone on before us and in those living by our side today…
I invite you to set aside some extra time today, on All Saints Day…to reflect on your baptism….or perhaps the baptism of another family member or friend… and set aside some time today, and in the coming days, to remember the saints who have gone on before us...and listen for the voice of love and blessing calling out to you, encouraging you, in these coming days, to walk in love with God and one another and to walk in hope with one another…striving and working for the day that all may come to those ineffable joys that God has prepared for those who truly love him… Blessed are you!
Let me close with a reflection about our ancestors and blessings… written by the Rt Rev Steven Charleston, a retired bishop in the Episcopal Church…
"Last night I thought I heard the drum, sounding far away like distant thunder, but steady as a heartbeat, the heartbeat we have danced to for generations. Hearing that drumbeat made me feel better. I knew that it must mean my ancestors are dancing in heaven, dancing the old dances that have bound my people together since time began. They are trying to help us just when our need is greatest. And if they are dancing, then the grace they are sending us has begun falling, falling all around us, falling like starlight, drifting down to give us strength, wisdom and hope. And although I do not know the tradition of the people who have gone before you in your culture, I am sure they are dancing for us too, in their own way, but with the same intention, the intention of all of our ancestors in these hard days: to give us their blessing." (Bishop Steven Charleston)
Blessed are you!
Check out the video presentation below…
The faces of St Peter's Saints - Nov 1 2020
*Prayer read after the video presentation…
*A Prayer for All Saints/All Souls Day (Order of Saint Helena)
Gracious God, You stand us among the saints so that we can hear the Word of truth and love in a variety of voices, so that we can live with hope and courage as others lift us up and cheer us on. You surround us with saints so that we can know wisdom and revelation in the sharing of word and experience; so that we can sing in glory and stand in the fullness of the body of Christ. We’re grateful for those saints who have gone before us and for those living at our sides today. Raise us up with the faith of the saints, for the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Rev Julie Platson
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka, AK