All Saints Sunday, Year A
November 1, or the first Sunday in November Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, the year of Matthew Green
Next read on .
Why this Sunday
All Saints is the day the church remembers everyone who has died in the faith, famous or not. Lutherans use the word saint for every baptized person: God’s people, made holy by God, not by being perfect.
Many churches read aloud the names of members who died this year, often with a bell or a candle for each one.
The Gospel: Matthew 5:1–12
On a mountain, Jesus begins his teaching with blessings for the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek and the persecuted.
Matthew 5:1-12
Most churches stand for the Gospel, and sing or say a short response before and after it.
The passage
1 Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He opened his mouth and taught them, saying, 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
The other readings
In the order they are read on Sunday, before the Gospel.
Revelation 7:9-17
John sees a great crowd from every nation, robed in white before God’s throne, and God will wipe away every tear.
Read it here
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering.They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. 16 They will never be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun won’t beat on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
A song of thanks: those who look to the LORD are radiant, and the LORD redeems the lives of his servants.
Read it here
1 I will bless the LORD at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall boast in the LORD. The humble shall hear of it and be glad. 3 Oh magnify the LORD with me. Let’s exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame. 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The LORD’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. 9 Oh fear the LORD, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
1 John 3:1-3
See what love the Father has given us, that we are called children of God; what we will be has not yet been shown.
Read it here
1 See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
A question to carry into the week
Whose name would you say out loud this All Saints?
For your newsletter or sermon notes
This reading is told as a story on our sister site, Free Scripture, one scene at a time in plain words. The lines below are ready to paste. The next eight Sundays, and every story.
All Saints readings from the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A. Scripture text: World English Bible, public domain.
Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org Used by permission.