All Saints’ Day, Year C, November 2, 2025
Luke 6:20-31; Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Rev. Misa Furumoto
Today we are celebrating All Saints’ Day — a day to remember all those who have gone before us in faith and in love. Some of them are well known; others lived quiet, humble lives. Yet each of them reflected God’s light in their own way.
Today, we especially remember those dear to us — family members, friends, and loved ones who have gone ahead of us into God’s eternal care. Their names may be spoken aloud in this service, but their love continues to live within our hearts. They are part of the great communion of saints that surrounds us even now.
I believe that communion is broader than we can imagine. It includes not only those who were baptized or belonged to the Church, but also those who, even without baptism, were embraced by the mercy and love of God. For God’s heart is far wider than the boundaries we draw.
The word “saint” simply means “a person who belongs to God.” That means all of us gathered here today — imperfect though we are — are also saints, loved and called by God.
In today’s Gospel, from Luke 6:20–31, Jesus says, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
Through these words, Jesus shows us the values of God’s kingdom — a kingdom built not on power or wealth, but on compassion, mercy, and love.
In our world, happiness often seems to belong to the rich, the successful, and the popular. But Jesus turns that idea upside down. He tells us that those who are poor, those who mourn, those who are hated for doing good — they are the ones truly blessed, because they are close to the heart of God.
The blessedness that Jesus speaks of is not about comfort or possessions. It is about remaining connected to God, no matter what happens. Even in sadness, pain, or loneliness, God is with us — and that is true happiness.
When Jesus says, “Woe to you who are rich,” He does not mean that money itself is evil.
He warns us not to trust our possessions more than we trust God. True richness is found in sharing, in compassion, and in faith.
And then Jesus gives us a simple but powerful rule:“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)
This is the heart of Christian life. To live as saints is not to be perfect, but to let God’s love flow through us — to treat others with the same kindness, patience, and forgiveness that we ourselves have received.
In the book of Daniel which was today’s first reading, the prophet sees a vision of four great beasts rising from the sea — images of the great empires and powers of the earth.
They look strong and terrifying, but none of them last forever. Then Daniel hears this promise:“The holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever—forever and ever.”
This vision reminds us that all earthly power fades, but God’s kingdom endures forever.
And that kingdom belongs to the holy ones of God — to those who live in faith, hope, and love.
Even now, in a world full of uncertainty, God’s kingdom is quietly growing among us whenever people choose love instead of hate, peace instead of fear, and mercy instead of judgment. That is what it means to live as saints today.
Being a saint does not mean being perfect. It means living each day as someone loved by God and trying, in our small ways, to love others as He loves us. When we choose to forgive instead of hold a resentment, when we comfort someone who is hurting, when we stand beside those who are lonely or forgotten — God’s kingdom shines a little brighter through us.
Today we remember the saints who have gone before us. Some were known to many; others were known only to God. But all of them trusted that love is stronger than death.
Now they rest in God’s presence, and we are part of the same great communion of saints.
And among those saints are the people we remember by name today —parents, grandparents, siblings, children, friends, teachers, and mentors —those whose voices we can still hear in our memories, and whose love continues to guide us. We give thanks for their lives, and we entrust them again to God’s gentle care.
One day, we too will join them in that eternal joy, where every tear is wiped away and every heart is made whole. Until that day, let us walk as children of light — loving, forgiving, and hoping —for this is what it means to live as saints of God.
In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
