All Saints and All Souls

November 1 & 2

Revelations 7, 2-4, 9-14 + 1 John 3, 1-3 + Matthew 5, 1-12

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With these two feasts, of ancient origin in the Church, we remember our ancestors, of both the body and the faith. Churches everywhere are displaying books for people to write the names of their remembered dead. Surely we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, -- heroes of the faith, known and unknown -- who remain active in prayer and intercession on our behalf. It's important to remember this when times are tough and when they are good.

John today reminds us that now -- right now, wherever you are -- we are together children of God. In an apocalyptic vision, he sees the saints in heaven, and hears the chorus of praise. Jesus reminds us of the essence of his Gospel, which calls all of us to be holy ones, saints, and prophets.

Given the holiness of these days, there seems to me to be less of a need to write about the readings, and more of a need to call us to remembrance.

+ A Litany of Remembrance and Salvation

God of witness and memory -- Lord, have mercy

Vindicator of the poor -- Christ, have mercy

Spirit bearing justice -- Lord, have mercy.

Response: We will not forget.

Let us remember this day all people who are

killed in wars,

tortured in jails,

disappeared in the night,

starved for food,

subjected to oppression,

driven from their homes,

unlawfully imprisoned,

denied religious liberty,

excluded from economic opportunity,

marginalized by poverty,

targeted by racial and cultural prejudices,

silenced by violence and injustice.

Response: Save us O Lord. . .

From the marginalization of poverty

From the silence of the disappeared,

From the ruthless thirst for power and profit,

From the despair of homelessness,

From demonic structures of sin,

From economic exploitation,

From the culture of death,

From the lure of materialism,

From greed for money,

From covetousness of possessions,

From material wealth and power,

From alienation and anger,

From the politicization of all life,

From the exploitation of the maquiladoras,

From the demand for instant gratification,

From the lies of politicians,

From the scourge of war,

From the cruelty of transnational corporations,

From the denials of human dignity,

Response: Pray for us. . .

St. Peter Claver,

St. Francis of Assisi,

St. John of God,

Venerable Pierre Toussaint,

St. Moses the Moor,

St. Rose of Lima,

St. Rose Duchesne,

St. Martin de Porres,

St. Gaspar del Bufalo,

Blessed Maria Mattias,

St. Maximilian Kolbe,

Ugandan Martyrs,

St. Andrew Duc Lac & all Vietnamese Martyrs,

Blessed Frederic Ozanam,

Blessed Katherine Drexel,

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross,

Martyrs of the Americas,

Venerable Matthew Talbot,

St. Francis Xavier Cabrini,

St. Vincent de Paul,

St. Louise Marillac,

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,

St. Mary MacKillop,

Blessed Kateri Tekawitha,

Dorothy Day,

Peter Maurin,

Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange,

Henriette Delille,

Oscar Romero,

Stanley Rother,

Mother Teresa of Calcutta,

Ita Ford,

Maura Clarke,

Dorothy Kazel,

Jean Donovan,

Barbara Ann Muttra,

Shirley Kolmer,

Mary Joel Kolmer,

Agnes Mueller,

Kathleen McGuire,

Dietrich Bonfoeffer,

Martin Luther King, Jr.

May we hear and remember the tragedy, joy, despair, and hope of the voices that call to us and to history for justice, reconciliation, and peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

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