Christian Reflection and Prayer

ALL SAINTS DAY

For all the saints

"For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest,
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!"
For All the Saints
William Walsham How (1823-1897)

Scripture:

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers
and foreigners. You are citizens along with
all of God's holy people. You are members of
God's family. We are his house, built on the
foundation of the apostles and the prophets.
And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
We who believe are carefully knit together,
becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through
him you Gentiles are also joined together as
part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT

Reflection:

A hero of the faith

"In 1864 Bishop William How wrote this hymn
for All Saints Day. He cited Hebrews 12:1 in his
original title, but he drew on all of Hebrews 11 for
inspiration. That's the famous "faith chapter,
" which praises the faithful deeds of a score of
Old Testament heroes.

The author might be considered a hero of the faith
himself. He was a man of the people, regularly
reaching out to minister to the poor and needy in
his area. Once he listed the characteristics that a
minister should have; among them was being
"wholly without thought of self." Those who knew
him said that Bishop How was like that, selflessly
caring for others."

from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark
Norton and Robert Brown (Tyndale) entry for
November 1

(God's Daily Promises)