All Saints Day, Nov 1 2026, Sts. Martha and Mary, Eagan
Revelation 7:9-17, Psalm 34:1-10, 22, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12
Revelation 7:9-17, Psalm 34:1-10, 22, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12
We have some really beautiful texts to hear this morning. We’ve been listening to some really tough ones from Matthew for quite some time really. And it’s lovely to rest in these blessings and promises. I invite you, on this All Saints Day, to throw your mind and your heart and your imagination into your past and remember the Cloud of Witnesses, remember the blessings and promises they embodied. I invite you to throw your mind and your heart and your imagination
into the days and weeks, months and years ahead, and find your place among the Cloud of Witnesses, embodying the blessings and promises that God shows us and paints for us in this
into the days and weeks, months and years ahead, and find your place among the Cloud of Witnesses, embodying the blessings and promises that God shows us and paints for us in this
beautiful poetry and prose we read today.
First, I want to turn to Revelation, and before we imagine the blessings and promises
in that text, I need to say a couple things about Revelation. We don’t often get to consider Revelation, and when we do, we dismiss it as too hard, or too wild, or too scary. It may very well be hard, wild, and scary, but it speaks truth to power, and speaks to us right here and right now, as well into our past and into our future. Revelation is a story told in a time of empire, it is a story of resistance and perseverance. And it includes prophecy. We need to remind ourselves what prophecy means. A prophet is one who calls a people, sometimes a person, to repent, to turn around, to do whatever it is they are doing, differently. Prophecy then, is the voice that does that, the voice that calls a people to a different way, a different road. And then, the prophet often paints a picture of what will happen if people do not change their ways. That’s the scary bits of Revelation, overall, the author is calling the people, including you and me and the church, to resist empire and power and control, and persevere in following Jesus in loving one another.
in that text, I need to say a couple things about Revelation. We don’t often get to consider Revelation, and when we do, we dismiss it as too hard, or too wild, or too scary. It may very well be hard, wild, and scary, but it speaks truth to power, and speaks to us right here and right now, as well into our past and into our future. Revelation is a story told in a time of empire, it is a story of resistance and perseverance. And it includes prophecy. We need to remind ourselves what prophecy means. A prophet is one who calls a people, sometimes a person, to repent, to turn around, to do whatever it is they are doing, differently. Prophecy then, is the voice that does that, the voice that calls a people to a different way, a different road. And then, the prophet often paints a picture of what will happen if people do not change their ways. That’s the scary bits of Revelation, overall, the author is calling the people, including you and me and the church, to resist empire and power and control, and persevere in following Jesus in loving one another.
Revelation 7 borrows from Isaiah 25:8, and sets before us the image of the Lamb on the throne. The Lamb on the throne is in direct contrast to the powerful one on the throne, or the richest one on the throne, or the most beautiful on the throne. In Revelation we know this is Jesus sitting on the throne, in whose kingdom “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."
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."
I think this is just about the most beautiful image in all of the bible.
What do you imagine when you hear these words?
What kind of world is God building?
What kind of world are we building in partnership with God?
Hold onto that as we move into Matthew.
What kind of world is God building?
What kind of world are we building in partnership with God?
Hold onto that as we move into Matthew.
These beatitudes, blessings, promises, are so very familiar to us, and maybe even comforting.
The beatitudes imagine a different kind of world. As with Revelation, this is apocalyptic. It operates in a world that is now and not yet. It imagines a world right here and right now, where humanity takes God’s blessing and promise seriously. The beatitudes reverse the sort of
conventionally held values in a world where power and control and empire win. Instead, they imagine a world in which those who have been so beaten down, are welcomed as God’s beloveds. They imagine a world in which those who mourn, those who grieve over lost children, lost love, are welcomed as God’s beloveds. They imagine a world in which those who are willing to listen deeply to the other side of the argument, who are willing to stand up
for others who are blamed, or vilified, are welcomed as God’s beloveds. They imagine a world in which those who are willing to stand in the breach, and hold up a sign that says, “Minnesotans love their neighbors”, are welcomed as God’s beloveds.
The beatitudes imagine a different kind of world. As with Revelation, this is apocalyptic. It operates in a world that is now and not yet. It imagines a world right here and right now, where humanity takes God’s blessing and promise seriously. The beatitudes reverse the sort of
conventionally held values in a world where power and control and empire win. Instead, they imagine a world in which those who have been so beaten down, are welcomed as God’s beloveds. They imagine a world in which those who mourn, those who grieve over lost children, lost love, are welcomed as God’s beloveds. They imagine a world in which those who are willing to listen deeply to the other side of the argument, who are willing to stand up
for others who are blamed, or vilified, are welcomed as God’s beloveds. They imagine a world in which those who are willing to stand in the breach, and hold up a sign that says, “Minnesotans love their neighbors”, are welcomed as God’s beloveds.
The beatitudes imagine a great reversal, just as one of the promises of All Saints Sunday is the great reversal of death. Death is reversed in life with God and with all the saints in light in the resurrection. The Kingdom of God is much more like a wrinkle in time than a ladder to heaven. It is an already - not yet apocalyptic blessing.
The great reversal is not just at death, but is made real each and every time humans embody this life of following Jesus, this Christian life. Every time you defiantly love your neighbor,
every time you feed hungry people, every time you let your neighbor, or your relative, love you, every time you let yourself be fed by God’s creation, you embody the blessing and the promise that makes the kingdom of God real, that brings the kingdom of God near, and points us to something more.
every time you feed hungry people, every time you let your neighbor, or your relative, love you, every time you let yourself be fed by God’s creation, you embody the blessing and the promise that makes the kingdom of God real, that brings the kingdom of God near, and points us to something more.
These beatitudes, these blessings, are at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry in Matthew's story. It is important to remember that, and to remember that those who are blessed are the ones who get overlooked, are pushed to the margins, even stepped on, these blessings are unexpected. The kingdom of God is full of surprises.
Where in the world do we go to see Jesus?
And to see the kingdom of God in action?
What do you imagine when you hear these words?
What kind of world is God building?
What kind of world are we building in partnership with God?
And to see the kingdom of God in action?
What do you imagine when you hear these words?
What kind of world is God building?
What kind of world are we building in partnership with God?
All Saints reminds us that we are the result of the love of thousands. What then is the task we bear today? It’s not about heroics, but definitely the super powers of love and compassion. We are the saints of God; we are the ones who give rise to the thousands who come after us. Our task today is to follow Jesus. Our call is to Love God, love others, show that love bright and clear wherever we are.
Getting up every morning, giving thanks for the day, putting one foot in front of the other, and shining the Christ light into all of the dark places, makes a difference. We are joined together,
we are joined with the cloud of witnesses, and our witness matters, our actions matter.
we are joined with the cloud of witnesses, and our witness matters, our actions matter.
Saints lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still; the world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus’ will. You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea, in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea; for the saints of God are just folk like me,
and I mean to be one too.
and I mean to be one too.
And all the saints of God say, AMEN!
