A Word from Laura: All Saints’ Sunday

Western Friends,

            I write this on All Souls’ Day, the third day in the All Hallows Eve/All Saints’/All Souls’ days of remembering the “faithful departed.” For the last few years at Western we’ve been remembering the departed who have been important to us on the first Sunday of November.  Our sacrament of communion becomes an observance of the communion of the saints.  We’ll do the same this year, too.

            Hearing news of Israeli troops surrounding Gaza City tonight, this year I am sure we are called to remember more than the “faithful departed” we have known. I think of the reported numbers: 1400 killed by Hamas and more than 7,000 killed by Israeli attack. The numbers grow more difficult to fathom. Knowing that it’s politically complicated doesn’t reduce the concern for unjust loss of life or trauma experienced by thousands of civilians, including untold numbers of children.   

This year our remembrance includes all of our siblings in our human family, including lives lost senselessly and horribly, most recently by the Maine shooter. God, best known through Divine Love and Justice, calls us to remember all who have lost their lives by violence, all who grieve, all who are struggling to survive while in harm’s way. Remembering, our hearts and minds must remain open to pray for change in those who mistakenly believe weapons or violence bring legitimate solutions, political or personal.

This Sunday, as we gather at the Lord’s Table, I encourage you to bring all your prayers. I’ve asked Kathy to gather us with the song “Come, Bring Your Burdens to God.”  May we trust that our prayers for all we mourn are not idle words or platitudes, but how, through bringing our grief or outrage, we join God’s Spirit already at work, transforming our hearts and the world.

See you Sunday,

Laura