You Must Be a Subscriber to View This Page
All Saints Sunday • Year B
November 3, 2024
Click on black & white clipart (above left) or color photo-graphic (above) to view and download full resolution graphics for use on bulletin covers. Tutorials available.
Historical Collect
Almighty God, you have knit together your people in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son, Christ, our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys which you have prepared for those who love you; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 1549)
Thematic Collect
Beloved God, in Christ you have drawn all your people into one, holy communion. Grant that as we remember the saints who have gone before us, we are strengthened for lives of faithful service to you so that the world will know your blessed presence. Bring us all at the last to the feast which has no end where all will be one; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The Common Thread
“The seal of the living God” marks the 144,000, that countless multitude whom the Lamb has saved by washing in his blood. God gives these humble folk, the poor in spirit who have admitted their need of a Savior, the salvation they could never earn or deserve. Through baptism into the life of Christ our brother, God gives us new life and calls us his children. Even more, when we see him in his appearing, we shall become like him in glory. Blessed are the saints, for whom God has given his kingdom.
First Reading • Revelation 7:9–17
In the Easter Preface to the Sanctus in the Great Thanksgiving of our liturgy, we pray that it is only right and good that we join the unending hymn of the early witnesses of the resurrection, as well as with the earth and sea and all their creatures, indeed, with all manner of angels too. We then sing, “Holy, holy, holy” (Rev 4:8), participating already, on this side of eternity, in the praise of the heavenly host. We may offer our praise with the voice of the 144,000 (Rev 14:1), that full congregation of believers, because we are clothed in white robes, purified by the blood of Christ. Because we have heard his voice in faith, our voices are added to the throng who cries out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Psalm • Psalm 149:1–9
The weapons of the Church are not worldly. Thus, Jesus told Peter to put away his sword (John 18:10-11). The Christian’s weapon is nevertheless, a sharp, two-edged sword (Heb 4:12) that cuts deeper than any man-made blade. That sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Eph 6:17), is what Christians are to become adept at wielding (2 Tim 2:15). With high praises to the Living God on our tongues, and his sword in our hands, we go forth into the world.
Second Reading • 1 John 3:1-3
Neither history nor deliberation determine sainthood. Saints are the result of the love of God. His love adopts us and calls us his children. Just so, we will forever be in the family of our Lord. We know not what the future looks like, but we do know the future. We do not know what we will look like, but we know that we will be like Jesus. We will be pure, as he is pure. In such hope, we are already purified in Christ.
Gospel • Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are the inside-out. Those who trust the Lord are content with the reverse of what the world calls good. When bad things happen, Christians find their joy in the Lord. The Beatitudes are not logical but rather, mysterious. Nevertheless, they are spiritually sensible; an intrinsic truth calls out to us in each verse. While they teach of a blessed hope for the future, they also show us the way through the present. The saints of God are learning to be content in Christ, especially when the world turns life upside-down (Phil 4:11-13).
Resources
Links to Worship Resources for this Service
