From the Chaplains
All Saints Day
Over the term break, I had the joy of being part of the History Tour – a 19-day exploration of ancient and modern sites throughout France, Germany and Italy. We, 37 students from Yr 10 and 11 and 5 teachers, certainly packed a lot of ancient ruins and gelato into our time together. Of the many places we explored, one of my highlights was the Cathedrals. Each one majestically stands tall in Paris, Amiens, Nuremberg, Sorrento and Rome. Many had offerings of Harvest, fruits, grain and pumpkins displayed, celebrating God’s provision and awaiting All Saints Day.
This week we celebrate All Saints Day, on November 1st. All Saints Day is an opportunity to contemplate the universal call to holiness and our connection to a vast spiritual family. Beyond remembering the saints of old, it is a day to give thanks for all who have lived lives of faith, both known and unknown, and to consider their witness and inspiration for our own journey.
1As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. (Hebrews 12:1)
The core of All Saints’ Day is the belief in the “Communion of Saints”—a powerful spiritual bond connecting the Church on earth with the faithful who are now in heaven. The lives of the saints show us that ordinary people, with their own flaws and struggles, can live in by surrendering themselves completely to God’s love.
On this day, we remember those who paved the way for our own faith, from biblical figures and historical martyrs to the loved ones we have known personally. Many church services mark the occasion by speaking aloud the names of community members who have died in the past year, lighting a candle for each as a symbol of life overcoming death. All Saints Day also celebrates our global family, a fellowship that transcends time, place, and nationality.
In chapel this week we spoke about the “Communion of Saints” that surround us, the people in our lives who walk with us in our struggles, who share our dreams and inspire us to love. We spoke about the web of connections that God forges in our lives and how they might give us strength and encourage us on, just as the Saints of Old.
A Prayer for All Saints Day
God of all nations and ages,
On this All Saints’ Day, we come together as a global family, united by faith and surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses from every corner of the earth. We give thanks for the countless men and women who have lived lives of holiness, both those we name in our hearts and the multitude known only to you. We remember those who carried your word across oceans, those who bore witness to your love in places of conflict, and the everyday people who showed compassion and grace to their neighbors, whether across the street or across the world.
Through their example, we recognize that your saints are of every tribe and language and people, and that the communion of saints transcends all borders. Inspire us by their selfless acts and fearless faith to work for justice and peace in our own communities, and to recognize your face in all our global neighbors.Knit us together in a spirit of kinship, dialogue, and mutual care, so that your kingdom may be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen.