Sundays at All Hallows (October 26, 2025)
Next Friday, October 31, 2025, begins Hallowtide, the triduum of All Hallows' Eve (Halloween), All Hallows' Day (All Saints’ Day or Hallowmas) and All Souls' Day, as well as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (observed on the first Sunday of November).
In some Christian traditions, the first Sunday of November is observed as All Saints Sunday, on which beloved members of the local church who have departed this life are commemorated and candles may be lit in their memory to the solemn ringing of a bell. The local church’ worldwide connection with those who claim the name of Christ is also acknowledged and celebrated.
In southeastern Louisiana where I lived for almost five decades of my life, families visit the cemeteries, clean the gravesites, wash the aboveground tombs and repaint them, and decorate the graves and tombs of loved ones with fresh flowers and lit candles. They may also eat a picnic meal beside the grave or tomb.
In this Sunday’s message we unpack the meaning of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector and its application to us.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Liam Lawton’s instrumental arrangement of THE WEAVER.
Silence
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in
spirit and truth. John 4:24
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and
just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9
So let us draw near to God with sincerity and confidence, and humbly confess our sins.
Silence
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and the desires of our own hearts.
we have offended against 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 penitent,
according to your promises declared
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grant, most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober lives,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon
and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their
sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open our lips, O Lord;
And we shall declare your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lloyd Larson’s choral arrangement of “O Come and Sing unto the Lord” (Palm 95) from The Palter 1912.
O come and sing unto the Lord,
to God our voices raise;
Let us in our most joyful song
the Lord our savior, praise!
Before God's presence let us
come with praise and thankful voice;
Let us sing psalms to God with grace,
with grateful hearts rejoice.
O come, and bowing down to God,
our worship let us bring;
Come, let us kneel before the Lord,
our Maker and our King.
The Lord our God is King of kings,
above all gods enthroned;
the depths of earth and mountains
high by God alone are owned.
To God the spacious sea belongs;
God made its waves and tides.
And by God's hand the rising land
was formed, and still abides.
O come, and bowing down to God,
our worship let us bring;
Come, let us kneel before the Lord,
our Maker and our King,
our Maker and our King, our King.
At the end of each of the following two Psalms a suggestion for further prayer arising out of the Psalm is printed.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Andrea Sandefur’s arrangement of “O God, You Are My God Alone (Psalm 63).”
Verse 1
O God, you are my God alone,
whom eagerly I seek,
though longing fills my soul with thirst
and leaves my body weak.
Just like a dry and barren land
awaits a freshening shower,
I long within your house to see
your glory and your power.
Verse 2
Your faithful love surpasses life,
evoking all my praise.
Through every day, to bless your name,
my hands in joy I'll raise.
My deepest needs you satisfy
as with a sumptuous feast.
So, on my lips and in my heart,
your praise will never ceased.
Chorus
Rejoice my soul, praise him,
and again I say, “Rejoice!”
Rejoice my soul, praise him,
and again I say, “Rejoice!”
Verse 3
Throughout the night I lie in bed
and call you, Lord, to mind;
in darkest hours I meditate
how God, my strength, is kind.
Beneath the shadow of your wing,
I live and feel secure;
and daily, as I follow close,
your right hand keeps me sure.
Final Chorus
Rejoice my soul, praise him,
and again I say, “Rejoice!”
Rejoice my soul, praise him,
and again I say, “Rejoice!”
Rejoice my soul, praise him,
and again I say, “Rejoice!”
Rejoice my soul, praise him,
and again I say, “Rejoice!”
Outro
Beneath the shadow of your wing,
I live and feel secure;
and daily, as I follow close,
your right hand keeps me sure.
Silence
Prayer: for those who devote their lives to prayer
Open this link in a new tab to hear Matt Searles’ “How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place (Psalm 84).”
1 How lovely is your dwelling place
O Lord of hosts to me
My heart cries out and even faints
The courts of God to see
The sparrow finds a place to nest
Beside your throne of grace
Oh how I long to find my rest
And dwell with you always
2 A pilgrim now for all my days
My gaze is set above
The desert blooms with autumn rains
You bless the ones you love
Your people go from strength to strength
Until we see your face
Your eyes are turned to us in love
You hear us when we pray
3 I'd rather live for just one day
And gaze upon my Lord
Than spend a lifetime far away
From where your praise is heard
There's no good thing you will withhold
For those who follow you
O Lord my sun and mighty shield
My soul will trust in you
Silence
Prayer: for the pilgrim people of God.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of Sirach.
Sirach 35: 10-17
Give to the Most High as he has given to you, just as generously as you can. The Lord always repays and will do it many times over. But don't try to bribe him or rely on offerings that you have obtained dishonestly. He will not accept them.
The Lord is fair and does not show partiality. He is not prejudiced against the poor; when someone prays who has been wronged, the Lord listens. When orphans and widows pour out their prayers, he does not ignore them. The tears running down a widow's cheek cry out in accusation against the one who has caused her distress.
Serve the Lord willingly, and the Lord will accept you; your prayers will reach the skies. The prayer of a humble person goes past the clouds and keeps on going until it reaches the Lord Most High, where it stays until he answers by seeing that justice is done and that the guilty are punished.
Silence.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Kenneth Jennings’ choral arrangement of “All You Works of the Lord.”
1 All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.
2 You angels of the Lord, bless the
Lord;
You heavens, bless the Lord;
all you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord;
praise God and magnify God forever.
3 You sun and moon, bless the Lord;
you stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
all you showers and dew, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.
4 All you winds of God, bless the Lord;
you fire and heat, bless the Lord;
you winter and summer, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.
5 You dews and frost, bless the Lord;
you frost and cold, bless the Lord;
you ice and snow, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.
6 You nights and days, bless the Lord;
you light and darkness, bless the Lord;
you lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever,
praise God and magnify God forever,
praise God and magnify God forever,
praise God and magnify God forever.
Bless the Lord.
7 All the earth, bless the Lord;
you mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
all you green things that grow on the earth, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever
8 You wells and springs, bless the Lord;
you rivers and seas, bless the Lord;
you whales and all who move in the waters, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.
9 All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord;
all you children of mortals, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.
10 You people of God, bless the Lord;
you priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord:
praise God and magnify God forever.
11 You spirits and souls of the righteous,
you pure and humble of heart, bless the Lord;
let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit:
praise God and magnify God forever. Amen
A reading from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy.
2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18
As for me, the hour has come for me to be sacrificed; the time is here for me to leave this life. I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith. And now there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right with God, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day—and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for him to appear.
No one stood by me the first time I defended myself; all deserted me. May God not count it against them! But the Lord stayed with me and gave me strength, so that I was able to proclaim the full message for all the Gentiles to hear; and I was rescued from being sentenced to death. And the Lord will rescue me from all evil and take me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear “Glory to God” from Marty Haugen’s Beneath the Tree of Life Mass.
Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.
1 Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.
2 Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.
3 For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father,
Amen.
Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people, peace to God’s people,
peace to God’s people on earth.
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
Luke 18: 9-14
Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else. “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’ I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home. For those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.”
Silence
A Pharisee and a Tax Collector Went Up to the Temple to Pray
Jesus does not suggest that the Pharisee is a hypocrite. He is not lying to God when he describes how he lives his life. By his own estimates he has done what is right in God’s eyes and therefore is deserving of God’s approval. He has done what he believes that the Law demands.
In looking down on the tax collector, the Pharisee was not displaying an uncommon attitude for the time and place in which he lived. Both Jews and non-Jews despised tax collectors because of their choice of occupation. Under the Roman tax system, the collection of taxes owed by a province were farmed out to private individuals who in return for paying the tax levied on the province were granted the privilege of collecting the tax from the population of the province. They would demand sexual favors from women, seize property and livestock, enslave and sell men, women, and children; and do whatever else that they could to profit and otherwise benefit from this privilege. As a consequence, tax collectors had an unsavory reputation and were social outcasts, individuals with whom only the dregs of Judean society would associate.
The Pharisees believed tax collectors were beyond redemption. Whatever they might do, God would never show them his favor, The contempt that the Pharisee expressed toward the tax collector was not based upon familiarity with the individual in question but how his particular sect as well as larger Judean society viewed tax collectors.
The Pharisee believes that he is he good standing with God due to what he does, because the way that he lives. The tax collector, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his sinfulness. He is unable to approach the sanctuary or lift his eye to heaven, not from fear it appears but from shame. He beats his breast in anguish and pleads for God’s mercy, for God’s forgiveness and kindness. He acknowledges his sinfulness. His plea is humble one and comes from the heart. It is the tax collector’s prayer that Jesus commends to those listening to him, perhaps to their consternation, and not the self-righteous boasting of the Pharisee. It is the tax collector, not the Pharisee, he tells them, who is right with God when he goes home, the one who humbled himself before the Lord.
Jesus not only warns us against trusting in our own works in this parable but also he warns us against seeking to make ourselves great. He restates in his own words Proverb 3:34 which can be translated as God “has no use for conceited people, but shows favor to those who are humble.” Indeed, it is a theme throughout the Bible that God oppose the proud but gives grace to the humble.
While an attitude of self-righteousness and a belief in our spiritual superiority to others can be a result of pride in our own works, they can also be a product of the belief system that we embrace, a belief system in which we view ourselves as particularly favored by God in comparison to others. We are tempted to put ourselves in the place of God and to make ourselves the judge of who is worthy of hearing the words of life. Our calling, however, is to share the good news of God’ grace with all humankind and make disciples of all who heed Jesus’ call to follow him.
The danger of self-righteousness and the importance of humility are not the only lessons we can learn from this Sunday’s reading. The prayer of the tax collector is also a model for our own prayer to God. It was an earnest plea for God’s mercy, one which was accompanied by a confession of sin. It was personal. It was simple. It was direct. It was heart-felt. It was humble.
We are also reminded that God does not desire the death of a sinner but that the sinner repent and live.
Silence
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on 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.
Lord, show us your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness,
and make your chosen people joyful.
Lord, save your people,
and bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
for you are our help and strength.
Create in us dean hearts, O God,
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
Lord God, without you we are not able to please you; mercifully
grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our
hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, the author and lover of peace, in knowledge of whom
stands our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom;
defend us your servants in all assaults of our enemies,
that, surely trusting in your defense, we may not fear the power
of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and
by whose love we are redeemed: guide and strengthen us by
your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and
live every day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus
Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Martin Luther and David Ward’s “By Grace Alone.”
1 Out of the depths I cry to You.
Lord, hear my voice of pleading;
Bend down Your gracious ear, I pray,
Your humble servant heeding.
If You remember each misdeed,
And of each thought and word take heed,
who can remain before You?
Only by grace, by grace alone.
2 Your pardon is a gift of love,
Your grace alone must save us.
Our works will not remove our guilt;
the strictest life would fail us.
Let none in deeds or merits boast,
but let us own the Holy Ghost,
for He alone can change us:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
3 Tho’ great our sins and sore our woes,
His grace much more aboundeth.
His helping love no limit knows;
our utmost need it soundeth.
Our kind and faithful Shepherd He,
Who will set all His people free
from all their sin and sorrow:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Coda:
If You remember each misdeed,
And of each thought and word take heed,
who can remain before You?
Only by grace, by grace alone.
By grace alone.
[Let us pray for the Church]
Almighty and eternal God, you alone work great marvels:
send down your life-giving Spirit of grace on our bishops and other clergy, and on the congregations which they serve; and, in order that they may truly please you, pour upon them the continual dew of your blessing. Grant this, Lord, for the honour of our advocate and mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.
[Let us pray for all people according to their needs]
God of providence, God of love,
we pray for all people: make your way known to them, your saving power
among all nations.
We pray for the welfare of your Church throughout the world: guide and
govern it by your Holy Spirit, that all who call themselves Christians
may be led in the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit,
in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
We commend to your fatherly goodness all who are afflicted or distressed
in mind, body, or circumstances (especially…). Relieve them according to their needs, giving them patience in their sufferings, and deliverance in their afflictions. This we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
[Let us pray for ourselves and others.]
Silence
Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.
Eternal God,
grant to us this day and every day
such readiness and delight in following Christ,
that whether our lives are short or long
we shall have lived abundantly. Amen.
[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]
Almighty God and merciful Father,
we give you heart-felt thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness to us
and to all people.
We bless you for our creation and preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such a sense of all your mercies,
that our hearts may be truly thankful,
and that we praise you,
not only with our lips but in our lives,
serving you in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, you have promised to hear the petitions of
those who ask in your Son’s name: mercifully accept us who
have now made our prayers to you; and grant us those things
which we have asked in faith according to your will; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Philip Percival, Alanna Glover, and Liv Chapman’ “Your Word.”
Verse 1
Your word is good, it’s ever faithful
Worth more than gold, the heart’s delight
Your word gives life to all who hear and obey
Your word endures forever
Verse 2
Your word is true, it never changes
It formed the earth; sustains it still
Your word defends; providing refuge and strength
Your word endures forever
Chorus
Your word is a lamp unto my feet
Your word is a light unto my path
For your word is my hope, it’s my joy and my song
Your word endures forever
Verse 3
Your word transforms, it lifts the humble
Rebukes the proud, protects the poor
Your word discerns the mind and spirit of all
Your word endures forever
Your word endures forever
Chorus
Your word is a lamp unto my feet
Your word is a light unto my path
For your word is my hope, it’s my joy and my song
Your word endures forever
Bridge
Your word is more than just letters on pages
It’s life and it's love and it's freedom for us
Your word is more than just wisdom of ages
Its treasures are endless, it's always enough
Your word is more than just stories of old
It's the truth and the way and the story of love
Your word is more than just breath into dust
It’s your Son, as a man, come to dwell here with us
Final Chorus
Your word is a lamp unto my feet
Your word is a light unto my path
Your word is a lamp unto my feet
Your word is a light unto my path
For your word is my hope, it’s my joy and my song
Your word endures forever
Your word endures forever
Your word endures forever
THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear St. Aidan’s Community’s “The Grace (2 Corinthians 13:14).”
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God our Father,
and the fellowship, the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with us
for evermore and evermore and evermore. Amen.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God our Father,
and the fellowship, the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with us
for evermore and evermore and evermore. Amen.
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