Patrick Comerford
In the Church Calendar, 1 November is celebrated as All Saints’ Day.
The Church of Ireland Directory says: ‘The Readings for All Saints’ Day may be preferred.’ Many editions of the Revised Common Lectionary note the ‘Sunday between 30 October and 5 November’ may be observed as ‘All Saints’ Sunday.’
The readings for All Saints’ Day in Year B in the Revised Common Lectionary, as adapted for use in the Church of Ireland, are:
The Readings: Wisdom 3: 1-9 or Isaiah 25: 6-9; Psalm 24; Revelation 21: 1-6a; John 11: 32-44.
There is a link to the readings HERE.
Introducing All Saints’ Day
All Saints’ Day is one of the 12 Principal Feasts of the Church. From the third century, there is evidence of celebrations of All Martyrs. The Eastern Church continues a fourth century tradition of the ‘Sunday of All Saints’ being celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost.
In the early seventh century, the Pantheon in Rome, which had been closed for over a century, was dedicated to Saint Mary and All Martyrs. By the eighth century, 1 November was growing in popularity for the celebration of All Saints, possibly originating in Ireland. By the ninth century, the date had reached Rome and then the Holy Roman Empire.
Wisdom 3: 1-9:
The Wisdom of Solomon as one of the Apocryphal books in the Old Testament, is seldom appointed for readings in the Church of Ireland. But, while Jewish authorities rejected it, it is quoted in the New Testament and has been used by the Church since the earliest times.
This reading says the souls of the righteous are in hand of God, and that after death they will not suffer. To the foolish, it may seem they have simply ceased to exist. But actually they are at peace, and while it may appear that they have been punished, their hope is in life eternal.
Psalm 24:
This psalm is a hymn of praise to God, and talks about those who can enter the presence of God.
The response provided in the Lectionary is a quotation from the first reading, Wisdom 3: 1:
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God
no torment will ever touch them.
Revelation 21: 1-6a:
In this reading from the Book of Revelation, Saint John sees the new creation, with a new heaven and a new earth, and the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven.
The home of God is now among mortals, but sorrow, pain and death and pain are wiped away, and God on the throne makes all things new.
John 11: 32-44
Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, has died. Martha has told Jesus that he would not have died had Jesus been present. Touched by the pain of those he loves, Jesus weeps and shares their pain. Martha tries to restrain Jesus from viewing the decomposing body of his friend. But Jesus reminds her: ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’
Christ prays to his Father, and it is God, Father and Son, who bring Lazarus back to life, and he emerges from the grave, still wrapped in burial cloths.
A short reflection on the readings:
The Reformers in 16th century England followed German reformers producing a calendar with only New Testament saints and this festival. There was no distinction between ‘All Saints’ and ‘All Souls.’
So, who is your favourite saint?
Saints do not have to be martyrs. But recently Oscar Romero was canonised by the Pope in Rome, and there was a major commemoration in Westminster Abbey of Oscar Romero, a very modern martyr, to mark his 100th birthday.
Saints do not have to be canonised. Modern martyrs may include Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, or Heather Heyer, the civil rights activist killed by far-right neo-Nazis and racists in Charlottesville, Kentucky, in 2017.
Saints do not have to be canonised. Many of us we know of people who handed on the faith to us from previous generations – teachers, grandparents, perhaps neighbours – even though they may be long dead by now, are still part of our vision of the Communion of Saints.
Saints do not have to live a perfect life … none of us is without sin, and none of us is beyond redemption. Some of the saints carved on the West Front of Westminster Abbey might have been very surprised to know they were going to appear there. But their lives in sum totals are what we are asked to think about.
And saints do not have to be shrouded in superstition. Yes, there are popular saints in working-class Dublin, including Saint Blaise for blessing sore throats and the reverence shown to Saint Valentine in Whitefriar Street Church, particularly in the run-up to Saint Valentine’s Day. But saints, instead, are supposed to be examples of holy living.
Some years ago, I asked students to come along with stories of their favourite ‘saints and heroes.’ And they included an interesting array of people, some of them still living.
In the back-page interviews in the Church Times, people are sometimes asked who they would like to be locked into a church with for a few hours.
Who are your favourite saints?
Who would you like to learn from a little more when it comes to living the Christian life?
Some years ago, Father Brian D’Arcy quipped in a radio interview how Dorothy Day once spoke of how her fellow Roman Catholics went to confession regularly and confessed to ‘breaking’ one of the Ten Commandments, but she wondered how often they confessed to ‘breaking’ one of the Eight Beatitudes.
To this we might add how people might never confess to breaking the second of the great commandments referred to by Christ in the main Gospel reading in the Lectionary provisions for this Sunday: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’ (Mark 12: 31).
John 11: 32-44 (NRSVA):
32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ 35 Jesus began to weep. 36 So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ 37 But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’
38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ 40 Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ 43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’
Liturgical resources:
Liturgical colour: White
Penitential Kyries:
Lord, you are gracious and compassionate.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
You are loving to all,
and your mercy is over all your creation.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Your faithful servants bless your name,
and speak of the glory of your kingdom.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The Collect:
Almighty God,
you have knit together your elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord:
Grant us grace so to follow your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living
that we may come to those inexpressible joys
that you have prepared for those who truly love you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This collect wonderfully expresses the doctrine of the whole church as the ‘mystical body of Christ’ (see Roman 12: 5, I Corinthians 12: 27; Colossians 1: 24; Ephesians 1: 23, 4: 12, 5: 30-32). The collect concludes by alluding to I Corinthians 2: 9. Thomas Cranmer composed this collect for the 1549 Book of Common Prayer:
Almkightie God,
whiche haste knitte together thy electe in one Communion and felowship,
in the misticall body of thy sonne Christe our Lord;
graunt us grace so to folow thy holy Saynctes in all virtues, and godly livyng,
that we maye come to those inspeakeable joyes,
whiche thou hast prepared for all them that unfaynedly love thee;
through Jesus Christe
The 1662 version substituted ‘blessed’ for ‘holy,’ and ‘in all virtuous and godly living’ replaced ‘in all virtues, and godly livyng.’ ‘Unspeakable’ has clearly changed its meaning, and here becomes ‘inexpressible.’
Introduction to the Peace:
We are fellow citizens with the saints
and the household of God,
through Christ our Lord,
who came and preached peace to those who were far off
and those who were near (Ephesians 2: 19, 17).
The Preface:
In the saints
you have given us an example of godly living,
that rejoicing in their fellowship,
we may run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
and with them receive the unfading crown of glory …
Post-Communion Prayer:
God, the source of all holiness
and giver of all good things:
May we who have shared at this table
as strangers and pilgrims here on earth
be welcomed with all your saints
to the heavenly feast on the day of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing:
God give you grace
to share the inheritance of all his saints in glory …
Some suggestions for Prayers:
God of the past,
on this feast of All Saints
we remember before you, with thanks,
the lives of those Christians who have gone before us:
the great leaders and thinkers,
those who have died for their faith,
those whose goodness transformed all they did;
Give us grace to follow their example and continue their work.
God of love
grant our prayer.
God of the present,
on this feast of All Saints
we remember before you
those who have more recently died,
giving thanks for their lives and example and for all that they have meant to us.
We pray for those who grieve
and for all who suffer throughout the world:
for the hungry, the sick, the victims of violence and persecution.
God of love
grant our prayer.
God of the future,
on this feast of All Saints
we remember before you the newest generation of your saints,
and pray for the future of the church
and for all who nurture and encourage faith.
God of love
grant our prayer.
We give you thanks
for the whole company of your saints
with whom in fellowship we join our prayers and praises
in the name of Jesus Christ
Amen.
Suggested Hymns:
Wisdom 3: 1-9 :
459, For all the saints, who from their labours rest
461, For all thy saints, O Lord
463, Give us the wings of faith to rise
467, How bright those glorious spirits shine!
468, How shall I sing that majesty
474, Such a host as none can number
475, Who are these like stars appearing
476, Ye watchers and ye holy ones
Isaiah 25: 6-9:
251, Alleluia! Allelulia! Hearts to heaven and voices raise
254, At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
264, Finished the strife of battle now
512, From you all skill and science flow
466, Here from all nations, all tongues, and all peoples
467, How bright those glorious spirits shine!
270, I know that my Redeemer lives
553, Jesu, lover of my soul
135, O come, O come, Emmanuel
280, Our Lord Christ hath risen
Psalm 24:
40, God in his love for us lent this planet
266, Hail the day that sees him rise
337, Lift up your heads, O ye gates
131, Lift up your heads, you mighty gates
134, Make way, make way, for Christ the King
284, The golden gifts are lifted up
Revelation 21: 1-6a:
326, Blessed city, heavenly Salem (Christ is made the sure foundation)
512, From you all skill and science flow
646, Glorious things of thee are spoken
466, Here from all nations, all tongues, and all peoples
300, Holy Spirit, truth divine
670, Jerusalem the golden
553, Jesu, lover of my soul
425, Jesu, thou joy of loving hearts
592, O love that will not let me go
473, Síormholadh is glóir duit, a Athair shíoraí (All glory and praise to you, Father, above
369, Songs of praise, the angels sang
138, Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
528, The Church’s one foundation
681, There is a land of pure delight
144, Word of justice, alleluia
292, Ye choirs of new Jerusalem
John 11: 32-44:
569, Hark, my soul, it is the Lord
226, It is a thing most wonderful
671, Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
104, O for a thousand tongues to sing
308, Revive you Church, O Lord
Also suitable:
650, In Christ, our humble head
469, In our day of thanksgiving, one psalm let us offer
471, Rejoice in God’s saints, today and all days!
An extra note on some hymns:
Church Hymnal, 459: One of the great hymns celebrating this day is ‘For all the saints, who from their labours rest,’ which was written by Bishop William Walsham How (1823-1897) as a processional hymn for All Saints’ Day.
The saints recalled in this hymn are ordinary people in their weaknesses and their failings. In its original form, it had 11 verses, although three are omitted from most versions – the verses extolling ‘the glorious company of the Apostles,’ ‘the godly fellowship of the prophets’ and ‘the noble army of martyrs’ were inspired by the 1662 Book of Common Prayer version of the canticle Te Deum.
The tune Sine Nomine (‘Without Name,’ referring to the great multitude of unknown saints) was written for this hymn by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) while he was editing the English Hymnal (1906) with Percy Dearmer.
When he wrote this hymn, Walsh How was Rector of Whittington, Shropshire. At the time, this was part of the Diocese of St Asaph, but following the disestablishment of the Church in Wales in 1920, the parish was transferred to the Diocese of Lichfield in the Church of England.
He became a canon St Asaph Cathedral, and spent time in Rome as chaplain of the Anglican Church there, All Saints’ Church, before returning to England.
While he was Bishop of Bedford, Walsham How became known as ‘the poor man’s bishop.’ He became the first Bishop of Wakefield, and died in Leenane, Co Mayo, in 1897 while he was on holiday in Dulough.
The hymn vibrates with images from the Book of Revelation. The saints recalled by ‘the poor man’s bishop’ in this hymn are ordinary people who, in spite of their weaknesses and their failings, are able to respond in faith to Christ’s call to service and love, and who have endured the battle against the powers of evil and darkness.
In its original form, this hymn had 11 verses, although three are omitted from most versions: the verses extolling ‘the glorious company of the Apostles,’ ‘the godly fellowship of the prophets’ and ‘the noble army of martyrs’ were inspired by the 1662 Book of Common Prayer version of the canticle Te Deum.
But the heart of the hymn is in the stanza in which we sing about the unity of the Church in heaven and on earth, ‘knit together in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of … Christ our Lord.’ Despite our ‘feeble struggles’ we are united in Christ and with one another in one ‘blest communion’ and ‘fellowship divine.’
Church Hymnal, 464: ‘God, whose city’s sure foundation’ was written by Cyril A Allington (1872-1955), a former headmaster of Eton, while he was Dean of Durham for a service of the Friends of Durham Cathedral. The hymn is generally sung to the majestic tune ‘Westminster Abbey’ by Henry Purcell (ca 1659-1695), the first official Organist of Westminster Abbey. Until the arrival of Edward Elgar, he was regarded as the greatest English composer.
Thanks & Praise, 23: ‘Christ is surely coming, bringing his reward’ is by the Revd Christopher Idle, who has written hundreds of hymns and now lives in retirement in Bromley. The tune ‘Land of hope and glory’ is by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) and is arranged by Derek Verso.
Thanks & Praise, 43: ‘God everlasting, wonderful and holy’ is by Harold Riley (1903-2003). The tune Coelites plaudant is a melody from the Rouen Antiphoner (1728) that was harmonised by Vaughan Williams, originally for ‘Christ, the Fair Glory of the Holy Angels’ by Athelstan Riley in the English Hymnal, co-edited by Vaughan Williams and Percy Dearmer.
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
The hymn suggestions are provided in Sing to the Word (2000), edited by Bishop Edward Darling. The hymn numbers refer to the Church of Ireland’s Church Hymnal (5th edition, Oxford: OUP, 2000)
Material from the Book of Common Prayer is copyright © 2004, Representative Body of the Church of Ireland.
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