Today is the transferred commemoration of All Saints\u2019, which is actually a merging of three holy days: All Hallows\u2019 Eve on 31 October (which gives us the holiday of Halloween), All Saints\u2019 Day on 1st November and All Souls\u2019 or the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed on the 2nd.\u00a0 These three days have a rich history in the Christian tradition. This is the only feast in our Kalendar that is allowed to be transferred to the Sunday following \u2013 Christmas doesn\u2019t get this honor. The reason is that we need to remember that our faith and our religious practices do not occur in a vacuum, but rather is built on the shoulders of those faithful Christians who have gone before us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The readings for today are also among those readings appointed for the Liturgy for the Burial of the Dead. It\u2019s good that we hear these readings in a context other that a funeral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The anonymous writer of the Wisdom of Solomon gives assurance that \u201cthe souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them\u201d (3:1). Even though it would seem that they have suffered and died, they are now at peace where \u201ctheir hope is full of immortality\u201d (v. 4). Any suffering they have endured is like a refiner\u2019s fire in which they have been purified. They will govern nations, and as God\u2019s holy ones they will abide in the Lord\u2019s truth, grace, and mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The vision of the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1 \u2014 22:5) in the Book of Revelation gives a description of life in the coming age when \u201cdeath will be no more\u201d (21:4). Originally written to bring hope to those who suffered in a time of persecution, these promises of God\u2019s future continue to bring comfort and strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here God\u2019s work of reconciliation is reflected in the renewal of all creation (cf Is. 65:17; 66:22). In this vision, heaven and earth are completely transformed into \u201ca new heaven and a new earth\u201d (21:1). The Holy City of Jerusalem has been restored and is like a bride adorned for her groom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this new age, God will dwell among mortals and will be their consolation, wiping every tear from their eyes (v. 4a). Suffering, evil, and death will be vanquished, causing God to declare, \u201cSee, I am making all things new\u201d (v. 5). Furthermore, we can be assured that these words are a present as well as a future reality \u2014 true from the beginning to the end, for \u201cIt is done!\u201d (v. 6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Gospel reading from John\u2019s Gospel recounts Jesus\u2019 encounter with Martha before he raises Lazarus from the dead. It gives us a glimpse of Jesus\u2019 power in the face of the ultimate human existential crisis. Jesus tells Martha that her brother will rise because he is the source of Resurrection and Life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All three of the readings serve to remind us that death is never the final word \u2013 in fact death is fleeting in the face of God\u2019s dominion. The Good News here is that because of Jesus\u2019 resurrection we are able to stand beside the open grave of a loved one and NOT go stark raving mad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I write these words, I am aware that my father is in Hospice (I covet your prayers), preparing for his own death, just as he prepared many of his parishioners during his ministry as a pastor \u2013 death he cheated several times during his service as a Marine in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He is a part of the \u201cGreatest Generation,\u201d yet he has lived as faithfully and humbly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Physical death is a part of the natural order \u2013 something not to be feared but embraced because our faith teaches us that God alone will have the final word, and we have heard that final word in our readings. \u201cThe souls of the righteous are in the hands of God \u2026;\u201d \u201c\u2026death shall be no more\u2026\u201d and \u201c\u2026 I am the Resurrection and the Life\u2026\u201d\u00a0 This is the final word on the subject. Perhaps we should consider this verse from St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s Canticle of the Sun.\u00a0 A translation is in our Hymnal:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And even you most gentle death, waiting to hush our final breath. You lead home the child of God, for Christ our Lord that way has trod.<\/p>Hymn 400, Episcopal Hymnal, 1982<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The Good News on this Sunday in All Saintstide is that the whole of our lives are caught up in God\u2019s unchangeable, infinite, redeeming love. That love will ultimately have the final word for our souls; and at the last we hear \u201cI am Resurrection and the Life.\u201d \u201cDeath shall be no more.\u201d And \u201cthe souls of the righteous are in in hands of God [and]\u2026 they, and we, will be at peace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it is now and will be forever even unto the Ages of Ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Saints at Rest Today is the transferred commemoration of All Saints\u2019, which is actually a merging of three holy days: All Hallows\u2019 Eve on 31 October (which gives us the holiday of Halloween), All Saints\u2019 Day on 1st November and All Souls\u2019 or the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed on the 2nd.\u00a0 These […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-homily","tag-sermon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=611"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":612,"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611\/revisions\/612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediatormicanopy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}