Every Person’s Feast Day

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, November 2, 2023

Proper 25, the week of the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

The Feast of All Faithful Departed or All Souls Day

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings:(BCP, 1000)

Psalm 130 or 116:10-17

Wisdom 3:1-9 or Isaiah 25:6-9;

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 or 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; John 5:24-27

Daily Office Old Testament Lesson, Isaiah 25:6-9

6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. 7And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. 8Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

David’s Reflections

Today is the feast day from which the church in Virginia where I served as start up priest, All Souls gets its name, the Feast of All Souls or The Feast of All Faithful Departed. The Old Testament reading depicts our final salvation as a banquet hosted by God. At that table, God will satisfy our hungers, physical and spiritual, will comfort us in our griefs, and will remove our disgrace and shame.

Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist on his last night with his followers as an anticipation of that heavenly banquet, and we share that sacred meal each Sunday anticipating our reunion with those we love and to the full realization of our salvation. We believe that each time we gather around Christ’s Holy Table the departed join us in praise to God from their place in the unseen world just beyond the reach of our vision. We affirm that in the Sanctus, “joining our voices with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven.”

This feast day celebrates our union with all who have died in faith, whereas November 1, All Saints Day traditionally has focused on the martyrs and well-known saints. November 2 extends that focus to all believers who now are part of the church triumphant in heaven.

When we began discussing a name for the new church in 2003, the name All Souls rose to the top of the list after weeks of prayerful discussion in which at least ten names were considered. Bishop Peter J. Lee enthusiastically approved our choice. Not only were we the only All Souls in the diocese, but also this name expressed our sense of connection with others and our desire to practice Jesus’ spirit of radical inclusion, to open our arms and hearts to all souls.

The Episcopal News Service released an excellent summary statement about these two feast days that you can read at the web link http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_number=102904-1-A The final sentences read as follows: "In the New Testament, the word 'saints' is used to describe the entire membership of the Christian community, and in the Collect for All Saints' Day the word 'elect' is used in a similar sense. From very early times, however, the word 'saint' came to be applied primarily to persons of heroic sanctity, whose deeds were recalled with gratitude by later generations.

"Beginning in the 10th century, it became customary to set aside another day -- as a sort of extension of All Saints -- on which the Church remembered that vast body of the faithful who, thought no less members of the company of the redeemed, are unknown in the wider fellowship of the Church. It was also a day for particular remembrance of family members and friends.

"Though the observance of the day was abolished at the Reformation because of abuses connected with Masses for the dead, a renewed understanding of its meaning has led to a widespread acceptance of this commemoration among Anglicans, and to its inclusion as an optional observance on the calendar of the Episcopal Church."

See the web link http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/AllSouls.htm

for prayers and readings for All Souls Day.

Collect of the Day, Feast of All Faithful Departed

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

Collect of the Day, Proper 26, the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 235)

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)

A Prayer for Light

Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. (BCP, 111)

A Collect for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 124)

Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer