All Saints Day Prayer

Living God, in whom there is no shadow or change,

we thank you for the gift of life eternal,

and for all those who, having served you well,

now rest from their labours.

We thank you for all the saints remembered and forgotten,

for those dear souls most precious to us.

Today we give thanks for those who during the last twelve months,

have died and entered into glory.

We bless you for their life and love,

and rejoice for them,

"all is well, and all manner of things will be well."

God of Jesus and our God,

mindful of all those choice souls who have gone on ahead of us,

teach us, and each 21st century disciple of every race and place,

- to follow their example to the best of our ability,

- to feed the poor in body or spirit,

- to support and comfort the mourners and the repentant,

- to encourage the meek and stand with them in crises,

- to cherish and learn from the merciful,

- to be humbled by, and stand with, the peacemakers.

Let us clearly recognize what it means to be called the children of God,

and to know we are to be your saints neither by our own inclination nor in our strength

but simply by the call and the healing holiness of Christ Jesus our Saviour.

Amen.

Prayer of Remembrance by Bruce Prewer, Uniting Church of Australia

photo from wikimedia -

All Saints Day, 1st November 1984 in the Beskiel Cemetery, Oswiecim, Poland.