It's the triduum of All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Faithful Departed.  In this episode we remember that the church isn't just us, but an unbroken string of relationships stretching back two millenia to Christ, a great cloud witnesses that surrounds and permeates us.

 

READING

Revelation 7:9-17

After this I, John, looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,

    "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

    and thanksgiving and honor

    and power and might

    be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

"For this reason they are before the throne of God,

    and worship him day and night within his temple,

    and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

    the sun will not strike them,

    nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,

    and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

  

PRAYERS

Cleansed in the blood of the Lamb, and one in communion with all the saints of every time and place, let us offer our prayers to the God who loves us, saying:  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the holy church of God throughout the world, that the Lord may confirm it in faith, sustain it in hope, and deepen its communion in charity,

For those who wield earthly power, that they may recognize in the disciples of Jesus children of God anxious to serve in building up the earthly city,

For our upcoming election, that it may proceed in peace so that our liberties may be preserved and winners and losers alike might remember their unity as one people,

For those beset by persecution and those weighed down by trial and distress, that the example of the saints may give them courage and the help of believers give them hope,

For those who suffer, be present with them and bring to them wholeness of body, mind and spirit

For those who hear this prayer, that nourished by the word of truth we may bear witness in our own generation to the timeless gospel of Christ,

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;

Holy God, mighty God, immortal God, adored by angels and praised by the saints, receive the prayers of your holy church, and grant them in accordance with your gracious will, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

                                                                                                                                                            

 

Music

 

When the Saints go marching in

NOLA Street Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3ONxXC4e4o

 

Onward Christian Soldiers (instrumental)

Brad Sondahl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEatHhNxhl8

 

I sing a song of the saints of God

Victoria Zalipsky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEjDRPvsclU

 

Ol’ St Peter

Digital Primitives

Free Music Archive