Sunday readings and prayers

The collect for All Saints’ Day

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Saturday is All Saints’ Day and on Sunday we mark All Souls’ Day. In the New Testament, 'saint' is often used to describe all those who are followers of Christ, not just those who live their lives in an exemplary way. So we pray both for those who have been specially recognised as Saints and also for our loved ones. The Christian Church is made up of the  living but also those who have departed this life. They are just as much the Church as we are: those who are living are known as the church militant, and those who have died are the church triumphant.

First Bible Reading - Daniel 7: 1-3, 15-18

In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.

As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: ‘As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever – for ever and ever.’

Psalm 149

Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in his Maker;
let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise his Name in the dance;
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people
and adorns the poor with victory.

Let the faithful rejoice in triumph;
let them be joyful on their beds.

Let the praises of God be in their throat
and a two-edged sword in their hand;

To wreak vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples;

To bind their kings in chains
and their nobles with links of iron;

To inflict on them the judgment decreed;
this is glory for all his faithful people.                                      
Hallelujah!

Second Reading - Ephesians 1: 11-23

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Hallelujah: Mike Moyers

Gospel Reading - Luke 6:20-31

Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. ‘Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.‘Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. ‘Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“One of the most common misunderstandings of Christianity is that it is primarily concerned with giving people a recipe for how to be good, or in the words of Dorothy Sayers "How to be kind to granny and the cat." But this misses it all. As Ernest Bloch, the German philosopher says: "It was not the morality of the sermon on the mount which enabled Christianity to conquer Roman Paganism but the belief that Jesus had been raised from the dead." What God has in mind for us is something of a new order, as different as a seed is from its bloom, as different, he says, as the earth is from the stars. I tell you a mystery, said the Apostle Paul, 'we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed.' “                                                                                                 thisischurch.com

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the saints over the years whom you have inspired and strengthened with your Spirit, some to do deeds of historical significance, some simply to be faithful followers of Christ. We thank you for the example of St. Andrew who gave up all to follow you, we thank you for Mother Theresa who gave healing and encouragement to many, we thank you for those we know in our own community who through small acts of kindness and love of their neighbour reflect the glory of the Kingdom of God. Help each of us to be true to our calling as members of the Body of Christ and to reflect your presence & your values in all that we think & do.     

Jesus our Saviour, you wept with grief when hearing of the death of Lazarus. You understand distress and sorrow at the loss of a loved one. At this time of remembrance, we entrust those that have gone before us to your loving care. Comfort those who mourn,  give peace to us all as we remember those we have loved  and strengthen our faith in the God whose presence is always with us. 

Father,  at this time of remembrance we  pray for your Church throughout the world with its many different customs associated with All Saints and All Souls. We  pray that Christians of all denominations and traditions may work together to bring new hope and joy to the communities in which they live and to the wider world.

We pray for those who are unwell, thinking especially of .....................................................e.

We pray for the repose of the soul of those who have recently departed this life, thinking of B.................................. and we pray for the bereaved at tis time of distress and questioning.

Holy God you have called witnesses from every nation and revealed your glory in their lives. Grant us the same faith and love that, following their example, we may be sustained by their fellowship and rejoice in their triumph; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.     (Methodist Worship)