Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, November 19, 2023)
“Are we living in the end times?” “Is Jesus’ return imminent?” These questions and more are on in the minds and on the lips of Christians in this third decade of the twenty-first century.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Mara Van Dyke's piano rendition of Psalm 42 from the 1912 Scottish Psalter.
Silence
Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. Psalm 43:3
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1: 8-9
Let us confess our sins to God.
Silence
Merciful Father,
we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much the schemes and desires of our own hearts
and have broken your holy laws.
We have left undone what we ought to have done,
and we have done what we ought not to have done.
Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us;
restore those who are repentant,
according to the promises declared to us
through your Son Jesus Christ.
Grant, merciful Father, for his sake,
that from now on,
we may live godly and obedient lives,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Almighty God and loving Father,
we rejoice that you pardon and forgive
those who truly repent and sincerely believe your holy gospel.
Grant us true repentance and your Holy Spirit,
that we may live godly, righteous and holy lives,
and finally come to your eternal glory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Glory to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Elissa Massa’s setting of Psalm 100, “Be Joyful in the Lord (Jubilate).”
O be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness,
and come before His presence with a song.
Be assured He is God:
it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves:
we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture,
the sheep of His pasture.
We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture,
the sheep of His pasture.
O be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness,
and come before His presence with a song.
Be assured He is God:
it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves:
we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture,
the sheep of His pasture.
We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture,
the sheep of His pasture.
O go your way into His gates with thanksgiving,
and unto His courts with praise:
be thankful unto Him, speak good of His Name,
with thanksgiving,
and unto His courts with praise:
For the Lord is gracious; and His mercy is everlasting:
His mercy is everlasting
His truth endures for generations.
His mercy is everlasting:
Amen.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to Jim Farrell’s “Sing a Joyful Song,” based on Psalm 145.
Sing a joyful song to the Lord, alleluia!
Let the heavens and earth rejoice, alleluia, alleluia!
The heavens proclaim His name
And earth in reply
Echoes back with joyful songs of praise
Sing a joyful song to the Lord, alleluia!
Let the heavens and earth rejoice, alleluia, alleluia!
Our God is a mighty God
Unequal in power
Yet His gentle mercy covers the earth!
Sing a joyful song to the Lord, alleluia! (Sing, sing to the Lord!)
(Alleluia, sing to the Lord)
Let the heavens and earth rejoice, alleluia, alleluia!
Sing praise, O Jerusalem!
Sing praise to your King!
He shall rule with justice age after age
Sing a joyful song to the Lord, alleluia! (Sing, sing to the Lord!)
(Alleluia, sing to the Lord)
Let the heavens and earth rejoice, alleluia, alleluia!
Sing praise to the God of gods
The ancient of days
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of all!
Sing a joyful song to the Lord, alleluia! (Sing, sing to the Lord!)
(Alleluia, sing to the Lord)
Let the heavens and earth rejoice, alleluia, alleluia!
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear James Quinn SJ’s “O God of Light, the Dawning Day.”
O God of light, the dawning day
Gives us new promise of your love.
Each fresh beginning is your gift,
Like gentle dew from heav‘n above.
Your blessings, Father, never fail:
Your Son, who is our daily Bread,
The Holy Spirit of your love,
By whom each day your children are led.
Make us the servant of your peace,
Renew our strength, remove all fear;
Be with us, Lord, throughout this day,
For all is joy if you are near.
To Father, Son and Spirit blest,
One only God, we humbly pray;
Show us the splendor of your light
In death, the dawn of perfect day.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Old Testament (Zephaniah 1:7, 12–18)
Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign Lord,
for the awesome day of the Lord’s judgement is near.
The Lord has prepared his people for a great slaughter
and has chosen their executioners.
“I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners
to punish those who sit complacent in their sins.
They think the Lord will do nothing to them,
either good or bad.
So their property will be plundered,
their homes will be ransacked.
They will build new homes
but never live in them.
They will plant vineyards
but never drink wine from them.
“That terrible day of the Lord is near.
Swiftly it comes—
a day of bitter tears,
a day when even strong men will cry out.
It will be a day when the Lord’s anger is poured out—
a day of terrible distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,
a day of trumpet calls and battle cries.
Down go the walled cities
and the strongest battlements!
“Because you have sinned against the Lord,
I will make you grope around like the blind.
Your blood will be poured into the dust,
and your bodies will lie rotting on the ground.”
Your silver and gold will not save you
on that day of the Lord’s anger.
For the whole land will be devoured
by the fire of his jealousy.
He will make a terrifying end
of all the people on earth.
Silence
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Paul Duncan, Ryan Flanigan, and Matt Papa’s setting of Benedictus es, Domine, “Song of the Three Young Men,” from The Book of Common Prayer (1979).
Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers;
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name;
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
Glory to you in the splendor of your temple;
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim;
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
Glory to you, beholding the depths;
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
A reading from the New Testament (1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)
Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labour pains begin. And there will be no escape.
But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armour of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him for ever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
Silence
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Perry’s paraphrase of the Benedictus, “Blessed Be the God of Israel.”
1 Blessed be the God of Israel
who comes to set us free;
who visits and redeems us,
who grants us liberty.
The prophets spoke of mercy,
of rescue and release:
God shall fulfill the promise
to bring our people peace.
2 Now from the house of David
a child of grace is given;
a Savior who comes among us
to raise us up to heaven
Before him goes the herald,
forerunner in the way,
the prophet of salvation,
the harbinger of day.
3 On prisoners of darkness
the sun begins to rise,
the dawning of forgiveness
upon the sinner's eyes;
to guide the feet of pilgrims
along the paths of peace:
O bless our God and Savior,
with songs that never cease!
The Day of the Lord
A few decades later the Babylonians would besiege Jerusalem for a third time, having twice captured the city and installed a vassal king only to have that king rebel against his overlord, the king of Babylon, each time. The Babylonians destroyed the First Temple, burned the city and the surrounding villages and towns, and laid waste to the countryside. The kingdom of Judah became a province of Babylon. Its leading families were taken into captivity in Babylon.
The Day of the Lord, a day of judgment, not just of the Jews but of the whole earth, is a major theme of the books of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus also taught that he would return one day and judge the living and dead. His coming again as our judge is a basic tenet of the Christian faith.
In today’s second reading, taken from his First Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul assures the believers at Thessalonica to whom he wrote that they need not fear the Day of the Lord. God has chosen to save them through Jesus Christ. Christ died for them so that they could live with him forever. He urges them to keep on encouraging each other and building each other up.
A lot of bad things are happening in this country and around the world. Some Christians claim that what is happening is the fulfillment of what is called end-time prophesy. We do not know that for certain. Jesus did not know the day or time that he would return but instructed his disciples to be prepared.
As human beings we are prone to give more attention to negative information than positive information. We are also prone “to imagine the worst possible outcome of an action or event: to think about a situation or event as being a catastrophe or having a potentially catastrophic outcome.” What some Christians describe as signs of the end-time may be what Jesus described as early labor pains. A woman may experience them long before the baby is born. She can also experience false labor.
As a disciple of Jesus, we should always be ready for his return. But in the meantime, we would be well-advised to do what Paul urges the Thessalonia believers to do—to encourage each other and to build each other up. Meeting with our fellow believers in a small group, either in person or on a videoconferencing platform, is a good way to do that. We can share with each other what is happening in our spiritual lives, admonish each other when we need to, encourage each other, and pray for each other. It is one of the better ways to be on our guard, to stay alert and to maintain a clear head, as Paul urged the Thessalonians. We can help each other to persevere when faced with temptations and trials and to grow in faith and love.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Perry’s “I Believe in God the Father.”
I believe in God the Father
who created heaven and earth,
holding all things in his power,
bringing light and life to birth.
I believe in God the Savior,
Son of Man and Lord most high,
crucified to be redeemer,
raised to life that death may die.
I believe in God the Spirit,
wind of heaven and flame of fire,
pledge of all that we inherit,
sent to comfort and inspire.
Honor, glory, might and merit
be to God, and God alone!
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
One-in-Three and Three-in-One.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
Let us pray for the Church and the world.
Receive now our prayers, Lord God. May it please you to guide
and govern your holy church, fill it with truth and love, and grant it
that unity, which is your will, binding it together with your Spirit.
Hear us, good Lord.
Enlighten all pastors and other ministers with true knowledge and understanding of your word, so that in their preaching and life they may clearly show it.
Hear us, good Lord.
Help us to love and revere you, to hear and receive your word, to live by it, and to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit.
Hear us, good Lord.
Bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived and those who have been tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.
Hear us, good Lord.
Strengthen those who stand firm in the faith; encourage the fainthearted; raise up the fallen; and finally beat down Satan under your feet.
Hear us, good Lord.
Grant wisdom and strength to [the President of the United States and] all in authority and grant that they may always seek your honor and glory.
Hear us, good Lord.
Give grace to the judges and the magistrates to discern the truth and give right judgment.
Hear us, good Lord.
Protect the earth, grant us plentiful harvests, and make us truly thankful for all you provide.
Hear us, good Lord.
Come to the help of all who are in danger, or any kind of need, or trouble; protect all who travel by land, air, or water; and take pity on all prisoners and captives.
Hear us, good Lord.
Strengthen and preserve all expectant mothers, women in childbirth,
and all babies and young children; and comfort the aged and lonely.
Hear us, good Lord.
Defend and provide for the widowed and the fatherless, the
refugees and the homeless, and all who are desolate and
oppressed.
Hear us, good Lord.
Heal those who are sick in body or mind; and give skill and
compassion to all who care for them.
Hear us, good Lord.
Forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; and turn
their hearts.
Hear us, good Lord.
Grant us true repentance; forgive our sins, indifference, and
ignorance; and strengthen us by your Holy Spirit to amend
our lives according to your holy word.
Hear us, good Lord.
Faithful God,
you have promised to hear the prayers
of all who ask in Jesus’ name.
In your mercy, accept, our prayers.
give us what we have asked in faith ,
according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God our Father,
Make us passionate for your Word and
bold in telling our neighbors
about your grace.
May the Holy Spirit awaken faith
in them and draw them to
your Son, Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Let us join together in the prayer which Jesus gave us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
THE SENDING OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Holy and everliving God,
by your power we are created
and by your love we are redeemed;
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service,
and live each day in love to one another and to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May God, Creator, bless us and keep us,
may Christ be ever light for our lives,
may the Spirit of Love be our guide and path,
for all our days. Amen
Open this link in a new tab to hear Joesph Condor and Charles Price’s “In Your Mercy, Lord, You Called Me.”
1 In your mercy, Lord, you called me,
taught my sin-filled heart and mind,
else this world had still enthralled me,
and to glory kept me blind.
2 Lord, I did not freely choose you
till by grace you set me free;
for my heart would still refuse you
had your love not chosen me.
3 Now my heart sets none above you,
for your grace alone I thirst,
knowing well, that if I love you,
you, O Lord, have loved me first.
Those present may share a sign of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
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