Living Psalm 78 – All Saints’ Day

Living Psalms Book

Psalms in the form of words and art, reborn in the specific contexts of our world, privileging the voices of historically marginalized communities and those acting in solidarity with them.

Living Psalm 78:1-4; 12-16
All Saints’ Day—November 1

Saints be still, relax, take a chill pill and open your hearts. What I am saying is for you because I have loved you from the beginning of time and that will last throughout eternity. Stop listening to those that would deny you my love. Open your Spirit and receive the breath of life. Engage with the life lessons I’ve shared and will continue to share with you. Soak them in, take time to look inward and reflect upon them. Everything else can wait. Chill. Bathe in the fountain of knowledge that I’ve gifted you with as part of my familia (family), the Communion of Saints, los antepasados (our foremothers, fathers and siblings).

Wisdom is given to you (yes, you.); open your hearts and minds and discover the unimaginable. I teach using many elements; Parables are being shared with all of you, the Saints of God, as it has been from the beginning of time. I celebrate you, all of you not just the socially acceptable. Historic sayings heard by generations of Saints before you are being revealed. These are not unknown to you; our ancestors having been sharing them from generation to generation. Let’s not pretend that our children, tweens and youth need to be protected. They know more than you give them credit for. Let’s live love and truth with ourselves and others. You are the ones now called to pass this wisdom unto the next generation of saints.

Shout, God is Good. All the Time. All the time God is Good.

God cares about you. Indeed, God stops to listen as you speak and to share wisdom through others to move our souls. Merciful and awesome is Jesus. God works wonders and would like to share wonders with you too. God will meet us wherever we are in life. No need to get all cleaned up. God has seen us at our worst and still believes that living Saints are among us. You don’t have to hide who you are as God already knows. Be your authentic self. God smiles when you are around and loves you for being you. No façade needed. Masks are for COVID and socially distancing but not to hide the beauty within nor denying your true self. Relax. Embrace yourself even if others don’t get it. It’s more than ok to simply be you. You are a saint in progress and don’t even see it within yourself. You are awesome. Embrace it.

In the presence of the Communion of Saints, God also marvels.
God marvels in Egypt and in the fields of your life. Our awesome God parted the waters to let the Saints through. Waters stayed still in God’s presence. Maybe that’s the teaching God is trying to teach. Stay still. Pray. Look inward. Accept yourself. Laugh and play.
God is God and always has been there for you just like God was with the Saints we know, and those who have entered their eternal reward. God smiles at Saints including those we don’t know and may never know.

Universal love is here. Our Holy One is within you. Breathe. Soak that in, smile and chill.
God does not deny God’s own. You are not alone. During the day, God continues to lead the Saints. You are a part of the Communion of Saints.

So were those we remember in our hearts at this moment. There are Saints among us.
In the days that we struggle or are confused, follow the cloud that will lead you to where you need to be. At night, even in darkness God sends The Light of Love to shine upon you. When you face seemingly unmovable boulders in the wilderness of life, God splits them so that you are guided and provided with what you need, including drink. The Sacred makes the boulders of life obey and submit to what God intends. Sophia calls forth steams of grace, goodness and compassion to deliver unending love. The waters of life flow down like rivers of blessings.

Those same waters are anointing and honoring the ones we call Saints and rejoices when others experience us as living Saints. The faithful experience wellbeing as it oozes among us in the warm embrace of compassionate love. It’s called God’s grace. Grace flows among us and always will.

Living Psalm 78, for All Saints Day A, was written by the Rev Justo Gonzalez, II.

Living Psalms Book is created by UCC Witness & Worship Artists’ Group, a Network of UCC connected artists, activists and ministers bridging the worship and liturgy of the local church with witness and action in the community.

Logo is detail from Living Psalm 80 by Sophia Beardemphl, Redwoods, CA. Recovering from significant bullying, Sophia, age nine, read Psalm 80 and thought of brokenness that needs mending. She drew this broken and mended bowl.

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