All Saints' Day -- November 1
On this day, or the first Sunday of November, the church celebrates the fall Easter -- the remembrance of those who enter the church by Holy Baptism and who depart by death for their resurrection to eternal life. The Bible refers to the baptized as saints (Ephesians 4, Acts 9, Matthew 27) and promises life and salvation for all who who belong to Jesus.
Traditionally, the Christian's life is divided into two segments: Participation in the Church Militant and participation in the Church Triumphant. The Church Militant comprises all the baptized saints living in time and space and waging spiritual war against sin and evil in all its forms. Believers look within themselves for the root of sin and seek out opportunities to confess it and receive God's forgiveness. The Church Militant speaks out the Gospel message of hope to a world filled with despair; it acts in love and service toward others in Jesus' name; it decries injustice and oppression and works to free people enslaved by it. It is always struggling against the internal and external forces that seek to drive people away from God. The Church Triumphant is the assembly of those saints who by death have ended their time of struggle and now live in the peace of Christ's resurrection triumph over all that would separate us from God. In God's time, they already share the eternal life promised them; in our time, they are resting in the grave. At the Lord's table, Jesus gathers the whole Church -- militant and triumphant -- to share his life and gracious love. The Holy Eucharist is the intersection of heaven and earth and a sign of the truth of God's presence in our world.
Christ the King Sunday -- This is the last Sunday of the Church Year. It falls one week before the Sunday closest to November 30, St. Andrew's Day. It is variously called Judgment Sunday or Last Sunday of End Time. However it is viewed, it is a hinge for the door that swings between faith lived in the world as it is now and faith lived in hope of the new order God is preparing at the end of time. On this day, we hear of the reign of Jesus Christ as the Crucified Savior and the risen and ascended Ruler of heaven and earth. We acknowledge his judgment against all that opposes him and his release of all who trust in him. We recognize that his full power will only become visible on the day he comes to fulfill his mission. Then the door swings back to Advent and the promise of God's Messiah coming to save his people.
Both of these days are feasts worth celebrating, for they remind us who we are, what we are doing here, and what we can hope for.
On this day, or the first Sunday of November, the church celebrates the fall Easter -- the remembrance of those who enter the church by Holy Baptism and who depart by death for their resurrection to eternal life. The Bible refers to the baptized as saints (Ephesians 4, Acts 9, Matthew 27) and promises life and salvation for all who who belong to Jesus.
Traditionally, the Christian's life is divided into two segments: Participation in the Church Militant and participation in the Church Triumphant. The Church Militant comprises all the baptized saints living in time and space and waging spiritual war against sin and evil in all its forms. Believers look within themselves for the root of sin and seek out opportunities to confess it and receive God's forgiveness. The Church Militant speaks out the Gospel message of hope to a world filled with despair; it acts in love and service toward others in Jesus' name; it decries injustice and oppression and works to free people enslaved by it. It is always struggling against the internal and external forces that seek to drive people away from God. The Church Triumphant is the assembly of those saints who by death have ended their time of struggle and now live in the peace of Christ's resurrection triumph over all that would separate us from God. In God's time, they already share the eternal life promised them; in our time, they are resting in the grave. At the Lord's table, Jesus gathers the whole Church -- militant and triumphant -- to share his life and gracious love. The Holy Eucharist is the intersection of heaven and earth and a sign of the truth of God's presence in our world.
Christ the King Sunday -- This is the last Sunday of the Church Year. It falls one week before the Sunday closest to November 30, St. Andrew's Day. It is variously called Judgment Sunday or Last Sunday of End Time. However it is viewed, it is a hinge for the door that swings between faith lived in the world as it is now and faith lived in hope of the new order God is preparing at the end of time. On this day, we hear of the reign of Jesus Christ as the Crucified Savior and the risen and ascended Ruler of heaven and earth. We acknowledge his judgment against all that opposes him and his release of all who trust in him. We recognize that his full power will only become visible on the day he comes to fulfill his mission. Then the door swings back to Advent and the promise of God's Messiah coming to save his people.
Both of these days are feasts worth celebrating, for they remind us who we are, what we are doing here, and what we can hope for.